The Blue Book Survival Guide
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Like Dr. Hartnell stated in his Blue Book intro, being able to write will make you a functioning member of society.
For the time being, however, it's hard to be a "functioning member of society" if your guardians kill you. And dead is what you'll be if you don't figure out a way to pass these exams. For this reason, Dr. Hartnell has created this "Blue Book Survival Guide". It's time to answer all of your questions, including: * What kind of beast am I up against? * How does "Exam Day" work? * How do I prepare for a Blue Book Exam? * What do I need to include in my answers? * Is this why my sister cried a lot when she had you for Honors'? Let's begin... |
The Anatomy of a Blue Book Exam
A standard Blue Books is scored out of 100 points (with 40 points coming from the raw mechanics of your writing via the 10 Blue Book EQs, which are discussed later on) and consist of one main question, which you may answer in pen or pencil.
More specifically... Dr. Hartnell's Blue Book Exams consist of one of three possible essay questions that you receive at the start of each unit. (These questions can also be found and downloaded here.) Smart students prepare all prompts because on the day of the exam, Dr. Hartnell will randomly distribute one of the questions (i.e. the student in front, behind, to the left, or to the right of you might have a different question). Because the questions are given to you in advance, it is essential that your essay be well-organized, well-expressed, and well-defended with examples and arguments from the readings, lectures, and discussions. Be specific and write as much intelligent prose as time allows. Explain yourself by stating your thesis in order to provide structure and argument. Use appropriate examples to defend your position if there are opinions to be made. However, NEVER use "I think...", "I feel...", or "I believe..." anywhere in your essay! Instead of writing, "I believe Rome fell because..." you should put "Rome fell because...". Make sure to watch the clock carefully so you have enough time (and space) to finish. So far so good? Here's the challenge... it's all got to fit inside one Blue Book and be done in one class period! In other words, should you fill up the Blue Book, you are DONE with the exam. No additional pages may be added. Any answers written in the margins or on the covers of the Blue Book will not be read, and therefore not graded. (Don't worry... Dr. Hartnell does take into consideration the size of your handwriting so accommodations can be figured out.) Unless arrangements have been made or IEPs/504s are in place, you must stop writing when the bell rings. It amazes Dr. Hartnell how everyone is always so anxious to jet out of class once the bell rings... until Blue Book day, when suddenly everyone wants to hang around a little longer. Imagine that! Sorry, but you may NOT remain after the bell to "finish a few sentences" (which equates to three paragraphs). While Dr. Hartnell certainly appreciates the company, it's time for you to scoot. Most students receive a healthy does of "kick-in-the-teeth" reality after their first Blue Book Exam. Don't lose hope! As you become accustomed to Blue Books, you'll learn to finish on time. The phrase "Quality, not quantity" will make sense by the end of the year. Besides, these Blue Book battle scars make you a member of an elite group of students. Seriously! Not a lot of students get the chance to take Dr. Hartnell's Honors' class, and those that do should make the absolute most of it! There's a method (and reason) to his madness! Dr. Hartnell will MAKE you a better writer... and learner. Stay the course, and give him the opportunity to do so. |
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A Step-By-Step Guide to Blue Books
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Taking a Blue Book Exam is the academic equivalent of going
to war. Follow these steps (and helpful tips) to best prepare a strategy for not only surviving in your battle against the Blue Books - but putting yourself in position to being successful on a routine basis!
Step #1: Begin Early
It should be no
blinding revelation that you, gentle reader, are the central element in your
education (no matter who you may be). If this is the night before your
exam, what follows may be too late. If this turns out to be an
"all-nighter", please consider the following suggestion... in the future, make
every effort to stick with the program. Read the syllabus... don't be
absent... keep up with the readings... and ask questions.
Seriously. If you need help, ask! Preparation for the next Blue Book begins the night after you take your last Blue Book. Work on your reading, writing, and studying skills. You are the principal player in your education. Accept YOUR responsibility.
HELPFUL TIP #1: It takes two to
learn, and Dr. Hartnell is here to help you! A good question from you during class would
be welcomed. If you have any other problem, discuss it with him before or after
class. Communicate any and all concerns you may have. In the meantime, do
your job. Learn to listen critically, develop skills in taking notes, and
develop good study habits.
HELPFUL TIP #2: While many people shy away from "study groups", these can often help you from feeling as though you're alone in this class! Dr. Hartnell is a firm believer that if you can take something you've been taught and teach someone else, you're good to go. Study groups can help you discuss potential responses. Just don't be a "leach"... make sure you contribute! HELPFUL TIP #3: If your schedule allows it, attend EVERY review session that Dr. Hartnell holds! While he won't divulge any state secrets, Dr. Hartnell will use this review time to discuss what he expects and critique any outlines that you might have with you. You will get out of these review sessions what you put in them. If nothing else, it does benefit you to have a place where you can go and say, "Help!" Step #2: Make an Outline
You were given the
actual questions verbatim at the start of the unit. Hopefully, the night before
the exam isn't the first time that you look at them. Take time to outline each
question. This will help you get your thoughts systematized and let you write
clearly. After all, your essay should have good organization. As the
Greek philosopher Aristotle suggested: "A Beginning; A Middle; An End". If "The Philosopher" and "Master
of Those Who Know" doesn't impress you (after all, he is just another dead
white guy), then follow the standard issue of the U.S. Army:
a. Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em; b. Tell 'em; c. Tell 'em what you told 'em. OR... follow Dr. Hartnell's Thanksgiving Analogy. Because he loves to eat, he can best explain writing an essay like sitting down to Thanksgiving with his family. Just like a good meal has a great smell, a good essay has a great thesis. While it generally restates part of the question, a thesis does more than just that. It lets the reader know what to expect by teasing her/him with bits and pieces of the whole picture. However, make sure to deliver on all promises! In this introduction, don't tell the reader something s/he can expect in the paper and then forget to include it! The same is true with smelling Thanksgiving dinner. We've all come to identify certain smells with Thanksgiving: turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. When you first arrive at grandma's house, the only thing you get while you wait for the meal to finish cooking is that tantalizing aroma coming from the kitchen. (Hungry yet?) If the aroma turns out to be fish, asparagus, and mincemeat pie, then we go to McDs. The same holds true for the reader. And when the reader is Dr. Hartnell, that's a problem. Don't tease him with food. EVER. A good essay then gets into what English teachers tiredly call the supporting or body paragraphs. Dr. Hartnell prefers to call these paragraphs the "meat 'n' taters". This is the good stuff. Time for to strap in and fill up! This is where you support or prove your thesis by providing carefully selected examples. With historical writing, there is no need to adhere strictly to the five paragraph essay format (which is one introductory, three supporting, and one conclusion). Why? It's simple. You're going to need more than three supporting paragraphs! In Dr. Hartnell's Honors' class, as long as you have the introductory and conclusion paragraphs, you may have as many "meat 'n' taters" paragraphs as you see fit. However, just like with Thanksgiving dinner, you don't want to overload on the details (a.k.a. butter and gravy), or you'll run out of room for the pumpkin pie. Academically speaking, if you have too many supporting paragraphs, you'll bog down your essay and run out of room! Lastly, just as a good meal ends with a great burp, so, too, a good essay ends with a great conclusion. This part of the essay is meant to summarize what the reader has just been told throughout by the supporting paragraphs. Simply put, a well-written conclusion keeps the "taste" of the essay in the reader's mouth. (We're talking about a "good taste", not the kind you get burping up Taco Bell six hours after consuming it.) In this final paragraph, you want to restate your thesis (but NOT word-for-word), include any final remarks, and then be on your merry way.
HELPFUL TIP #4: In order
for it to be "legit", your paragraphs should have a minimum of five sentences.
Try not to exceed 10-15 sentences in one paragraph. The introductory paragraph
MUST include the thesis statement AND be underlined, although it doesn't have to be the
first sentence. The last sentence of this paragraph should contain a
transitional "hook" that moves the reader to the first paragraph of the paper's
body. Like with the Thanksgiving analogy, this "hook" would be the meal's
aroma. Good smells (or "hooks") will make people/readers stick around! However, consider this your final warning. Under no circumstances should you do the following in your Blue Book's introduction (or conclusion):
a. APOLOGIZE: Never suggest that you don't know what you're talking about or that you're not enough of an expert that your opinion should count. Your reader (Dr. Hartnell!) will quickly turn to something else, like a better Blue Book Exam. Avoid phrases like: "I'm not sure about this, but..." or "I don't really know for sure, but..." Many times these are followed by the dreaded "I think...", "I feel...", or "I believe..." statements that should be avoided at all costs! b. ANNOUNCE YOUR INTENTIONS: There are ways to let the reader know what you are going to discuss without flatly telling her/him. Avoid phrases like: "In this essay I will..." or "The purpose of this essay is to..." c. TELL US WHAT YOU CHOSE: Dr. Hartnell already knows what essay you chose... because he gave it to you! Avoid phrases like: "I chose to write my essay on..." This sort of introduction is better suited for 3rd grade science presentations. d. DILLY-DALLY: Hello? Anyone out there? Yoo-hoo? Move confidently into your essay. Many writers incorrectly write a warm-up paragraph (or two, or three, or four, or...) to get them in the "mood" of their essay before getting to their introduction. Sometimes writers pump as much information into these random paragraphs that they essentially present their entire argument BEFORE they begin. Bad idea. You're wasting time... time you don't have. Don't do that. e. USE DICTIONARY/ENCYCLOPEDIA DEFINITION: This is the WORST way to start ANYTHING! Avoid phrases like: "Webster's defines..." or "According to Wikipedia..." Although definitions are useful, you want to avoid this hackneyed beginning. You may begin with a definition, just don't add "Webster's defines such-and-such as...". Save this for your Best Man's speech that Dr. Hartnell will boo at your wedding. (And yes, Dr. Hartnell is invited.) f. SAY YOU HAD FUN OR LEARNED A LOT: No you didn't. Please don't finish your Blue Book with such a bold face lie. You did NOT have fun spending your evenings and weekends prepping for the exam, especially on a topic you couldn't choose. It's probably a given that you had much better things you'd rather be doing. And while you hopefully learned some new information, it most likely didn't "blow your mind" or make some sort of life-altering revelation. So, don't do it... liar. HELPFUL TIP #5: Forty-five minutes is "not a lot of time" to write an essay. Because time is NOT on your side, your essay should show economy of expression. Be specific when it calls for it. Avoid trying to "impress" Dr. Hartnell with your vast historical knowledge. He can distinguish peppercorns from mouse droppings... so keep fertilizer to a minimum. The most common mistake in writing essays is ignoring, overlooking, or giving only short notice to major issues, concepts, or historical figures. Your essay must be balanced. Consider where the greatest amount of time, effort, and emphasis was placed in class. If you find yourself thinking, "Gee, Dr. Hartnell mentioned that 12 times...", then it'd be a safe bet to work it into your essay. HELPFUL TIP #6: If part of your response is "opinionated", make sure to leave out any uses of "I" or "we". Dr. Hartnell knows if it was an opinionated question because he gave it to you, so there's no need to remind him that it's your opinion! Opinions involve responsibility, so you must mean what you say. The value of what you say depends on the argument and evidence you provide. HELPFUL TIP #7: Let Dr. Hartnell see your outlines!!! Up until two or three days before an exam, Dr. Hartnell will gladly review your outline and provide feedback. For free. Seriously! This is a service that too few take advantage of! Even if all you have is a meager thesis statement and some vague ideas, let him take a look. Remember, he's been doing this for a long time - so he knows a thing or two about organizing thoughts on paper, and he's more than happy to share! Ideally, you should provide Dr. Hartnell with an outline fairly early into the preparation process. This way, after he makes comments on it, you can make the necessary edits before turning the outline into a practice essay... which he will also look over. This is where study groups can be very advantageous! Submit outlines together! It's NOT cheating since you will have to take the exam on your own. Have one person work on Question A, you do Question B, and another person complete Question C. Submit them, get the feedback, and then share with each other. In short, work smarter, not harder! Step #3: Practice!No
matter how many in-class essay tests you took in middle school, practicing is
the best way to help you write more clearly and persuasively when it comes time
for the Blue Book. As much as you'd rather not do this, you need to
practice writing all three essay questions. After completing an outline, try to write an essay (using your notes) in an actual Blue Book (which is why Dr. Hartnell asks that you buy extra). If you fill up the Blue Book without getting through everything you need, then you know you have too much. Keep writing (on separate sheets of paper), and take this train wreck to Dr. Hartnell. He'll help you cut back - don't you worry. After making revisions, try it again. This time, put 45 minutes on a clock and attempt writing one within the time limit. If you aren't finished when the timer goes off, make a mark on the page, and then finish the essay. Write down the final amount of time you needed. Take this practice essay into Dr. Hartnell and let him know you wrote for another 15 minutes after the "bell". Again, he'll help you chop it down.
Don't be discouraged if the first time through your essay isn't as strong or as persuasive as you had hoped. Perhaps you thought you understood the material better. Perhaps you felt you didn't have enough time or that you had more to say than time to write. No matter how clever or lucky you may be, you will have to think about what you write. And you will not have much time to think about things during the exam. That's the "Blue Book Challenge"! That's why you must be prepared in advance. No list, no parade of facts, no memorization, and no factoid flashbacks will do. You must prepare thoughtfully. The best form of preparation is continuous. Like with anything in life, if you practice every day... you'll feel better every morning. When you do eventually write a practice essay under the time limit and one that meets the requirements, do NOT try to memorize the entire thing!!! It can't be done, especially with multiple essay possibilities. If you need to memorize something, memorize your thesis statement for each of the essays. Other than that, what you should do instead is figure out what you did right when you wrote it and why you completed it in 45 minutes. Revisit your outlines. After a few Blue Book Exams, the idea of practicing will make more sense. It always does...
HELPFUL TIP #8: Just like with the outlines, submit your practice essays for Dr. Hartnell to review. He'll make plenty of comments and let you know if you're heading in the right direction. It's far better that he writes all over your practice essay than the one that counts! You will get tired of hearing Dr. Hartnell say this, but... when he reads your Blue Book on test day, it should NOT be for the first time. You're playing with fire otherwise.
HELPFUL TIP #9: The night before a Blue Book should not find you up until all hours of the night cramming. You should review your outlines and your thesis statements. Read through your practice essays a couple of times. And then go to bed. Trying to crank out some desperate outlines at this point will be futile. The key, again, is to start EARLY! HELPFUL TIP #10: Avoid being "cutsie" with your conclusion. Doing such can ruin the overall "taste" of your essay. It's sort of like adding sundae toppings, peanut butter, and marshmallow cream to your piece of pumpkin pie. It's overkill... and you'll throw up later. Don't do that to your essay. Besides, if you make Dr. Hartnell throw up, he will wipe his mouth with your essay. |
How are Blue Book Exams graded?
In Dr. Hartnell's
Honors' History class, grades come from 3
key components:
1. Blue Book Exams 2. Multiple Choice Tests 3. Essential Questions (EQs) When it comes time to assess mastery, students take a Blue Book Exam and a Multiple Choice Test. The values of these tests increase with every unit. This means Unit #1's Blue Book Exam and Multiple Choice Test are each worth 25 points; Unit #2's assessments are worth 50 points, Unit #3's assessments are worth 75 points, Unit #4 and all units from that point on are worth 100 points. Each unit's Blue Books are comprised of 10 EQs that are geared solely toward the Blue Books and are labeled as such. They are listed below: |
BB EQ 1. Was the thesis underlined? Did it provide a proper (but brief) snapshot of the
entire paper?
BB EQ 2. Was the paper properly organized and structured? Did it contain an appropriate introduction that successfully began the student's presentation/argument?
BB EQ 3. Was the proper amount of information included to answer the question and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the topic – but not too much so as to bog down the "flow" of the paper?
BB EQ 4. Did the student provide specific (and correct) examples of the who, the what, the when, the where, and the WHY throughout the paper?
BB EQ 5. Did the paper contain an appropriate number of supporting/body paragraphs that contained the necessary information?
BB EQ 6. Did the paper contain a proper conclusion that summarized the entire paper in a sufficient (but brief) paragraph?
BB EQ 7. As a whole, did the paper flow from paragraph-to-paragraph and not come across as "choppy"? Was it logically and systematically presented?
BB EQ 8. Was the paper (relatively) free of grammatical and spelling mistakes? Did it follow basic guidelines? (In other words, the student did not say "I think", "I feel", or "I believe", or commit other classroom faux pas throughout their presentation.)
BB EQ 9. Did the student demonstrate proper time management in finishing the Blue Book in the designated time?
BB EQ 10. Overall, was the student's Blue Book a successful and well-written presentation? Did it demonstrate their mastery of the material?
BB EQ 2. Was the paper properly organized and structured? Did it contain an appropriate introduction that successfully began the student's presentation/argument?
BB EQ 3. Was the proper amount of information included to answer the question and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the topic – but not too much so as to bog down the "flow" of the paper?
BB EQ 4. Did the student provide specific (and correct) examples of the who, the what, the when, the where, and the WHY throughout the paper?
BB EQ 5. Did the paper contain an appropriate number of supporting/body paragraphs that contained the necessary information?
BB EQ 6. Did the paper contain a proper conclusion that summarized the entire paper in a sufficient (but brief) paragraph?
BB EQ 7. As a whole, did the paper flow from paragraph-to-paragraph and not come across as "choppy"? Was it logically and systematically presented?
BB EQ 8. Was the paper (relatively) free of grammatical and spelling mistakes? Did it follow basic guidelines? (In other words, the student did not say "I think", "I feel", or "I believe", or commit other classroom faux pas throughout their presentation.)
BB EQ 9. Did the student demonstrate proper time management in finishing the Blue Book in the designated time?
BB EQ 10. Overall, was the student's Blue Book a successful and well-written presentation? Did it demonstrate their mastery of the material?
Since Blue Book EQs are worth 4 points each, 40 of the points for the overall Blue Book grade are wrapped up in these. The other 60 points stem from an overall score based upon how well a student knows the information covered by the Blue Book question. (Note: To avoid "double jeopardy", this 60-point "Information Score" will not be used to determine a student's mastery of specific unit EQs.) When added together, you get 100 points that are not "open" for re-assessment. This "lump grade" will appear out of 100 points on Power School.
Despite the fact that this SBG-classroom revolves around re-assessment, these 100 points are NOT up for re-assessment. The reason for this is simple: these points are an indication of where a student's writing abilities stand at that moment, which is crucial in an Honors' class, especially since Dr. Hartnell's goal is to improve writing skills. A copy of Dr. Hartnell's Blue Book Exam grade sheet is shown below: |
An additional 100
points come from the Multiple Choice Test. The 50 test questions (2 points
each) are pulled from the Unit EQs, which students receive at the start of
every unit and can download by clicking here. This grade is calculated like any standard Multiple Choice
Test, and, like the Blue Book Exam grade, is not "open" for re-assessment. This
"lump grade" will appear out of 25, 50, 75, or 100 points on Power School (remember... test values increase with each assessment).
Mastery of the unit EQs is determined by a student's performance on the Multiple Choice Test. Each of the 50 questions are linked to specific EQs, with some questions covering only one EQ and others covering as many as 10 EQs. Many questions overlap the various EQs, which allows for additional chances for mastery to be demonstrated. ALL of theses unit EQs are "open" for re-assessment. An example of how mastery is calculated from these Multiple Choice Tests can be found by clicking here. It takes one full week for Dr. Hartnell to grade your Blue Books. If he happens to have two Honors' classes, then it will take him two weeks. It takes this long because he reads each Blue Book four times. The first time is used to give him a general "feel" for how all of his students performed. When he reads the Blue Books for a second time, he does so by class to see how a specific class did. (Sometimes one class period "gets it" better than another.) The third time sees him start docking points. The fourth time is where he adds points back to your grade. After four readings, Dr. Hartnell is very confident in determining your mastery level for that particular Blue Book. The grade a student earns on a Blue Book is specific to THAT student and that student ONLY. Trying to compare grades is meaningless, namely because Dr. Hartnell takes into account where students started the year (in terms of their writing level), the number of outlines and practice Blue Books the student completed, and how much improvement was shown between exams. What is considered "A" level writing for one student might be a "C" for another - and vice versa. There is NO point in arguing, "Johnny got a better grade than I did, and I wrote more than him!!!" That's great - you're not Johnny. Dr. Hartnell will post Blue Book grades on-line but not until everyone has taken the exam. He will wait until all classes have been graded before posting and will not "post as he goes". Unlike in past years, Dr. Hartnell no longer returns the actual Blue Book Exam to the students for them to keep... or burn. This is in an attempt to encourage students to make arrangements to meet with him during their study hall, lunch, or before/after school to review their Blue Book Exam results. More can be gained by this kind of one-on-one dialogue than through reading his comments in the margins of the exam. During these meetings, Dr. Hartnell can explain the grade sheet and provide additional comments as to what you did well and where we can go from there. In the end, you will get out of this Blue Book experience what you put into it. |
Students can thank Professor Walker and his Mexican Economics class at Michigan State University for molding Dr. Hartnell. Dr. Walker was a terrifying beast of a man... a Vietnam Vet with a shaved head and goatee, he wore a black cape (seriously), held Office Hours at 4am... and used Blue Book Exams. [Click picture for a larger version.]
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How do I drop this class?
YOU CAN'T! Mwah! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Okay, you CAN drop the course, but there's a process involved well beyond you up and deciding that you don't want to commit to the work load. Dr. Hartnell understands that this Honors' class is NOT the only class you're taking. Dr. Hartnell understands that you have outside factors that play into your lives (sports, activities, church, work, etc.). Dr. Hartnell understands that you're Freshmen. HOWEVER, when you decide to take an Honors' class, you are making it known that you are willing to be challenged. For many of you, grades have come easy. You've been able to coast through subjects with little energy. Many of you don't know HOW to study because you've never really had to do extensive pre-planning, pre-writing, and research for school work... let alone for tests. Conversely, Dr. Hartnell can guarantee that if you put the time into his Honors' class, you WILL leave with a whole new (and improved) set of reading, writing, and study skills. But, in the event that you still "want out", you will need to download and complete the Honors' Drop Form (available below), give it to Dr. Hartnell, and then schedule a conference with him. No phone calls! Face-to-face is how he works. (Yes, parents/guardians are encouraged to attend.) Understand that many times you can't drop the course until the end of the quarter/semester (depending on when your request is granted by Administration and the Guidance Office). Click here to download the Drop Form. |