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General Strategies for Taking Essay Tests
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Goals of Essay Question
- To reveal one's ability to make valid generalizations and to support them with sound evidence.
- To apply broad principles to a series of instances.
Short
essay questions test one's ability to produce accurate explanations
supported by facts. These usually consist of one or two well-organized
paragraphs.
Preparing for an Essay Exam
- Get a sense for the type of essay exam the professor generally gives, e.g., short vs. long thought questions.
- Try to get some idea of the general area that will be covered, i.e., concepts, issues, theories, etc.
- Carefully review lecture notes to ascertain which broad areas have constituted central discussion topics.
- Carefully review text(s). Link and/or supplement major areas here with those in your notes.
- Mentally test yourself: What major concepts and relationships were covered? Now, what details support these?
- Be able to write a concise outline, covering the material.
- Remember to pesent a sound generalization then prove it with appropriate detail.
- Be familiar with the terminology used in the course. Be able to understand concepts and use appropriate terms.
Taking the Exam
- Listen for any oral directions, if any.
- Read the questions carefully. What are they asking?
- Be sure you understand the question. What is the controlling idea? What are the key words? (Underline them)
- How is the answer to be given? Is the question asking for fact?
- Opinion? Explanation? Comparison?
- If the question seems ambiguous:
a) Seek clarification from the professor;
b) If still not clear, state your interpretation of the question before
attempting to answer it. Remember, essay questions are aimed at
concepts emphasized in the course so you must be able to conceptualize,
succinctly respond, and support your generalization with sufficient
details. - Define any vague terms, for example, some terms may have ambiguous implications if not clearly defined.
- Think through your answer. Then go back and reread the question to make sure that you are answering what is asked.
Writing the Answers
- Remember to take time to think, make notes, and prepare a rough outline before you begin to write the essay.
a) Develop the summary statement.
b) Support the statement with details. - Once you have your summary in outline form, expand upon it and write it tactfully and clearly.
- Budget your time so you are not forced to rush through your final essay because you spend too much time on an earlier one(s).
- Allow a little time to proofread for grammar, spelling errors, omissions, etc.
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