WRITING CENTER "INFORMATION PICK-UP" (S.S.C.C.)
PREPARING FOR ESSAY QUESTIONS ON EXAMINATIONS:
• PRIOR STUDY
• STRATEGIES DURING TEST TAKING
• REVIEWING EXAMINATIONS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT
Essay exams are one of the most common methods of testing in college. It is important to be well-prepared for substantive essay exam questions in order to perform well. Remember that essay question answers do need to
• answer the question asked;
• focus on the information which has been requested--no more and no less;
• be succinct;
• show mastery and understanding of the course information;
• and demonstrate student ability to analyze, synthesize and
process information.
• PRIOR STUDY
1) Read all the assigned course readings. Attend every class lecture. (get notes from other students if you happen to miss a day.) Speak with your instructor to make sure you understand all the points made.
2) Anticipate probable questions on the essay exam.
3) Prepare and memorize an informal outline answer for each of these anticipated questions.
4) Review course notes and other materials.
5) Think of likely citations you may have to make in the source material, in case you have to tell the instructor where you got your information from.
• STRATEGIES DURING TEST TAKING
1) Read your essay once through first to get an idea of the range of questions, their level of difficulty, and how much time you'll have for each question.
2) Pay attention to the direction words in each question.
• ENUMERATE OR LIST: SUM UP OR LIST POINTS, USING TRANSITIONS SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING: FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, ETC.
• COMPARE: SHOW SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THINGS, IDEAS, PHILOSOPHIES, PRODUCTS, OR HISTORICAL EVENTS
• CONTRAST: SHOW DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THINGS, IDEAS, PHILOSOPHIES, PRODUCTS, OR HISTORICAL EVENTS
• CRITICIZE: SHOW THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POINTS OF A SUBJECT, AND GIVE EVIDENCE OR PROOF FOR YOUR POSITIONS
• ILLUSTRATE OR GIVE EXAMPLES: USE EXAMPLES TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING, SUCH AS A CONCEPT OR PHENOMENON
• INTERPRET: GIVE YOUR OPINION ON A CERTAIN SITUATION, THEORY, HISTORICAL EVENT, BEHAVIOR, SYMBOL, POLITICAL MOVEMENT
• RECALL: SUMMARIZE, GO OVER THE MAIN POINTS OF SOMETHING
• DIAGRAM: MAKE A DRAWING OR GRAPHIC OR TABLE AND LABEL IT (AND ITS ELEMENTS) CLEARLY
• DEFINE: GIVE THE FORMAL (AND INFORMAL) MEANINGS OF A TERM
• DESCRIBE: TELL DETAILS ABOUT SOMETHING
• DISCUSS: GIVE DETAILS AND THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POINTS OF THE SUBJECT AS WELL AS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT YOUR POSITION
• EVALUATE: SHOW THE PROS AND CONS OF THE SUBJECT AS WELL AS YOUR OWN JUDGMENT ABOUT IT AND WHY
• INTERPRET: EXPLAIN THE MEANING OR IMPORTANCE OF SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY IN CONTEXT OF THE LARGER SITUATION OR A CERTAIN THEORY
• JUSTIFY OR PROVE: GIVE REASONS FOR SOMETHING, PROVE SOMETHING, SHOW WHY SOMETHING IS VALID BY GIVING FACTS, REASONS, EVIDENCE, LOGIC AND EXPERT CITATIONS
• OUTLINE: GIVE THE MAIN POINTS AND IMPORTANT SECONDARY POINTS. MAIN POINTS BEGIN AT THE MARGIN. SECONDARY POINTS FOLLOW UNDERNEATH AND ARE INDENTED, USUALLY BY 5 SPACES.
• 1.
• A.
• B.
• 2.
• RELATE: SHOW THE RELATIONSHIP OR CONNECTION BETWEEN OR AMONG THINGS
• STATE: GIVE THE MAIN POINTS CLEARLY.
• SUMMARIZE: GIVE THE WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW ABOUT SOMETHING--AS WELL AS THE MAIN POINTS
• TRACE OR FOLLOW: DESCRIBE THE DEVELOPMENT, HISTORY OR EVOLUTION OF A SUBJECT--USUALLY THE BACKGROUND
3) MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION BEFORE YOU BEGIN WRITING. YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND BOTH THE SUBSTANCE/CONTENT AND THE PARAMETERS/SCOPE OF WHAT YOUR INSTRUCTOR WANTS COVERED. THEN, YOU NEED TO ANSWER THAT--NO MORE AND NO LESS.
4) WRITE A BRIEF OUTLINE IN THE MARGIN OF THE MAIN POINTS YOU'LL DISCUSS IN YOUR ANSWER BEFORE YOU START WRITING.
5) ANSWER THE EASIEST QUESTIONS FIRST SO THAT YOU USE YOUR TIME WELL. YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE PRECIOUS MINUTES STRUGGLING WITH DIFFICULT QUESTIONS.
6) BUDGET YOUR POINTS AS WELL. DO NOT SPEND INORDINATE AMOUNTS OF TIME FOR A 5 POINT QUESTION WHEN YOU HAVE MANY 20-POINT ONES TO ADDRESS.
7) USE A MAIN IDEA SENTENCE OR TOPIC SENTENCE IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS. USE TRANSITIONS IN YOUR WRITING TO SMOOTH OUT YOUR TEXT AND HELP YOUR INSTRUCTOR FOLLOW YOUR LINE OF THINKING.
8) ALWAYS PRINT LEGIBLY. DO NOT USE CURSIVE WRITING WHICH MAY BE DIFFICULT TO READ.
9) TRY TO USE YOUR BEST SPELLING, PUNCTUATION, SYNTAX AND SENTENCE MECHANICS.
• REVIEWING EXAMINATIONS FOR FUTURE IMPROVEMENT
1) Go over your essay exam, even if you did poorly on it. Review what you missed points on--in order to improve on your performance in the future.
2) Make an appointment during your instructor's office hours to speak about your essay exam. Get tips on how you may improve your performance in the future.
3) Even if you could not finish an exam, go over it and complete it on your own time. Often, exams are an indication of what will be on the midterm and/or final. To get mastery over the subject matter, you may wish to go over prior tests.
4) Write more on a daily basis after class. The more you are at ease with writing, the easier future essay exams may be.
Source: John Langan's Reading and Study Skills (Fifth Edition, Form B).
(Revised 1998)