The Essay Writing Prompt

Although you won’t know the essay topic until the day of the test, the writing prompts follow a pattern: a controversial topic is presented and several arguments are listed for each side of the issue. Then you are asked to take a stand on the issue presented and to present reasons and evidence to support your beliefs. Below is the sample prompt listed in the 2004-2005 THEA bulletin:

Should art projects that are supported by public funding be required to meet certain standards defining what is socially acceptable? Some believe that the government has both a right and a responsibility to ensure that works of art produced with the help of public funds reflect society's commonly accepted values. Others regard government guidelines for art as a form of censorship that violates our nation's commitment to freedom of expression.

Your purpose is to write an essay, to be read by a classroom instructor, in which you take a position on whether or not the government should establish guidelines limiting the kind of art that can be produced with public funding. Be sure to support your position with logical arguments and appropriate examples.

Think of the arguments listed in the prompt as a starting point for your prewriting. You are not required to include any of the given arguments in your essay, but if you choose to use some of these statements as main ideas, rephrase them and add a substantial amount of your own material as supporting detail.

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