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Essay writing
and Exams
Set up a time
schedule to answer each question and to review/edit all
questions
If three questions are to be answered in thirty
minutes, allow yourself only ten minutes for each
If questions are "weighted", prioritize that
into your time allocation for each question
When the time is up for one question, stop
writing, leave space, and begin the next question. The
incomplete answers can be completed during the review time
Three incomplete answers will usually receive
more credit than one complete one
Read through the
questions once and note if you have any choice in
answering questions
Pay attention to how the question is phrased, or
to the "directives", or words such as "compare", "contrast",
"criticize", etc.
Answers will come to mind immediately for some
questions
Write down their
key words, listings, etc, as they are fresh in
mind. Otherwise these ideas may be blocked (or be unavailable)
when the time comes to write the later questions. This will
reduce "clutching" or panic (anxiety, actually fear which
disrupts thoughts).
Before attempting
to answer a question, put it in your own words
Now compare your version with the original.
Do they mean the same thing? If they don't, you've misread the
question. You'll be surprised how often they don't agree.
Think before
you write: Make a brief outline for each question. Number
the items in the order you will discuss them
Get
right to the point
State your main point in the
first sentence Use your first paragraph to provide an overview of your essay.
Use the rest of your essay to discuss these points in more
detail.
Back up your points with specific information, examples, or
quotations from your readings and notes
Markers are influenced by compactness,
completeness and clarity of an organized answer
Writing in the hope that the right answer will
somehow turn up is time-consuming and usually futile
To know a little and to present that little well
is, by and large, superior to knowing much and presenting it
poorly--when judged by the grade received.
Writing &
answering
Begin with a
strong first sentence that states the main idea
of your essay. Continue this first paragraph by presenting key
points
Develop your
argument
Begin each
paragraph with a key point from the introduction
Develop each point
in a complete paragraph
Use transitions,
or enumerate, to connect your points
Hold to your time
allocation and organization
Avoid very
definite statements when possible; a qualified
statement connotes a philosophic attitude, the mark of an
educated person
Qualify answers
when in doubt. It is better to say "toward the
end of the 19th century" than to say "in 1894" when you can't
remember, whether it's 1884 or 1894. In many cases, the
approximate time is all that is wanted; unfortunately 1894,
though approximate, may be incorrect, and will usually be marked
accordingly.
Summarize in your
last paragraph Restate your central idea and
indicate why it is important.
Review
Complete questions
left incomplete, but allow time to review all
questions
Review, edit,
correct misspellings, incomplete words and
sentences, miswritten dates and numbers.
Not
enough time?
Outline your
answers |
