Answering Essay Exams
Emphasis will be placed on writing and essay exams in all of my courses. The following are some hints/techniques for effective writing and taking essay exams. Please feel free to stop by my office or email me and discuss this material if you have questions.
Much of the advice that follows may seem elementary to those who already have extensive experience with in-class essay exams. Reviewing the basics is, however, a good idea. You might compare my list with your own experiences.
1. Prepare for the exam by going over the study guide. Look over the Guide to writing social science essays & exams for tips on organizing and outlining your essays.
2.Ê Get a normal nightâs sleep before an exam. Pulling an all nighter often results in muddled responses in essays.
3. Read the entire exam paper through before you begin to write. Note all of the instructions given about the number and choice of questions. Underline or circle directions such as ãchooseä or ãcite a specific example from XXX article.ä
4. The next step is to make a rough time budget. Note the point value (or percentage value) of each question. Then decide how long to spend on each question and stick to your time plan.
5. Select those questions that you feel quite sure that you can answer. This seems obvious advice, but students sometimes tackle questions because they seem more difficult. They think that the instructor will be impressed by their efforts to deal with the harder question. This is nearly always a mistake. Pick the question that you are most confident about answering.
6. Make sure that you interpret the question correctly. A question that asks you to compare and contrast means that you are to do both. Too often with such questions, students only offer contrasts and do not give any comparisons.
7. Some of the terms that are used frequently in essay questions are listed below. Make sure that you are clear about the meaning of these terms.
Make a brief outline of the main points you want to make and jot terms you will incorporate and examples you might use. Once you have a brief outline, begin writing and check off each point in your outline as you complete it. Since you have done your thinking/organizing at the beginning (your outline) you do not have to constantly stop and decide where you are in your answer. This saves time.
8.Ê Avoid lengthy introductory paragraphs on most in-class essay exams. Jump right in to answer the question. Make a thesis statement that addresses the question and then back it up with a specific example or examples.
9.ÊÊ Never do less than the required number of answers. If you see that you are running short on time leave that answer unfinished or as briefly as possible summarize the last part of the answer. Go on to the next question. Write something -- even a brief summary will usually earn some points, while a blank answer will earn zero.
10.Ê Write legibly. If the reader cannot decipher your handwriting your grade may be penalized.
11. Leave time, if you can, to re-read your paper before you hand it in. Mistakes can be made when writing quickly and a re-read will allow you to make corrections. A negative may be omitted, for example, making nonsense of a sentence. You may have written the word "to" when you meant to use "too". You may have written there when you meant their. You may have failed to explain or define a term that you used.
The thesis statement is possibly the most important element of your written work.Ê In one simple statement it tells the reader what you will be writing about. In other words, the thesis should be a summary of what the essay is going to talk about.ÊÊ The thesis statement should be straightforward and declarative.Ê The rest of the essay should support or expand upon the thesis.
An example of a thesis statement for web assignment 2 might be: "The dual labor market theory best describes the impetus for migration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia."Ê This tells the reader that the author is going to first summarize the dual labor market theory, then relate it to evidence about migration between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.Ê
While English papers and term papers often have a thesis statement at the end of an introductory paragraph, for short essays and exams, start out with the thesis.Ê This way youÊ don't waste any valuable time or space warming up to the topic,Ê but you get right to the point.Ê The shorter the written work is supposed to be, the more quickly you should give the reader your thesis.Ê For more about the fundamentals of writing essays see the Guide to writing social science essays & exams.
Some terms that are frequently used in essay-type questions are listed below. Make sure that you are clear about the meaning of these.
| Compare | Look for similarities and differences between |
| ContrastÊÊ | Set in opposition in order to bring out differences |
|
CriticizeÊ
|
Give your judgment about the merit of theories, or opinions, or about the truth of facts. You should back your judgment up by a discussion of specific evidence. |
| Define | Set down the precise meaning of a word or phrase. |
| Describe | Give a detailed or graphic account of. |
|
Discuss |
Investigate or examine by argument, sift and debate, giving reasons pro and con. |
|
EvaluateÊ
|
Make an appraisal of the worth of something from the perspective of its truth or utility; include to a lesser degree your personal opinion. |
| Explain | To make plain, to interpret, and to account for. |
| Illustrate | Use a figure or diagram to explain or clarify. Or make clear by use of concrete, specific examples. |
| InterpretÊ | Expound the meaning of; make clear and explicit; usually also giving your own judgment. |
| Justify | Show adequate grounds for decisions or conclusions. |
| OutlineÊ | Give the main features or general principles of a subject |
| Relate | To show how things are connected to each other, and to what extent they are alike, or affect each other. |
| Review | To make a survey of, examining the subject critically. |
| State | Present in brief, clear form. |
| Summarize | Give a concise account of the chief points or substance of a matter, omitting details and examples. |
| Trace | Follow the development or history of a topic from some point of origin. |
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
[this list adapted from Bird, C. and Bird, D. M., Learning More Effective Study, New York. Appleton-Century-Crofts 1945 pp 195-8]