TDA Anatomy

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The Anatomy of a Text Dependent

The Thompson TDA Model
Analysis (TDA) Prompt

The purpose of this resource is to assist educators with deconstructing a TDA
prompt and providing students with guided instruction that will allow them to
successfully recognize the expectations of a TDA prompt. When responding to a text
dependent analysis prompt, whether for classroom instruction, classroom-based
assessments, or for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA),
students are expected to address all parts of the task demonstrating sufficient
analytic understanding of the text(s). What if the teacher is unclear about the
expectations of a TDA prompt? The following examples will help educators
recognize these expectations.
Most TDA prompts are comprised of three statements:

1. The reading element(s) students are expected to analyze,
2. The information describing the task, and
3. An expectation to use evidence from the text.
Example 1. Grade 6 Classroom Based TDA Prompt

Authors use characters to develop a theme. Write an essay analyzing how the
thoughts, words, and actions of Mrs. Jones and Roger develop the theme of trust.
Use evidence from the text to support your analysis.
(Developed using the text, Thank You M’Am, by Langston Hughes, 1958)
The first statement focuses students on the reading element(s)1 they are expected
to analyze2:
Authors use characters to develop a theme.
The two reading elements are clearly identified as characters and theme.
The second statement provides students with several pieces of information

describing the task:
Write an essay analyzing how the thoughts, words, and actions of Mrs. Jones
and Roger develop the theme of trust.
Ic"'> This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Prompt | April 2018 1

1) Students are expected to write an essay. It is expected that students develop a written
piece that is organized in a structure appropriate to their grade level and includes an
introduction, development, and conclusion; a coherent controlling idea; effective use of
paragraphing; and the appropriate use of transitions and conventions of English.
2) Students are expected to demonstrate analysis. Analysis is defined as a detailed

examination of the elements or structure of text, by breaking it into its component parts to
uncover interrelationships in order to draw a conclusion. Therefore, students must recognize
and describe the interrelationship between the characters and theme within this text.
3) Students are expected to focus on the characters, thoughts, words, actions, and theme
of trust. In this prompt, the two elements are clearly stated with added specificity as the
thoughts, words, and actions of the characters and the theme of trust.
The prompt’s final statement is used with all prompts to remind students that their analysis must be
supported with text evidence:
The text evidence should be precise and focused. The students must demonstrate comprehension of
the text, understanding of the reading elements, and how or why they are used by the author. Copied
paragraphs from the text will not sufficiently support the analysis. In addition, evidence can be in the
form of either a direct quote or paraphrasing appropriate details from the text.
Throughout the course of the year, the teacher should begin to develop prompts which provide less
scaffolding, allowing students more opportunity to select an appropriate reading element, based on
what they have been taught in class and over the course of their instructional program, to support their
analysis of the text. Example 2 classroom prompt below provides a less scaffolded prompt in which one
reading element is specifically identified:
Example 2. Grade 7 Classroom Based TDA Prompt

Authors often use figurative language to describe objects, characters, and situations in their stories.
Write an essay analyzing the role that figurative language plays in this story. Use evidence from the
text to support your analysis.
(Developed using the text, Uncle Timothy’s Ships, by Summer Woodford, 1993)
The first statement focuses students on one reading element (figurative language) which is expected
to be analyzed:
Authors often use figurative language to describe objects, characters, and situations in
their stories.
The second statement provides students with several pieces of information describing the task:
Write an essay analyzing the role that figurative language plays in this story.
Icoc> This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

In this example, students are expected to 1) write an essay, and 2) to analyze the role that figurative
language plays in the story. A second specific reading element is not identified, so students must
determine the author’s purpose for using the figurative language. Which reading element is related to
the figurative language in this story? Characterization? Symbolism? Mood? Author’s message? The
reader is required to understand figurative language and to analyze its role through the
interrelationship with another reading element (e.g., symbolism).
The prompt’s final statement is used with all prompts to remind students that their analysis must be
supported with text evidence – quotes or paraphrases – from the text to support the analysis (the
interrelationship) between the characters’ actions.
In Example 3 below the reading elements are not clearly identified for students. By the end of the year,
teachers have provided direct instruction on reading elements multiple times in their instructional
program. Consequently, TDA prompts may be less prescriptive allowing students the opportunity to
select from the elements and/or structures presented in the text.
Example 3. Grade 6 PSSA TDA Prompt

The passage “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.
(PSSA Grade 6 English Language Arts Item and Scoring Sampler—September 2017)
The first statement guides the students to one reading element, although it is not specifically identified:
The passage “Paranka’s Dumplings” focuses on two cooks with different styles who work in the
same kitchen.
This statement identifies the nature of the two cooks (characterization) as the first reading element to
be analyzed. To demonstrate analysis there must be two elements.
The second statement asks students to: 1) write an essay, and 2) to analyze the significance of
the character’s approaches or actions:
Write an essay analyzing the significance of Paranka’s and Olya’s different approaches to
preparing dumplings.
In this statement, a second reading element is not clearly identified. Students must select a reading
element that will relate to the significance of the character’s approaches. In this case, the significance
could refer to the author’s message, theme, or plot (e.g., turning point or conflict). The student is
required to understand the difference between the two characters and to analyze how their different
actions reveal or support another reading element in the passage.

The final statement reminds students to use evidence – quotes or paraphrases – from the text to
support the analysis or the interrelationship between the characters’ actions and author’s message,
theme, or plot (e.g., turning point or conflict)
Thompson, J. (2018). Text Dependent Analysis Series: The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis
(TDA) Prompt. www.nciea.org, http://www.education.pa.gov, and http://pdesas.org.
1
See TDA Series: Reading Elements
2
See TDA Series: Analysis

TDA Anatomy

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~ pennsylvania

Ir!;> Center for

The Anatomy of a Text Dependent

Analysis (TDA) Prompt

Most TDA prompts are comprised of three statements:

Example 1. Grade 6 Classroom Based TDA Prompt

The second statement provides students with several pieces of information

The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Prompt | April 2018 1

2) Students are expected to demonstrate analysis. Analysis is defined as a detailed

Use evidence from the text to support your analysis.

Example 2. Grade 7 Classroom Based TDA Prompt

The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Prompt | April 2018 2

Use evidence from the text to support your analysis.

Example 3. Grade 6 PSSA TDA Prompt

The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Prompt | April 2018 3

The Anatomy of a Text Dependent Analysis (TDA) Prompt | April 2018 4

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