Do not take notes in full sentence form. Use points. Expect structure. The main point will come first followed by explanations, examples,

and reasons. Put things in your own words. Avoid the trap of copying down exact phrases. Make sure you've covered the 5W's and How. Do you know who, what, when, where, why, and how? You must mention specific details in your answer.

Your next task is to show how the lecture challenges or supports the reading. Begin by typing out an outline so your essay has a clear, coherent structure. You can fill it in and delete as you write.

Choose your words carefully so that you are answering the exact question that is asked. Just writing generally about the subject will not get you high marks.

Here are some key phrases you can use in your essay.

Challenges the reading

contest, dispute, query, questiondoubt, mistrustobject (to), protestoppose, resist, defy, face

Supports the reading

advocate, back, championconfirm, bear out, corroborate, substantiatevalidate, verify, vindicatehelp, boost, support

Use verbs to indicate that you are summarizing:

suggest, sayreport, tellargue, question, askconclude

Okay. So without a doubt, the integrated writing section on the TOEFL is approached with apprehension by students worldwide. How can I possibly understand the lecture? How do I link the reading and the listening? How on Earth am I going to finish this essay in 20 minutes?

Fear not. Let’s take a look at some of the aspects of the integrated writing section and break down some myths that might surface around this topic.

Aspect #1: Reading vs. Listening: Which one matters the most?

Many students are often thrown off by this question. After all, isn’t it an equal divide in terms of both the reading and the listening? Well – almost. To be quite honest, the prompt for the integrated writing will always go as follows:“Summarize the lecture, making sure to cast doubt (or compliment) points made in the reading.”Remember – this means your primary task is to summarize the lecture, bringing in information from the

reading when it’s relevant and worthy to do so. All in all, the lecture tends to make up the bulk of your essay, as it’s what you’re summarizing. The reading is brought in only when it makes sense to do so. So, I would say the integrated essay, in terms of a breakdown of actual information, goes as follows:Lecture: 60%Reading: 40%

Again, always make sure to refer back to the directions. “Summarize the lecture” is always the first three words of the integrated writing task prompt.

Aspect #2: Point by Point vs. Block Format

Which way is the best to write your TOEFL essay? Well, there are two ways to do so: point by point and block. What are the differences? Let’s see:

• Point-by-point structures the essay according to points, or specific facts and details taken from both the reading and the listening. For example: you make one statement about the lecture and provide either a point of similarity or contradiction to that point from the reading in the first paragraph. The same for the second paragraph, the third, etc… This is an essay structured around shared information.

• Block format is a bit easier in that it structures half of your essay about the lecture and half about the reading. The details, or specific bits of knowledge from each are not juxtaposed against one another as in the point-by-point.

Which is better, you may ask? Here’s my advice: If you have a relatively good grasp of both the content of the lecture and the reading – go for point by point. If you are unclear about both the reading and the listening and you are hesitant to attempt to structure such an essay – block format is viable.

Words of wisdom: Block format is a last resort. Strive for an integrated essay that’s point by point; the mark of an advanced writer!

Aspect #3: How should my Essay be Structured?

Technically, your essay should be anywhere from 150 – 225 words. That totals to about two long paragraphs, or three moderately short ones. Do you need an introduction? Absolutely. But, my advice is to keep it brief. A common way to begin the integrated essay is: “Both the reading and the listening talk about ______.” Give us a general idea of what the topic is before we get into points of similarity or contradiction.

A conclusion? Well, only if you have time. This essay is roughly half the length or two thirds the length of your independent essay, so a conclusion several sentences long is not all that realistic in twenty minutes. If you have time and are not sacrificing seconds from the editing stage, feel free to include a general concluding sentence restating what you said in your introduction with more specifics. However, if you’re running out of time and want to make sure and leave two minutes to edit – simply end your integrated essay with your final point of similarity or contradiction.

Above all – draw connections from the reading and the listening whenever possible.

Suggested Outline:

1st Paragraph:

Write about the reading passage

Use:

In this set of materials, the reading passage discusses / describes / mentions / outlines / explains………………………...

2nd Paragraph:

Compare or contrast the reading passage and the listening passage.

Use:

The listening passage supports – adds to / challenges – casts doubt on the information in the reading passage by………………………………………..

Use: support or add to, when listening passage has a PARALLEL view to the issue discussed in the passages.

Use: challenge or cast doubt on, when listening passage DOES NOT have a parallel view to the issue discussed in the passages.

Write two paragraphs - 150– 225 words (15 mins) Revise your paragraphs (3 mins)

The following TOEFL iBT Integrated Writing template is the template which I used when I answered the question: “Summarize the points made in the lecture you just heard, explaining how they cast doubt on the points made in the reading.”

Paragraph I

In this set of materials, the reading passage mentions/describes/explains the theory/research result/....................... that ......................................................................... . On the other hand, the lecturer is not sure/doubtful with the theory/research result/................. .

Paragraph II

According to the reading passage, the theory/research result/............... states that ............................................................................................................................................. by giving three reasons as follows:

(1).....................................................................................................................................................................

(2).....................................................................................................................................................................

(3)......................................................................................................................................................................

Paragraph III

On the other hand/However, the lecturer/the professor in the listening passage is not sure with the theory/research result mentioned in the reading passage by describing three reasons as follows:

(1)..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

........................................................................................................................................................................

....

........................................................................................................................................................................

....

........................................................................................................................................................................

(2)..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

(3)..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Clues:

- The First paragraph is only the opening. So, just write it in brief.

- In the 2nd paragraph you summarize the reading passage content, but do not copy and paste it to your writing. You should paraphrase it (use other words but it is still the same meaning as the reading). You can also change the structure of the sentence, for example if the statement in the reading is “active voice” you can make it in the “passive voice”. Again, just for your attention! Do not “copy paste” unless

you want to get zero score. And, do not type it too much here.

- In the 3rd paragraph you should elaborate the reasons why the lecturer/the professor is not sure with the theory/the research result. Here, you should also connect the professor reasons with the reasons in the reading passage. Focus and give more elaboration here. Based on my experience, I elaborate more the professor explanation here, and I got the “Good” score in the Integrated Writing task. So, my conclusion (correct me if I am wrong) is that the test rater gives more weight in this paragraph.

Integrated Essay Template

 

Paragraph 1 (introduction):

Both the reading passage and the lecture discuss…. The author of the reading passage argues that…. On the other hand, the lecturer believes that…

Paragraph 2, 3 and 4 (body):

First, the author of the reading passage states that…. He observes that…. He also mentions that…. The lecturer challenges these allegations, by indicating that…. He points out that….

For the next two body paragraphs use the same template but substitute "second" and "third" at the beginning.

Paragraph 5 (conclusion):

Note that I generally do not recommend that students write a conclusion to the integrated essay (there is little time to do so), but if you feel that you must write one, you can use this short template:

"Overall, the author effectively challenges//supports the claims of the lecturer." "He does this by challenging//elaborating on each of the points raised by the lecturer.

Your integrated essay should be about 250-300 words in length.