Evidence Based Analysis/ Text Dependent Analysis/ RACES Method Tutorial

 

HEY GUYS!  Lets learn about RACES and leave the competition in the dust!!!  We have been working on RACE to answer short questions, but NOW lets see how RACE applies to a longer constructed response.  Are you ready to get your learning on?!  Yea, I know.  Me to!

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Here is a quick review of the RACE Strategy. 

R - restate the question

A -answer the question

C - cite evidence

E - explain/analyze your evidence

S- summarize/conclusion

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It all starts with... The Topic Sentence

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R Introduction Paragraph

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● To begin, you must write an introduction paragraph

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Remember: 

1. You don’t always have to be clever! You can be direct,

straightforward, and get right to your response to the prompt

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2. Identify the main points you plan to cover in your writing piece.

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RA: The Topic Sentence (Restate and Answer)

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● In the introduction paragraph, the topic sentence should be the last sentence of the paragraph.

● The topic sentence should use the same language of the prompt. (*Restate the question from the prompt)

● The topic sentence must be a declarative statement that Answers the prompt.

● The topic sentence should include the title of the text you are analyzing. Author is optional.

 

Here is a topic sentence example:

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Writing Prompt: The story “Paranka’s Dumplings” focuses on two cooks with different styles who work in the same kitchen. Write an essay analyzing the significance of Paranka’s and Olya’s different approaches to preparing dumplings. Use evidence from the passage to support your response.

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Topic Sentence Examples:

Example One: Throughout the story of “Paranka’s Dumplings,” there were different ways Paranka and Olya approached making dumplings.

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Example Two: In the passage “Paranka’s Dumplings,” Paranka and Olya have different

approaches when preparing dumplings which show their character traits and flaws.

 

!!!!!!!!STOP and answer a quick question on your worksheet!!!!! 

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ANSWER (Claim)

I have chosen example 2 to continue writing below.  Here is the Answer (A) portion of RACE.

A:  While Paranka takes her time, Olya is very harsh and careless. Paranka’s dumplings taste better because she takes her time and cares about making them. Paranka’s and Olya’s methods of cooking dumplings reveal their character traits and flaws.

ANSWER

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C Cite Textual Evidence

● Cite evidence directly from the text to support the answer to the prompt.

● Be sure to put the evidence in quotation marks ( “...”)

● Unless the prompt asks for a specific number, find AT LEAST 2 pieces of textual evidence to support the answer.

*Don’t forget to use a signal phrase before citing the evidence*

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Introducing Evidence

Signal phrases help your reader to understand that you are introducing evidence to support your topic sentence.

Signal phrases come directly before the quote from the text.

Examples of Signal Phrases

● According to the text,

● The text states,

● This is evident when...

● This can be seen when...

● An example of this is...

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Example of topic sentence followed by signal phrase and evidence.

Writing Prompt:

The story “Paranka’s Dumplings” focuses on two cooks with different styles who work in the same kitchen. Write an essay analyzing the significance of Paranka’s and Olya’s different approaches to preparing dumplings. Use evidence from the passage to support your response.

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Example:

R:  In the passage “Paranka’s Dumplings,” Paranka and Olya have different approaches when preparing dumplings.

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A:  While Paranka takes her time, Olya is very harsh and careless. Paranka’s dumplings taste better because she takes her time and cares about making them. Paranka’s and Olya’s methods of cooking dumplings reveal their character traits and flaws.

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C: When Paranka creates dumplings, she works slowly, but wastes no time. An example from the passage reads, “Paranka formed the dough into small circles... “ Paranka boils dumplings that taste delicious because she kneads and folds the dough delicately.

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Note how the signal phrase is preceded by a transition.

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!!!!!STOP!!!!

Underline the topic sentence.

Highlight the transition used in the example above.

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Explain the Evidence

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E Textual Evidence - Explanations

● The next step is to explain the relevance of your evidence.

*How does this piece of evidence PROVE without a doubt that the answer is correct?*

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● For each piece of evidence, you must provide an explanation that supports the topic sentence.

(if you cite 2 pieces of evidence you need 2 explanations.  R.A.C.E.C.E.

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● Your explanation must be 2-3 well developed sentences.

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E Textual Evidence - Example

This example builds off the previous example.  *note the level of detail in the explanation*

 

In the passage “Paranka’s Dumplings,” Paranka and Olya have different approaches when preparing dumplings. While Paranka takes her time, Olya is very harsh and careless. Paranka’s dumplings taste better because she takes her time and cares about making them. Paranka’s and Olya’s methods of cooking dumplings reveal their character traits and flaws.

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When Paranka creates dumplings, she works slowly, but wastes no time. An example from the passage reads, “Paranka formed the dough into small circles and spooned cherries into the center of each. She gently folded the half-moon pockets, then pinched them closes with their nimble fingers. As Paranka delicately boiled the dough to perfection...” Paranka boils dumplings that taste delicious because she kneads and folds tha dough delicately. The girl makes her dumplings caringly because she wants to please the people who are going to eat them.

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Transitions

● Transitions are used to connect your ideas.

● A transition is needed before each signal phrase that introduces textual evidence and before the conclusion sentence.

● You must choose transitions which make logical sense to connect your ideas.

● DO NOT use transitions to introduce a new piece of evidence for the next paragraph.

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Examples of Transitions

● First

● Next

● Another

● Finally

● In conclusion

● Clearly

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Textual Evidence Part 2

Once again building upon the previous example, lets see how the second piece of evidence is cited and explained.  

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In the passage “Paranka’s Dumplings,” Paranka and Olya have different approaches when preparing dumplings. While Paranka takes her time, Olya is very harsh and careless. Paranka’s dumplings taste better because she takes her time and cares about making them. Paranka’s and Olya’s methods of cooking dumplings reveal their character traits and flaws.

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When Paranka creates dumplings, she works slowly, but wastes no time. An example from the passage reads, “Paranka formed the dough into small circles and spooned cherries into the center of each. She gently folded the half-moon pockets, then pinched them closes with their nimble fingers. As Paranka delicately boiled the dough to perfection...” Paranka boils dumplings that taste delicious because she kneads and folds tha dough delicately. The girl makes her dumplings caringly because she wants to please the people who are going to eat them.

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On the other hand, Olya makes her dumplings in a cruel way. In the passage it says, “Olya poked cherries into the dumplings and clumsily pinched them shut with her thick fingers. When the dumplings had overboiled in the too-salty water, she put them on a cold, wet, drippy plate and sent them into the dining room.” A few sentences later the passage describes a lady breaking her tooth on a cherry pit. Olya lies and says that Paranka made the dumplings so that she could keep her job and not have to take the blame. This shows the reader that Olya is a selfish and careless person. She did not care that she was serving and overcooked, sloppy dumpling. All she cared about was completing the task so that she could get paid. When Olya got in trouble, she blamed it on Paranka in order to get her out of the way. Olya only wanted to help herself.

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STOP!!!!!!!

Highlight the transitions used in the 3rd paragraph.  

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The Conclusion

● After you have created a topic sentence, signaled, cited, explained the evidence, and ensured that it is all connected by transitions, you must conclude your writing piece.

● A good conclusion sentence RESTATES the topic and provides a sense of closure.

● Summarize the main points you’ve developed in the body

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For the Example we have been working with, a good conclusion or closure sentence would be:

The significance of Paranka and Olya’s dumplings clearly shows the reader good and bad character traits and where they will lead you. For example, Olya got fired while Paranka became head chef. The ways that Paranka and Olya make their dumplings are reflections of their character traits and flaws.

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Breaking It All Down - Your Turn

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Now lets look at the completed constructed response.

Directions:  Complete the following tasks while reading the completed constructed response.

1.  Underline the topic and conclusion sentences.

2.  Highlight the transitions.

3.  Highlight the signal phrases.

4.  Circle the explanations of the evidence

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In the passage “Paranka’s Dumplings,” Paranka and Olya have different approaches when preparing dumplings. While Paranka takes her time, Olya is very harsh and careless. Paranka’s dumplings taste better because she takes her time and cares about making them. Paranka’s and Olya’s methods of cooking dumplings reveal their character traits and flaws.

​

When Paranka creates dumplings, she works slowly, but wastes no time. An example from the passage reads, “Paranka formed the dough into small circles and spooned cherries into the center of each. She gently folded the half-moon pockets, then pinched them closes with their nimble fingers. As Paranka delicately boiled the dough to perfection...” Paranka boils dumplings that taste delicious because she kneads and folds tha dough delicately. The girl makes her dumplings caringly because she wants to please the people who are going to eat them.

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On the other hand, Olya makes her dumplings in a cruel way. In the passage it says, “Olya poked cherries into the dumplings and clumsily pinched them shut with her thick fingers. When the dumplings had overboiled in the too-salty water, she put them on a cold, wet, drippy plate and sent them into the dining room.” A few sentences later the passage describes a lady breaking her tooth on a cherry pit. Olya lies and says that Paranka made the dumplings so that she could keep her job and not have to take the blame. This shows the reader that Olya is a selfish and careless person. She did not care that she was serving and overcooked, sloppy dumpling. All she cared about was completing the task so that she could get paid. When Olya got in trouble, she blamed it on Paranka in order to get her out of the way. Olya only wanted to help herself.

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The significance of Paranka and Olya’s preparation of the dumplings clearly shows the reader good and bad character traits and where they will lead you. For example, Olya got fired while Paranka became head chef. The ways that Paranka and Olya make their dumplings are reflections of their character traits and flaws.

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YOU'VE FINISHED!  GREAT JOB!!!!! YOU ARE ON YOUR WAY TO BEING A ROCK STAR WRITER!!!!!!