EXAM ESSAY

How to prepare:
 “plan” your essay
 find out as much as possible on the details
 relax and think positively

Time management:
 ¼ of your time should be spent planning
 ½ of your time should be spent writing
 ¼ of your time should be spent revising/editing

Taking the exam:

Planning-
1. break down the assignment
2. choose your topic quickly (brainstorm and pick)
3. formulate a tentative thesis
4. create detailed outline
 Will serve as “rough draft”
5. revise outline for big picture issues
 Does your essay fulfill assignment?
 Do you have one clear main idea?
 Have you effectively supported that idea? Is your support convincing?
 Are your ideas organized in an effective and logical way?
Drafting-
6. cannot be treated as a rough draft
7. stick to your outline
8. be quick but thorough
9. keep moving
10. avoid “filler” sentences
11. write neatly
Introduction-
12. don’t restate assignment
13. provide context (writing to general audience)
Conclusion-
14. don’t repeat thesis
15. frame essay
16. offer new understanding
Revising and Editing-
1. individual paragraphs
 does each paragraph have one controlling idea?
 Is that idea clearly related to the thesis?
 Is that idea fully developed?
 Are there effective transitions between ideas?
 Do special paragraphs fulfill their functions?
2. Sentences
 Are your sentences concise?
 Do you avoid jargon and pretentious language?
 Are your sentences active rather than passive?
 Do any sentences contain ambiguity?
 Do you use exact words and phrases?
 Do you have variety in your sentence structure?
3. Grammar, Mechanics, and Format
 Are all of your sentences complete?
 Do you have any run-on sentences?
 Do you shift tenses?
 Are the proper words capitalized? Do you have any unnecessary
capitalization?
 Do you use the proper punctuation between ideas?
 Have you spelled words correctly?
 Have you followed the formatting guidelines for your essay?