Barrons OGT - Ohio Graduation Test in Reading and Writing
by Barrons

$14.99

This is a 249-page paperback manual measuring 8 inches by 11 inches. It is designed to help students, parents and teachers understand the ins and outs of the reading and writing portions of the Ohio Graduation Test. It not only describes what each test contains, but how each is scored and how students can attain their maximum potential on the tests.

Following a brief introduction, the manual moves into a description of the basics students will need to know for the English writing and reading OGT. Because this workbook was published late in 2007, this section includes notes and tips from the OGT administered just eight months earlier. This information is, quite literally, hot off the presses.

Diagnostic tests in both reading and writing follow to help ascertain a student’s weak and strong points and where they need to focus review efforts. The tests include both short-answer and multiple-choice questions. Answer keys are provided at the end of each.

Six chapters dealing with the reading OGT and an equal number dealing with the writing OGT make up the “meat” of the workbook. They describe standards in vocabulary and provide tips on answering vocabulary questions. Similar information is included for standards in: reading comprehension; informational, technical and persuasive text and reading applications in literary text. The final chapter in reading addresses the ways to handle short-answer and extended-response questions which will be worth the most points on the real OGT.

The six chapters dealing with the writing OGT feature a similar structure as the ones in reading. Academic standards in writing addressed are: processes such as creative thinking and research; applications such as narrative and persuasive composition; and conventions like spelling, punctuation and usage. The final two chapters in the writing section describe how to write for the OGT in a way that will score the most points possible, focusing on skills and the writing prompt.

Practice tests (two in reading and two in writing) modeled on actual OGTs administered in the past conclude the workbook. Answer keys, scoring guides and sample responses are provided for each test. An appendix describes how to evaluate the results of the practice tests and determine where additional review needs to be directed.