Writing Skills For Uni Studies U5

UNIT 5 i
Answering written assignments and essay questions in examinations
Unit 5
WUC 203/03
Writing Skills for
University Studies
Answering Written
Assignments and
Essay Questions in
Examinations
ii WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University Studies
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UNIT 5 iii
Contents
Unit 5 Answering Written
Assignments and Essay
Questions in Examinations
Unit overview 1
Unit objectives 1
5.1 Types of essay questions 3
Objectives 3
Introduction 3
Structured essay questions 3
Unstructured essay questions 5
Suggested answers to activities 9
5.2 Understanding rubrics and keywords 11
Objectives 11
Introduction 11
Understanding rubrics 12
Understanding keywords 13
5.3 Strategies for answering essay questions 29
Objectives 29
Introduction 29
Format 30
Handwritten essays in an examination 31

iv WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
Layout 31
5.4 Evaluation of essays 41
Objectives 41
Introduction 41
What is evaluation and assessment? 41
How essays are assessed 41
Peer amd self-assessment 42
5.5 General examination strategies and writing 53

skills for life
Objectives 53
Introduction 53
General examination strategies 53
Writing skills for life 57
Summary of Unit 5 61
Course summary 63
Unit practice exercise 65
Suggested answers to self-tests 67
Suggested answers to unit practice exercise 71
References 73
Glossary 75
UNIT 5 1
Unit Overview
I n Unit 1 and Unit 2, you learnt what academic writing is and how it is different
from other kinds of writing. You also learnt the process of writing  from choosing
a topic to editing and evaluating the final draft. In Unit 3 and Unit 4, you also
learnt how to write technical documents, reports and proposals in your professional
field. Ultimately, it is hoped that the principles learnt in this course will help you to
write better and more effectively, both for university studies and also professionally.
During the semester, you will have to do TMAs. It is also inevitable that you will
have to sit for an examination at the end of this semester not only for this course
but for your other courses as well. Thus, it is important for you to be prepared. This
is the main purpose of this unit  i.e., to prepare you to answer essay questions
in examinations as well as answer written assignments. In identifying key terms
that are used in essay questions, you will learn how to answer essay questions
effectively. Finally, you will learn how examiners assess examinations. By learning
these techniques, it is hoped that you will be prepared for examinations that require
you to write essays. As in the other units, there are activities and self-tests to help
you understand what is taught in this unit. Attempt the activities in each section.
In addition, be sure to engage yourselves in the WawasanLearn activities by posting
responses on the discussion forum. Sharing your answers and your thoughts on
WawasanLearn will help you to develop your critical and analytical skills.
Unit Objectives
By the end of Unit 5, you should be able to:
1. Distinguish between various types of essay questions.
2. Use keywords in rubrics to answer essay questions.
3. List and use strategies you have learnt to answer essay questions.
4. Identify various ways of assessing essays.
5. Apply peer and self-assessment to assess essays.
6. Apply appropriate strategies for doing well in examination situations.

2 WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
UNIT 5 3
5.1 Types of Essay Questions

Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
1. Identify the characteristics of structured and unstructured essay questions.
2. Use the appropriate approach in answering structured and unstructured

essay questions.
Introduction
You would have written many essays as part of your schoolwork, homework and
examinations. As a result, you may be able to recognise the different types of essay
questions that you will be introduced to in this section.
Why is it necessary to know these different types of essay questions?
Knowing these different types of essay questions will help you to be better prepared
to answer essay questions in examinations and for your assignments  you will
know how to approach the questions effectively and how to answer them correctly.
In this section, you will learn two types of essay questions: structured and unstructured
essay questions. By working on activities that you will need to complete, you will
get a feel of what it is to write structured and unstructured essays.
Structured essay questions
What are structured

essay questions? Read on to find out.
Structured essay questions are also called “restricted-response questions” because the
writer who answers these questions is given limited freedom in determining the scope
of his or her essay  i.e., what the content should be, how it should be presented,
etc. Consequently, the writer has to write according to what the question requires.
Here are two sample structured essay questions:
Example 1
Write an essay of 200 – 250 words giving two reasons why rich governments should
continue to spend billions of dollars on space programmes — to find other possible
sources of energy and to seek alternative dwelling places for Earth’s ever-increasing
population.
In this example, we can see that the writer has to limit his or her answer to the
following conditions:
1. The essay has to be limited to 200 – 250 words.
2. The writer has to give two reasons.
3. The two reasons are stated:
a. To find other possible sources of energy, and
b. To seek alternative dwelling places for Earth’s ever-increasing population.
Example 2
The price of petrol in Malaysia is subsidised by the government. Discuss the positive
economic and social impact this has on the populace.
1. The question limits the writer to a specific content  i.e., petrol subsidies
(“The price of petrol is subsidised by the government”). The examiner or
tutor will not award marks for discussion about other aspects of petrol.
2. The scope is limited to two aspects  i.e., the positive economic and social
impact. Do not discuss other impacts.
In summary, you have to be careful of the scope of your content when you are given
a structured essay question. Write within the given focus. Do not spend time writing
beyond the given scope.
Work on the following activity so that you will understand how to answer a structured
essay question.
UNIT 5 5
Activity 5.1
Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide supporting

sentences for the two impacts:
The positive economic impact:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The positive social impact:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Unstructured essay questions

Unstructured essay questions allow the writer to have the freedom to decide on the
content of the essay. There is minimum limitation. However, it is not a completely
free, unconstrained essay. There are a few limitations here such as the subject
matter and the word limit. Note that structured essays have more limitations.
In light of the above, you have to plan the essay outline well so that you will fulfil
the requirements of the question and also be sure to stay within the number of
words and do not stray from the assigned subject matter.
Here are two sample unstructured essay questions:
Example 1
Select a social or ethical issue related to science and technology (such as euthanasia,
cloning, or genetically modified food). What is your personal position regarding the
issue? Present your argument in an essay of about 500 words.
The topic is limited to the field of science and technology. However, the writer has
the freedom to choose specific topics he or she is familiar with. Examples of specific
topics such as euthanasia, cloning, or genetically modified food are given.
The writer is limited to discuss either a social or an ethical issue related to the above
field.
Example 2
Choose an issue related to your field of study that you would like to write about.
Discuss this topic with your tutor. Proceed to write the essay once your tutor has
given his or her approval.
1. Here, the writer has much freedom. The writer can choose any issue related
to his or her field of study.
2. However, the writer must discuss the chosen topic with the tutor before
approval is given.
For such a question, remember to narrow down your topic. Discussing a topic that
is too general can be a problem as there are too many aspects to be discussed. This
will result in an essay that is full of generalities and one that is lacking in substance
or direction.
Activity 5.2
You have been given the following writing assignment:
Choose one aspect of Malaysian life (food, places, religious holidays,

etc.) and discuss how this aspect has changed in the past fifty years in
the country.
1. Narrow down the given topic to one aspect that you want to
write about.
2. Prepare an outline of your essay:
Introduction:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
UNIT 5 7
Body paragraph 2:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Conclusion:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Activity 5.3
For your WawasanLearn activity, discuss whether you found

Activity 5.2 easy or difficult. What were some problems that you
encountered in working on an unstructured essay? What steps can
you take to overcome such problems?
Summary
In this section, you looked at two different types of essay

questions which you may encounter in your assignments and
during examinations  i.e., structured and unstructured essay
questions. Structured questions limit the writer to a specific focus,
while unstructured essay questions allow the writer to have more
freedom in determining his or her focus of the essay.
It is important to understand these two types of essay questions so

that you will know how to answer them. For structured questions,
stay within the given focus. Do not write beyond what is given.
For unstructured questions, you are given the freedom to narrow
down your topic so that you can produce a text that is focused and
well-developed.
Self-test 5.1
Based on the following essay topic, answer the following questions.
Malaysians today live longer than those of previous generations. Discuss.
1. What is the first thing you would do when you are given the
above topic?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2. Give some specific examples or situations to support the

topic.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3. Suggest an outline of the essay for this topic.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
4. Write a paragraph based on your outline for this essay topic.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
UNIT 5 9
Suggested answers to activities
Feedback
Activity 5.1
Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide supporting

sentences for the two impacts:
The positive economic impact:
More able to travel. Using fuel-powered vehicles instead of other forms

of fuel reduces travelling time. Lower price of goods which will benefit
consumers.
The positive social impact:
More people will be travel. Families may find it more affordable to

travel during holidays.
Activity 5.2
1. (All possible answers are acceptable.)
For instance, “How food has changed in the past fifty years in
Malaysia”.
2. (All appropriate answers are acceptable.)
Introduction:
Malaysia is famous for its food. Reasons for it being famous:

multicultural, cheap and tasty. Nevertheless, the food landscape
has changed.
Body paragraph 1:
Entry of foreign food and drinks (Topic Sentence) – Starbucks,

Coffee Bean, San Francisco Steakhouse; sushi, tapas and other
cosmopolitan food.
Body paragraph 2:
Healthier eating (Topic sentence)  due to health consciousness.

Vegetarian dishes are becoming popular, less salt in food, etc.
Conclusion:
Food choices have increased and widened in variety over the

past fifty years. Malaysian food remains more popular with
locals and tourists.
UNIT 5 11
5.2 Understanding Rubrics and

Keywords
Objectives
1. Explain what the rubrics of an essay question mean, and subsequently choose
an appropriate approach to meet the requirements of the rubrics.
2. Identify keywords in essay questions and explain what they mean, and
subsequently write essays adequately with relevant content and structure.
Introduction
In this section, you will learn to understand requirements (also known as “rubrics”)
for essay questions and to answer the questions appropriately and precisely. Often,
examination candidates do not do well in essay questions because they misread the
questions and write what is not required. Thus, it is important to know how to
understand essay questions.
Outside of your academic studies, it is imperative for you to understand what is

required of you in any assignment. If you are asked to write a report describing
specific matters, you should be able to do precisely that. If you were to meander
(i.e., stray away) from what is required of you, you will only be spending your time
writing irrelevant items in your report. This may agitate your superiors who are
more interested in what they want to know rather than what you think you want
them to know.
You have not

followed the
instructions.
I thought this was

what you wanted
me to do.
Hence, it is important to learn how to understand the rubrics of essay questions so

that you will not spend time writing irrelevant details in your answers.
Understanding rubrics
What am I supposed
to write?
“Rubrics” simply means the instructions on answering the questions. How can one
comprehend the rubrics of an essay question? To do so, you need to do the following:
1. Do an overview (i.e., a general reading) of the question. This means you

need to read the question to understand what the question is about. You
may also underline or highlight important details and terms in the question.
Example
Decision-making is part of every manager’s job, at whatever level he or she

operates and in whatever industry or service. Briefly, describe the eight (8)
stages of the decision-making process in the correct sequence.
Read the sample essay question. What does the question generally require
you to do? What is the question about?
The question is about decision-making which is part of every manager’s

job description.
2. Read again to find out what the specific requirements of the question are. What
does the question want? In other words, what do you as the writer of the
essay specifically need to write about?
The specific requirement for this sample essay question is to describe the
eight (8) stages of the decision-making process. You also have to ensure
that it is in the right sequence.
UNIT 5 13
The essay question ð A general idea ð One specific idea
Activity 5.4
Read the following essay question:
Why is it desirable for a country to have a large GDP? Give an

example that would raise GDP and yet be undesirable.
1. What is the general idea of the essay question?
___________________________________________________
2. What is the specific requirement of the question?
___________________________________________________
Another aspect to consider when you read the rubrics is to look at the keywords.
The keywords will determine how and what you need to write in your essay. We
shall look at keywords such as “define”, “explain”, “exemplify” and “discuss” in the
next subsection.
Understanding keywords
In this subsection, we will revise some important instructional keywords (also known
as “task words”) that you have learnt in Unit 2. You may encounter these keywords
in essay questions and in other writing tasks. It is important to understand them so
that you will be able to answer essay questions appropriately. Let us look at some
common instructional keywords you may encounter in an examination.
Define
To define is to give the meaning of a word, a concept, an idea or a phrase. For

instance, to define economics is to give its meaning  what understanding does the
word “economics” convey? What do experts and professionals such as economists say
this word means? To help you define a term, you need a good dictionary. However,
sometimes a good dictionary is not enough as many words such as “justice” and
“democracy” have highly complex meanings which may not be adequately explained
in a dictionary (Clouse 1996, p. 322). Hence, it is important to look up definitions
in specialised texts such as academic sources.
Example
In your own words, define “space technology” and discuss if Malaysia should spend
money on it.
In this example, you need to define “space technology” in your own words. This is
why it is important to read widely (as advised in Unit A on the WawasanLearn) so
that you can have a broad knowledge of the world which ultimately helps you in
working on your assignments and in answering examination questions.
Remember to read extensively to gain wider

general knowledge so that you will be able
to complete your assignments and answer
essay questions confidently.
In the context of an examination, even in the absence of the phrase “in your own
words” as in the example above, it is understood that you are to give the definition
of “space technology” according to your understanding.
In the case of an assignment where you have access to reading materials, you should
read books related to space technology and define the term as it is given in the texts.
For essay assignments and examination questions, it is hardly unlikely that you are
asked to only define something. You are usually instructed to work on a task such
as to “explain”.
UNIT 5 15
Activity 5.5
You are given the following topic for a take-home essay:
In your own words, define “philosophy of life” and explain why

philosophy is important even to researchers in the hard sciences.
1. What are the keywords in this essay topic?
___________________________________________________
2. In which paragraph of your essay do you think you would write

the definition of “philosophy of life”?
___________________________________________________
3. Give a brief outline of how you would write the definition of

“philosophy of life.”
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Explain
To explain is to give further information about something. Be certain that your

explanation is related to the topic of your essay. “Explaining” is not a licence for you
to write whatever you want or fancy. Thus, ensure that whatever you want to explain
is within the requirements of the rubrics when you plan the outline of your essay.
Activity 5.6
You are given the following assignment question. Give an outline

of your essay.
You have been assigned to write an article about excellence in

education for a university magazine. Define “excellence” in your
own words. Explain why we should strive for excellence in higher
education.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
When you write your essay, it is always necessary to include some examples as evidence
for the points that you communicate. Sometimes, this is stated specifically in the
rubrics which means that you have to provide examples. The word “exemplify” is
used for this purpose. Let us look at this word in the next subsection.
Exemplify
Generally, you need to illustrate your points in an essay by supporting them with
examples. If a question specifically asks for examples, you will have to ensure that
there are examples given. Examples seek “to illustrate some part of a statement by
showing the reader a specific instance of it” (Brannan 2003, 41). When you provide
examples, they must be specific (i.e., not generalised examples) and supportive of
the point that you are explaining. It would be irrelevant to provide examples that do
not illustrate the point that you are explaining. Remember to develop your example
by connecting your example to the point or the topic sentence that you give.
Read the following sample question:
You are contributing an article for your university magazine. The article is about
problems faced by adult learners in an open university. Share your personal
experiences in your answer.
In the question, you are to give your personal experiences as examples. Remember
to ensure that the examples that you provide are relevant to the point that you are
making.
UNIT 5 17
The following is a sample paragraph for the question:
Another problem faced by adult learners is finding time to study. Many adult learners
have full-time jobs which they need to concentrate on. In other words, between
work and study, work has to come first. Consequently, the adult learner will have to
manage his or her time well so that he or she can do his or her work first and then
find time to study. Most of the time, I have to work overtime to meet my project
deadlines, failing which my contract may be terminated by the main contractor.
So, I am greatly pressured to do my job well, and at the same time, find time during
breaks, meals or just before I sleep to go through my study notes and work on my
assignments. It can be tough to be an adult learner but I know the fruit of all this
hard work will be precious.
Note the structure of the above paragraph. The topic sentence is Another problem
faced by adult learners is finding time to study. In this sentence, the topic is Another
problem faced by adult learners, and the controlling idea is finding time to study.
First, explain the problem of finding time to study. The writer explains that work has
to come first, and provides specific examples  I have to work overtime to meet my
project deadlines, failing which my contract may be terminated by the main contractor,
and at the same time, find time during breaks, meals or just before I sleep to go through
my study notes and work on my assignments.
Note also that the explanation and examples are developed so that the reader can
understand the connection between the examples and the topic sentence.
Read the following paragraph. What are the differences between this paragraph and
the above paragraph?
Another problem faced by adult learners is finding time to study. Many adult learners
have full-time jobs which they need to concentrate on. In other words, between
work and study, work has to come first. Consequently, the adult learner will have to
manage his or her time well so that he or she can do his or her work first and then
find time to study. For example, I too have a lot of work and sometimes do not
have enough time to study. It can be tough to be an adult learner but I know the
fruit of all this hard work will be precious.
I hope you have been able to identify that the example given is not specific and it
is also not developed.
Activity 5.7
You are given this topic for a writing assignment:
Ways to healthy living.
1. Write a thesis statement for the essay.
____________________________________________________
2. Develop three topic sentences to support your thesis statement.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3. For each topic sentence, provide at least one example.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
4. Choose one topic sentence and its relevant example that you
have written and develop them into a paragraph. Remember to
be specific in your example and develop it.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
In the next subsection, we will look at the word “discuss” which is another common
word that is used in essay questions.
Discuss
“Discuss” is synonymous with “explain”. In other words, when you discuss an issue
or a point, you present an elaboration on that specific issue or that particular point.
When you conduct a discussion, you may consider expressing viewpoints from
various perspectives.
UNIT 5 19
Let us look at the following sample essay topic.
“Religion is the opium of the masses”. Discuss.
This topic is very general. No specific direction is given as to how your essay should
be structured  Are you to agree or disagree with the topic?
Here, you can present both views  one paragraph to explain why some people agree
and another paragraph to explain why others disagree. You should also indicate your
stand (i.e., your position as to whether you agree or disagree) in a separate paragraph.
A sample outline of the essay may look as follows:
Introduction Hook: Religion — beliefs.
Background/General information: What the quotation means. Religion

tends to hold people in bondage of superstition, so much so they are
willing to die for their beliefs without knowing what they are dying for.
Thesis statement: It has its truths and also its untruths — different views.
Body paragraph 1 Topic sentence: First view — Some people agree that religion is the
opium of the masses because religion has helped many people by giving
them hope.
Supporting sentences: For instance, in the midst of calamity or problems,

religion can help to give a person hope, assurance and the strength to
carry on. People with no hope tend to have no will to live on.
Body paragraph 2 Topic sentence: Second view — Disagree because the misuse of religion
can put people into bondage.
Supporting sentences: Many people have blindly followed their faiths

to kill others as in the crusades and current terrorism trends. Religion
tends to make people not use their thinking faculties; they are expected
to 'follow' dangerous trends such as in cults. Blind faith has led to many
causes of suicide.
Body paragraph 3 Topic sentence: My view — My personal opinion is that religion has its
place in a person’s life.
Supporting sentences: There should also be room for discussion and

not blind faith. Give personal examples.
Conclusion Restatement/Summary: There is truth in the statement. On the other

hand, it may not be true for all situations.
Closing statement: Religion may not be the opium of the masses, but
for some who use religion to control others.
In the above outline, two perspectives of the quotation are given  one to agree
(Body paragraph 1), and the other to disagree (Body paragraph 2). Body paragraph 3
gives the personal stand of the writer.
Remember to give relevant examples (where necessary) to illustrate the points that
you are making.
Activity 5.8
Provide an essay outline for the following topic:
“One should fight fire with fire”. Discuss this statement with regard
to gun control.
______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Compare and contrast
Another set of keywords is “compare and contrast”. When you are asked to compare,
you are to write the similarities between one thing and another. To contrast is to
write the differences of one thing from another. This is a popular kind of question
and it requires you to demonstrate mastery over both concepts and show that you
can find the connections between them.
For instance, if you are asked to compare and contrast doing an open distance learning
course and a full-time campus course (i.e., studying full-time in a university), you
should discuss the similarities and the differences between these two modes of study.
Two approaches to responding to compare and contrast questions are as follows:
1. List all the similarities first and state all the differences in the following
paragraphs before the conclusion.
Introductory Paragraph
Similarities
Differences
Concluding Paragraph
2. Discuss the particular features in which the two concepts find similarities
and differences. This is a more complex approach to comparing and
contrasting.
Introductory Paragraph
Feature 1
Concept A
Concept B
Feature 2
Concept A
Concept B
Feature 3
Concept A
Concept B
Concluding Paragraph
UNIT 5 21
Other keywords
There are many other instructional keywords that you may come across in essays.
Here is a list of them and explanations on what you are required to do:
Key words What you have to do

Analyse Break the topic into parts and show how the parts are related to
each other to the whole.
(Analyse the following sonnet by William Shakespeare.)
Argue Support a particular view for or against a topic, and support it
with evidence.
(Your friend wishes to join a protest group. Argue why you think
it is a good or bad idea.)
Assess Weigh up to what extent a statement is true. Pay due attention to
positive, negative and disputable aspects. You can cite opinions of
well-known personalities or research to support your assessment.
(Assess why James was a successful leader and William a failure.)
Compare Write about the similarities and differences.
(Compare convergent and divergent thinking.)
Contrast Similar to compare, but the focus is on differences here.
(Contrast the language used in the two passages about nature.)
Define Explain the meaning of something in a brief, specific manner.
(Define Academic Integrity)
Describe Give a full and detailed picture of something in words so that
it can be visualised. Alternatively, spell out the main aspects
of an idea, a topic or the sequence in which a series of things
happen. Recount, characterise, sketch or relate these things in
narrative form.
(Describe how En Hamid went from rags to riches.)
Diagram Draw a picture and label its parts.
(Diagram the parts of a gun and explain how it works.)
Discuss Write as much as you can on the topic.
(Discuss how an increase in the price of petrol affects you.)
Enumerate Give a numbered list or give points one by one in an itemised
series.
(Enumerate the harmful effects of addiction to video games.)
Evaluate Write about the advantages and disadvantages. Finally,
conclude whether it is good or bad.
(Evaluate the usefulness of making purchases with a credit
card.)
Explain Discuss reasons. Provide facts and reasons to make something
clear and understandable.
(Explain why chick lit is so popular with schoolgirls.)
Give examples Provide specific instances, places, events, people, etc. as is
required.
(Give two examples of flowering vegetables.)
Illustrate Draw a picture and label its parts. Give a long written example
to explain something.
(Illustrate the use of Edward de Bono’s CoRT 4 tools in
generating creative ideas.)
Identify To name or state.
(Identify five strategies that will reduce miscommunication.)
Interpret Explain, translate, provide examples and give your opinion.
(Interpret the following lines from Robert Frost.)
Justify Provide reasons and facts to support the topic.
(Justify your decision for choosing Plan A instead of Plan B.)
List Present information as a series of points.
(List the importance of writing skills in the workplace.)
Outline Present important information in an organized manner.
(Outline the steps of the writing process.)
Prove Cite evidence or proof, giving clear and logical reasons.
(Prove that the Road Safety Campaign was a success.)
Relate Write about the connection between topics.
(Relate the connection between texting while driving and the
high rate of road accidents.)
Review Examine, analyse and comment on the topic critically.
(Review the novel “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens.)
State Present the main points in a clear and concise manner
(State the steps leading to the signing of the contract.)
Summarise Present the main points in a brief manner.
(Summarise the president’s speech in not more than 100
words)
Trace Present information in the order something occurred.
(Trace the events leading to the formation of Malaysia.)
Activity 5.9
Read the following essay question:
The women’s liberation movement in the West during the early

twentieth century has brought many social changes to Western
society, especially to the status of women as compared to men.
Some of these changes have spilled over to Asian communities.
Compare and contrast the status of women in the Western and
Asian worlds.
1. What are the keywords that you should focus on in this

question?
___________________________________________________
UNIT 5 23
2. What is the specific requirement of this question?
___________________________________________________
3. What examples can you give in your essay to show the

comparison and the contrast between the social status of women
in the Western world and those in the Asian world?
___________________________________________________
4. Proceed to write the essay outline. You can do it as a mind-map

if you wish.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Summary
In this section, we looked at the importance of understanding the

instructions and contents of a question. Following the requirements
of these questions (examination questions or assignment questions)
is important. If students fail to understand what these questions
require them to do, they may not write the answer within the
required scope. Subsequently, these students either fail or do not
do well in the examination or the assignment. In this section, you
looked at one strategy in understanding questions  first noting the
keywords in the questions. You looked at some of the keywords given
in this section such as “define”, “explain”, “exemplify”, “discuss” and
“compare and contrast”. Spending some time to mull over these
words will help you to draw an outline of the essay that will not
stray away from the required scope of the question.
Self-test 5.2
The following is a possible essay topic in an examination:
Many people are concerned that global warning may worsen if we

continue to live the way we do now. Explain how global warming
can worsen and what steps can be taken by individuals and
governments to protect the Earth from getting warmer.
1. What is the question mainly about?
___________________________________________________
2. What is the keyword that you should take note of?
___________________________________________________
3. What is the specific requirement of the question?
___________________________________________________
4. Will the content of the essay change if the question uses the
word discuss instead of explain?
___________________________________________________
UNIT 5 25
Feedback
Activity 5.4
1. The general idea of the essay question is to explain why it is

desirable for a country to have a large GDP.
2. Specifically, the question requires you to give an example that

would raise GDP but would not be desirable.
Activity 5.5
1. The keywords are “own words,” “define” and “explain.”
2. The Introduction or Introductory paragraph.
3. How “philosophy of life” is defined by Western philosophers.
How “philosophy of life” is defined by Western philosophers.
How I define “philosophy of life.”
Activity 5.6
(All appropriate answers are acceptable.)
Introduction Hook: Definition of “excellence” in my own words.
General information: “Perfect” or “the best.”

What it means to excel in education.
Characteristics of excellence in education.
Thesis statement: General reasons to strive for

excellence  doing well in life, character building.
First Topic sentence: Doing well in life  what it means.
paragraph
Supporting sentences:
Why people seek life achievements.
Gives people a cause to hope and live for.
Provides a sense of purpose for one’s life.
Second Topic sentence: Character building  to

paragraph understand and practise good values that help a
person to relate well with other people.
Supporting sentences:
To excel in education, one has to sacrifice a lot of
one’s time to study and work on assignments.
This builds a person's character through values such
as patience, diligence, creativity, etc.
Conclusion Restatement/Summary: Striving for excellence in
university education starts with the individual. It
takes time and effort  i.e., not immediate.
Closing statement: The fruit of perseverance in

studying will be very rewarding for the individual.
Activity 5.7
1. There are different ways of living a healthy life  doing exercises,

thinking positively and eating appropriately.
2. a. Exercising will help one to live a healthy life.
b. Another tip for living healthily is to think positively.
c. One should also eat sensibly and appropriately to enjoy good

health.
3. a. Aerobics and gym workouts.
b. Manage one’s time well and read books on positive

thinking.
c. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, consume less

carbohydrates and avoid junk food.
4. Exercising can help one to live a healthy life. When one exercises,
the muscles and the heart are worked on and also the blood
circulation is improved. These help to make the body tissues firmer,
making one look more youthful and healthy. Thus, activities such
as aerobics and gym workouts help to put the body in motion
and improve blood circulation. Lifting weights in the gym also helps
to develop one’s muscles. Consequently, one’s physique looks better
and more attractive. In summary, exercising provides many benefits
for everyone.
UNIT 5 27
(All appropriate answers are acceptable. You may want to submit your
paragraph to your tutor for feedback.)
Activity 5.8
(You may want to submit your paragraph to your tutor for feedback.)
Activity 5.9
(You may want to submit your outline to your tutor for feedback.)
1. The keywords are “compare and contrast”.
2. The specific requirement of this question is to write about how

similar the social status of Asian women is to that of Western
women as well as how their social status differs between them.
3. Comparison Asian and Western women can vote. Previously,

(Similarities) before the early twentieth century, many
women around the world were not allowed
to vote.
Contrast Western women have freedom to decide if
(Differences) and to whom they want to get married. Many
women in some Asian countries are forced
into marriage.
4. Introduction Background information: The purpose of the

women’s liberation movement. Changes they
have fought for  e.g., equality in access to
education, jobs and political life; greater freedom;
rights to divorce; access to contraception and
abortion.
Body Topic sentence: Compare and contrast sexual
paragraph 1 harassment.
Supporting sentences: How it differs between

Asian and Western countries. What is being
done.
Body Topic sentence: Compare and contrast work
paragraph 2 and labour.
Supporting sentences: In terms of work in Asian

countries, women are often considered as cheap
labour. There is a lack of training for them and
pregnant women are usually dismissed from
their jobs in poorer countries. (Compare this
aspect to that in the West.)
Body Topic sentence: Compare and contrast income.

paragraph 3
Supporting sentences: Women in Asian
countries tend to face much more discrimination
in terms of pay even when they are as qualified
as men who hold the same jobs. In Western
countries, there is a much stronger organisation
of unions to represent women.
Conclusion The women’s liberation movement has
brought about numerous changes.
Nevertheless, many more changes are still
needed to address various aspects of related
issues.
UNIT 5 29
5.3 Presenting Your Completed Essay

Objectives
1. Apply the techniques learnt to present a completed essay in the appropriate

format and layout.
2. Apply the principles learnt in preparing a handwritten essay.
3. Identify unacceptable strategies that students use in essay writing which do

not work and to avoid them.
Introduction
The earlier units discussed how you go about preparing your academic essays and
how to go about answering the various essay questions. You have put in a lot of
time and effort in planning, drafting and writing your essay, and in this section,
you will learn about how to present the fruits of your labour. Just as a chef has who
has cooked a great meal would want to present the dish in an eye-catching way, you
would want to do the same. Naturally, for all the time invested in your assignment,
you want to obtain the best score possible.
Do be aware that marking essays is rather subjective. This means that one assessor’s
marks for an essay may differ from that of another assessor although the both of them
may use the same criteria for marking. The difference in marks is usually not too
wide but it does show that different examiners will view the same essay differently.
What can you do to ensure that you obtain the best possible score?
Chefs don’t just cook and then simply put the food on the plate  for them, the
presentation is the most crucial stage. The choice of plates, the way the various items
of food are arranged, the colours, the decoration  these are some of the aspects
chefs place importance on. Chefs are fond of saying, “We eat with our eyes first.”
Similarly, the way you present your essays is the first thing your tutors or lecturers
see before they even begin evaluating your work. Submitting visually-pleasing essays
is one way to ensure your create a good impression. In many cases, the layouts of
some essays are so bad that it is almost impossible to tell at a glance how many
paragraphs were written. Examiners very frequently cannot tell where one paragraph
ends and the next one begin.
Legibility, or the quality of handwriting that is clear enough to be read, is another

factor. Illegibility is always a turn-off. A well-researched essay may not score the
highest marks possible if it is written illegibly  if the examiner is unable to read
the essay in the first place.
In this section, we will look at some of the techniques of improving your presentation.
Do remember that ultimately your tutors and examiners will award you marks
according to your content and your language for English Language related courses.
For other courses, marks are given for content, but you must remember that if
your language proficiency is not good, it will definitely affect the way your answer
is communicated.
Format
The first thing you have to consider is the format of your essay. Always stick to
the format given by your institution. If no format is provided, here are some of the
usual recommendations:
1. Use a word processor such as Microsoft Word to type your assignments.

Typed or printed sentences are preferable to handwritten ones. As a writer,
you want your readers  i.e., your tutors or the examiners  to be able to
read your work. You want them to have a pleasant time reading your work,
not to struggle in an effort to decipher what you have written.
2. The assignment should be typed 1.5 or double-spaced. This spacing is to

enable your tutor sufficient space to add comments to your work. However,
WOU students, whose assignments are marked online, might be given a
different set of format to follow. Essays marked digitally are not restricted
by this double-spacing requirement  the adding of comments is not
restricted by the lack of space.
3. In all your assignments submitted to WOU, you should have a one-inch

margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
4. The text of your essay should be aligned to the left. Do not justify the
text  selecting this option produces weird results in the reference list.
5. The usual fonts recommended are Times New Roman or Arial, and a font
size of 12 point is usually recommended.
6. The standard paper size for academic assignments is A4 (210mm × 297mm,

or 8.27” × 11.69”).
7. The recommended paper weight or paper density is 80gsm (grams per square
meter). Paper of a lower density might allow too much light to pass through
 making the text of the following page visible; and therefore making your
essay difficult for your tutors to read.
UNIT 5 31
8. Use plain white paper for your assignments. Coloured paper may be used
only if necessary  such as to indicate a separation between the main text
of your assignment and the appendix.
9 Most importantly, on the first page of your assignment, you should have
the following:
• Student’s name
• Student ID
• Student’s contact information (phone and email)
• Lecturer’s/Tutor’ name
• Name of the course
10. In preparing your reference list at the end of your assignment, the style and
format adopted by the university is the Chicago style.
Handwritten essays in an examination

While typed essays are preferable, this is not possible in an examination. Here are
some basic principles to follow in preparing a handwritten answer:
1. Ensure that your handwriting can be easily read. Write neatly, and make an
effort to write your letters, words and sentences legibly.
2. Do not use a pencil to write essays or answers during the examination.
3. When using a pen, use black or dark blue ink. Light-coloured ink tends to
make your text look faint and such text is difficult to read.
4. Plan your essay outline before proceeding to write your final draft. An
essay with scribbles, cancellations or liquid correction marks is annoying
to the examiner. Let the examiner focus on your answer, not distracted by
the various alterations on your answer sheet.
Layout
According to the Macmillan Dictionary online, layout refers to the way in which
the different parts of something are arranged. Just as a chef views the way the nasi
lemak is presented to the customer, you should similarly view the layout of your
essay as very important.
Look at the two layouts of the two essays below:
Essay A Essay B
The most dangerous animal in the The most dangerous animal in the
world world
What is the most dangerous animal
in the world? If you think it is some What is the most dangerous animal
fierce jungle beast, you are wrong. in the world? If you think it is some
According to many scientists, fierce jungle beast, you are wrong.
the most consistently dangerous According to many scientists,
animal in the world is the common the most consistently dangerous
housefly. animal in the world is the common
The housefly carries millions of housefly.
germs. Because of its habit of
feeding on excrement and rubbish, The housefly carries millions of
and any form of filth, a single germs. Because of its habit of
housefly can harbour thirty-three feeding on excrement and rubbish,
million germs in its intestines and and any form of filth, a single
more than five hundred million housefly can harbour thirty-three
germs on it body and legs. million germs in its intestines and
The housefly is dangerous to more than five hundred million
people because it spreads diseases. germs on it body and legs.
Being a carrier of germs, it is not
surprising that it is the bearer of The housefly is dangerous to
such dreaded diseases such as people because it spreads diseases.
typhoid fever, tuberculosis and Being a carrier of germs, it is not
diarrhoea. These diseases kill surprising that it is the bearer of
people. such dreaded diseases such as
These are the reasons why the typhoid fever, tuberculosis and
housefly is considered dangerous. diarrhoea. These diseases kill
To reduce the problems caused by people.
houseflies, we should always cover
food, and ensure that all rubbish These are the reasons why the
bins are covered with lids. housefly is considered dangerous.
To reduce the problems caused by
houseflies, we should always cover
food, and ensure that all rubbish
bins are covered with lids.
Can you see a title and four paragraphs in each of the above essays at a glance? Which
is easier to see? Why? As will observe, Essay B has a better layout. Hopefully, you
will be aware, that your task does not end with the completion of the writing of
your essay  you need to put some thought on your layout.
Here are some considerations to ensure that the layout of your essay is pleasing to
your reader’s eye:
1. The title of your essay must be clear. It should stand out. For an assignment,
put the title in bold and centre it. In an examination, underline the title.
2. Leave a space between paragraphs.

UNIT 5 33
3. Ensure there is a margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
4. Adhere to the formatting requirements discussed earlier, such as the choice

of font, font size, line spacing, etc.
Look at the following examples to illustrate the importance of format and layout:
Paragraph A
In Paragraph A, several words are cancelled and replaced with other words.
Corrections are made and a few words are inserted. Besides making the essay look
like a rough draft, the finished product looks untidy. Would you like to read an
essay like this? Do you think your tutor or the examiner would like to read it? It is
therefore better not to handwrite the assignment as handwritten assignments can
be misread by the examiner.
Paragraph B
The recent bridge collapse in Minnesota, America is a grim reminder of the need
to be vigilant at all times. Had the city engineers and the city officials been vigilant
in their work and notified the relevant authorities of the need to strengthen the
bridge, many lives would not have perished in the tragedy. Unfortunately, many
people tend to be careless  they tend to take things for granted, assuming that
all is well until a tragedy strikes.
Paragraph B is an improved version of the text. Note that without the corrections
made on the text, and typed using the appropriate font size, font type and line
spacing, the text definitely looks more pleasing and presentable. In short, do not
submit to your tutor or the examiner a draft text with all the corrections that have
been made. The final text you submit should be edited, neat and presentable.
Ideas that do not work:
Before we end this section, here are some ideas adopted by students in their
attempt to get their tutors, lecturers or examiners into awarding them more marks.
Unfortunately, these tricks do not work. You are advised to avoid them.
1. Spending more time on the cover page than on the essay.
Graphics, pretty binders, colourful covers and fancy fonts are no substitutes
for a well-written paper.
2. Using large fonts, wide margins and extra spacing to increase the number
of pages.
These deceptive tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Your tutors
and examiners are very experienced people and they cannot be fooled into
thinking you have prepared a lengthy assignment.
3. Padding the essay by adding too much irrelevant information.
Remember that the quantity can never replace the quality of your answer.
Avoid padding your essay with unnecessary information. Tutors and
examiners devote many hours grading essays, and would certainly prefer to
read answers that are clear and straight-to-the-point rather than go through
paragraphs of unnecessary information searching endlessly for the correct
responses.
Activity 5.10
The essay below has a title and five paragraphs. Because of the poor
formatting and layout, the examiner would have difficulty seeing
the title and the various paragraphs at a glance.
Retype the essay below by adopting the format and layout below:
Format:
• Font: Times New Roman

UNIT 5 35
• Font size: 11
• Text alignment: Left
• Spacing: 1.5
Layout:
• Title: Centred
• Paragraphs: Add a blank space between paragraphs
• Margin: 1 inch margin top, bottom, left, right
How plants defend themselves

What do you do if you are about to be attacked by a dog? You run
away! When an animal is threatened, it can run away, or choose
to fight back. However, plants cannot run away,
nor can they fight back. If you think they are defenceless, you
are wrong. Plants have ways to defend themselves.
One way plants have to defend themselves is by having sharp edges or
thorns. For example, the leaves of a holly plant have sharp spines that
discourage animals from eating its leaves. This is how the holly plant
defends itself physically.
Another way plants defend themselves physically is by having
hard leaves. The oak tree has leaves that are thick and hard which
make it difficult for animals to eat them.
Besides physical means, plants make use of chemical defences.
For example, when a caterpillar bites a tobacco leaf, the chemical
nicotine is released. This nicotine
discourages the caterpillar.

As you can see, plants are not completely defenceless as many
people think. They can protect themselves through physical and
chemical means.
Activity 5.11
To show your understanding of the various important sentences in

the above essay, identify the following:
Title: ________________________________________________
Introduction: Thesis statement
____________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1: Topic Sentence
____________________________________________________
Body paragraph 2: Topic sentence
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Conclusion: Restatement
____________________________________________________
Summary
In this section, we looked at two considerations when presenting

your completed essays for submission  format and layout.
Format refers to the choice of fonts, font size, line spacing, text
alignment, and margins. Layout refers to the way text (titles and
paragraphs) and graphics are set out on the page.
Physical characteristics of your product such as the type of paper
for the assignment, the tidiness of your assignment and the type of
stationery you use for your writing are equally important.
Following these considerations will help you to present your essay

in the best way possible to your examiner and tutor.
UNIT 5 37
Self-test 5.3
An assignment is given to you where you have to write an essay

based on the topic “Spirituality is more important than the greatest
discoveries of science.” Discuss.
You are given ten weeks to complete this assignment. The following
is a sample of your assignment:
1. Do you think the above sample is acceptable for submission to

your tutor?
_________________________________________________
2. Give reasons for your answer to Question 1.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. What format and layout would you consider for this essay
assignment?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 5.10
How plants defend themselves
What do you do if you are about to be attacked by a dog? You run

away! When an animal is threatened, it can run away, or choose to
fight back. However, plants cannot run away, nor can they fight
back. If you think they are defenceless, you are wrong. Plants have
ways to defend themselves.
One way plants have to defend themselves is by having sharp

edges or thorns. For example, the leaves of a holly plant have sharp
spines that discourage animals from eating its leaves. This is how
the holly plant defends itself physically.
Another way plants defend themselves physically is by having hard

leaves. The oak tree has leaves that are thick and hard which make
it difficult for animals to eat them.

For example, when a caterpillar bites a tobacco leaf, the chemical
nicotine is released. This nicotine discourages the caterpillar.
As you can see, plants are not completely defenceless as many

people think. They can protect themselves through physical and
chemical means.
Activity 5.11
Title: How plants defend themselves
Introduction: Thesis statement
Plants have ways to defend themselves.
One way plants have to defend themselves is by having sharp edges or

thorns.
UNIT 5 39
Another way plants defend themselves physically is by having hard leaves.
Conclusion: Restatement
As you can see, plants are not completely defenceless as many people think.
UNIT 5 41
5.4 Assessment of Essays

Objectives
1. Explain what evaluation and assessment means.
2. Explain what self-assessment and peer-assessment means.
3. Conduct self-assessment and peer-assessment to evaluate essays written by

yourself and your peers.
4. Describe what you should do when assessing an essay.
Introduction
Assessment is one activity that you, as a student, will always encounter. Students
are assessed through examinations, tests, assignments and activities. Employees are
appraised by their managers on their capability to do work. Assignments are also
assessed and evaluated so that a grade or marks can be awarded accordingly.
In this section, you will look at how essays are assessed. You will also learn how to
assess your own essays and that of your peers. By conducting such assessments, you
can become aware of what you need to do to improve you academic writing skills.
In this section, you will learn what assessment is, followed by an explanation of
how essays are assessed. Do attempt the activities so that you can have a clearer
understanding of how essays are assessed.
What is evaluation and assessment?

1. Evaluation
In general, an evaluation is given at the end of a course to determine how well a

person has performed an academic task, or to identify if the student has achieved
a certain set standard. Thus, essays are evaluated to establish if the writer has
written the essay to a particular level  whether the essay is of a university
level and deserves an A; or the writing is just not up to the required standard
and deserves a failing grade. As you can see, an evaluation is used to determine
whether the student deserves a distinction, has achieved a certain standard to
move up to the next level, to be awarded a degree, or be qualified as for the
profession he or she aspires to be.
2. Assessment
An assessment, on the other hand, is focussed on determining whether you have

acquired the various skills in a learning environment. An assessment helps you
to identify areas of weaknesses so that you can work to improve on them. For
example, in essay writing, you are assessed on your ability to compose thesis
statements, topic sentences, supporting sentences, hooks, and other aspects of
writing.
An example of an assessment and evaluation of an article being considered

for publication
Here’s an example of an assessment of an article submitted for publication. Note

that it does not make any judgement (evaluation) on whether it is good or bad.
This article has an appropriate introduction, with sufficient basic background

information on the topic. The thesis statement states very clearly the five areas that
the article will discuss. The body of the article discusses the five areas of the topic in
great detail and provides sufficient examples and evidence from various different
sources (statistics, a book, a research article from a journal, and a news article) to
back up the thesis.
Here’s an example of an evaluation of that same article. You would notice that
it makes a judgement based on the assessment given above:
The article is well-written and is suitable for publication in the university’s next
journal.
Before you submit in your essay to your tutor or the examiner, you can do a
self-assessment. For assignments to be submitted to your tutors, you can also
have peer-assessment whereby your peers use relevant criteria to assess your essay.
You will learn about these two types of assessment here.
How essays are assessed

All institutions have marking criteria for essays but they may differ from one
institution to another. It is best to consult your course coordinator or your tutor as
to how your essays are assessed.
The following are some general ways of marking essays:
1. Impression marking
Marks can be awarded via impression marking. In this type of marking,

examiners read your essay and form an impression in their minds about the
standard of your work. Evaluation that is based on impression marking can
be rather subjective  i.e., what may be considered good by one examiner
may be regarded as bad by another.
UNIT 5 43
If impression marking is practised, it is important for the writer to ensure

that the essay is presented with the appropriate format and layout. Work that
is neatand tidy (i.e., without cancellations, scratching, and is professionally
typed with the correct format and pleasing layout) will create a positive
impression in the evaluator’s minds.
Most institutions require their examiners to come up with a marking scheme

that is appropriate for each question. The marking scheme contains aspects
of the essay that the examiner should look at. The following is a sample
marking scheme for a compare-and-contrast essay that is worth 20 marks.
Marking scheme for a compare-and contrast essay
Question:
The women’s liberation movement in the West during the early twentieth
century has brought many social changes to Western society, especially to
the status of women as compared to men. Some of these changes have
spilled over to Asian communities. Compare and contrast the status of
women in the Western and Asian worlds.
The response provides a genuine comparison and/or contrast
about most of the qualities of authenticity, completeness,
consistency, typicality and usefulness in relation to the question.
Areas of agreement and/or disagreement are discussed. The
argument shows judgement. The writing shows accuracy in
18 – 20 grammar, punctuation and spelling.
marks
[“Genuine comparison and/or contrast” means content (area of
agreement and/or disagreement) and provenance. The list of
qualities is not exhaustive and not all these qualities need to
be discussed. A judgement “as evidence” on the relative extent
of support is expected.]
The response provides an effective comparison and/or contrast.
The judgements are supported by appropriate references
to internal evidence. The answer is relevant but it lacks
completeness and the full range of the available comparative
15 – 17
criteria. Most of the writing shows accuracy in grammar,
marks
punctuation and spelling.
[“Internal evidence” means appropriate references to content

and provenance (the introduction and/or attributions).]
The response provides a comparison and/or contrast but makes
limited links with the sources. The answer is relevant but the
organisation of the answer is uneven. The quality of the answer
is more satisfactory than sound. The writing generally shows
accuracy in grammar, punctuation and spelling.
12 – 14
marks
[“Limited links with the sources” means too much focus on
content or on provenance and so the comparison is uneven.
Where “the organisation” is uneven, the comparison will be
confined to the second half of the answer or purely to the
concluding paragraph.]
The response attempts a comparison and/or contrast but the

comments are largely sequential and with few points of internal
9 – 11 analysis or discussion of similarities and/or differences. The
marks answer is largely relevant. The organisation of the answer is
limited. The writing shows accuracy in grammar, punctuation
and spelling but contains some careless errors.
The response provides a very basic answer to the question and
identifies some points of agreement and/or disagreement. The
comparison and/or contrast is mostly implicit. Perhaps there may
be significant irrelevance. The writing shows some accuracy in
6 –8 grammar, punctuation and spelling but contains frequent errors.
marks
[“A very basic answer” means sequencing is especially prevalent.
The answer nevertheless identifies one or more very basic
points of comparative content or provenance even if it is done
implicitly.]
The response is very limited in its commentary, organisation
and relevance. There may be very basic paraphrasing which
3 –5
lacks a genuine attempt to provide a comparison and/or
marks
contrast. The writing shows significant weaknesses in the
accuracy of grammar, punctuation and spelling.
The response is extremely limited in its commentary,
organisation and relevance. There is no attempt to provide
0 –2
a comparison and/or contrast. The answer is irrelevant. The
marks
writing shows major weaknesses in the accuracy of grammar,
punctuation and spelling.
2. Analytical marking
Some marking schemes can be very detailed. In detailed marking schemes,

marks are allocated for categories such as content, grammar and spelling.
These categories vary from course to course depending on the focus in
relation to the course objectives.
Let us look at one example of a detailed marking scheme that is taken from
another course. Although the marking scheme does not look at language, it
gives you an illustration of what a detailed marking scheme is. The following
sample detailed marking scheme is used in WOU for two parts of a tutor-
marked assignment (TMA) question designed by the School of Business.
Marking Scheme
Question 1
Why is organisational structure important? What roles do you think

organisational structure plays in an organisation’s efficiency and
effectiveness? Explain.
(8 marks)
UNIT 5 45
Question 2
Would a more mechanistic structure or a more organic structure be

appropriate for Indigo Enterprise? Why?
(4 marks)
Marks Marks
Criteria for each question
allocated awarded
(S1) Question 1
Explanation on the importance of organisational 2
structure.
Good explanation on 3 roles that organisational 2
structure plays in an organisation’s efficiency
and effectiveness.
(2 marks per role discussed) 2
Among the points that can be discussed by
students are:
• Span of control. 2
• Degree of centralisation.
• Whether empowerment is an option.
• Other logical and well-explained answers are
acceptable.
(S1) Subtotal for Question 1 8
Grading A: 8 – 6 B: 5.5 – 5 C: 4.5 – 4 D: 3.5 – 3 F: 2.5 – 0
(S2) Question 2
State whether organic or mechanistic structure is 1
more appropriate for Indigo Enterprise.
Good justification on the proposed structure(s). 3
(S2) Subtotal for Question 2 4
Grading A: 4 – 3 B: 2.5 C: 2 D: 1.5 F: 1 – 0
An implication you can draw from knowing such a sample marking scheme is that
you need to ensure that your assignment or your examination script is well-edited
before submission. You must check to see that you have covered all the relevant
points and also details such as spelling and punctuation that can be awarded marks
for English language papers. Ensure that your answer script is neat as untidy work
will not give a good impression to the examiner. It may also irritate the examiners
because they will have to spend time deciphering what you have written.
Peer and self-assessment

You and your coursemates can take part in peer and self-assessment where you
assess yourself as well as your peers. By doing this, you learn to take responsibility
for your learning. Peer and self-assessment can help you to identify your strengths
and weaknesses, and consequently you adjust your learning targets. Being actively
involved in your own assessment will motivate you to work towards improving
your learning.
1. Self-assessment
As the term implies, self-assessment means you assess yourself. Here you assess
your own work and be your own judge on how well you have performed
based on a set of assessment criteria. Self-assessment is not so much about
awarding your own grades, but more about identifying your own strengths
and weaknesses, and areas you still have not fully understood.
2. Peer-assessment
While self-assessment is about assessing yourself, peer-assessment, on the

other hand, is about assessing your peers. Here you assess your peers’ work
based on the same set of assessment criteria you use to assess yourself.
By becoming an assessor yourself, you gain a better understanding and insight

into what goes on in the assessment process. You and your peers will be more
open in discussing the manner you assessed each other  and in the process
develop your skills in judging and offering your opinion.
Here is an assessment sheet for assessing an essay you can use for peer and
self-assessment:
Marking Scheme for Peer and Self-Assessment
Marks Marks
Criteria for content
allocated awarded
Title (1 mark)
• Award 1 mark for an appropriate title that is 1
grammatically correct.
• Award ½ mark for an inappropriate title/
grammatically incorrect.
Introduction (3 marks)
Opening sentence/Hook: 1
• Award 1 mark for the hook.
(Identify the hook used: _________________)
General/Background information: 1
• Award 1 mark for sufficient general/
background information.
• Award ½ mark for vague general/background
information.
Thesis statement: 1
• Award 1 mark for a clear and appropriate
thesis statement.
• Award ½ mark for a vague thesis statement.
UNIT 5 47
Body paragraph 1 (6 marks)

Topic sentence: 1
• Award 1 mark for a topic sentence with a
controlling idea.
• Award ½ mark for a topic sentence without a
clear controlling idea.
• 0 mark for a topic sentence not related to the
thesis statement.
Supporting sentences: (At least 3 supporting

sentences)
Unity: 3
• Award 1 mark for each supporting sentence
that provides information on the topic
sentences. Award a maximum of 3 marks.
Deduct ½ mark for each sentence that has no
unity or is unrelated to the topic sentence.
Coherence: 1
• Award 1 mark for coherence (the consistent
use of key nouns, pronouns).
Deduct ½ mark for inconsistency in the use of
pronouns (E.g., We in one sentence, and you in
another sentence).
• Award 1 mark for the use of connectors. 1
(Connectors used: ______________________)
Topic sentence: 1
controlling idea.
thesis statement.

sentences)
Unity: 3
Coherence: 1
another sentence).
(Connectors used: ______________________)

Topic sentence: 1
controlling idea.
thesis statement.

sentences)
Unity:
3
Coherence: 1
another sentence).
(Connectors used: ______________________)
Conclusion (3 marks)
Restatement: 1
• Award 1 mark for the statement that
rephrases the thesis statement.
• Award ½ mark for a vague restatement.
Summary: 1
• Award 1 mark for a general summary of the
information provided in the body paragraphs.
Closing statement: 1
• Award 1 mark for the closing statement
(Type of closing statement: _______________)
Total (25 marks) 25
UNIT 5 49
Marks Marks
Criteria for in-text citation and references
allocated awarded
In-text citation
• Award ½ mark for each correct Author- 2
Date. Award a maximum of 2 marks for four
citations.
• Award ½ mark for grammatically sentence 2
introducing the cited information. Award a
maximum of 2 marks for four citations.
Reference List
• Award ½ mark for a correctly formatted entry. 2
Award a maximum of 2 marks for four entries.
• Deduct ½ mark for entries not arranged in
alphabetical order.
• Deduct ½ mark for not indenting the second
line of the entry. Example:
Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The Story
of Success. New York: Little, Brown and
Company.
4
Marks Marks
Criteria for language
allocated awarded
The writing uses a wide range of vocabulary; 16 – 20
contains well-developed and coherent ideas.
Sentence structure is good with appropriate
use of expressions and minimal spelling and
grammatical errors.
The writing uses a fair range of vocabulary 11 – 15
with ideas satisfactorily developed. It contains
occasional faulty sentence structures and some
errors in spelling and grammar.
The writing attempts to communicate ideas 6 – 10
but is not always successful; contains ideas
and details which are inadequately developed;
contains inappropriate choice of words and
intrusive spelling and grammatical errors.
The writing is only understood after 1–5
much effort; has irrelevant ideas that are
difficult to follow; contains severe spelling
and grammatical errors; some ideas are
incomprehensible.
Do not be concerned if the total marks do not add up to 100%. The marks
allocated here are for the purpose of peer and self-assessment, and not an
evaluation of your overall writing ability. The assessment sheets are to raise
your awareness on aspects you need to pay attention to when assessing your
essay.
You need to be aware that in this course, although 100 marks are awarded
for TMA 1, TMA 2, and the exam, the weightage or allocation of marks is
different for each of the three components when calculating the overall score:
Component Weightage
TMA 1 20%
TMA 2 30%
Exam 50%
Total 100%
The allocation of marks for other courses would be different, and it is

advisable for you to check with your tutors and course coordinators for the
latest updates.
Activity 5.12
Based on your understanding of all that you have learnt in this

course, list out all the various aspects that you think will be
considered by your tutors and examiners when assessing and
evaluating your essays.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
UNIT 5 51
Summary
In this section, we looked at what assessment and evaluation is,

and the ways essays are assessed. Essays can be marked in two
ways  impression (i.e., marking according to the impression the
examiners have of the essays), or analytical (i.e., marking based on
a given criteria).
You also learnt about peer and self-assessment and the various criteria
you can go about assessing your essays and that of your peers.
It is important to remember that the criteria for marking can vary

between institutions. As such, it is very important for you as a
student to know the assessment criteria that is used so that you
can write essays that will help you to do well in your assignments
and in examinations. Discuss this with your tutors when you meet
them during your next tutorial session.
Self-test 5.4
Assume that your examination answer script will be assessed using

the criteria where the mark allocation for content is 60% and
language is 40%.
1. Which component would you spend more time on?
_________________________________________________
2. If you were to answer “Content” for the above question, does

that mean language is not as important?
_________________________________________________
3. Regardless of the kind of criteria that is used, what should your

attitude be when you answer essay questions in assignments and
in examinations?
_________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 5.12
Title
Introduction:
• Opening sentence/Hook:
• General/Background information:
• Thesis statement:
Body paragraphs:
• Topic sentences
• Supporting sentences
• Unity
• Coherence
Conclusion:
• Restatement
• Summary
• Closing statement
References:
• In-text citation
• Reference list
Language:
• Grammar
• Punctuation
• Sentence structure
UNIT 5 53
5.5 General Examination Strategies

and Writing Skills for life
Objectives
1. Discuss examination strategies  managing your time, being emotionally

stable and following instructions.
2. Apply the principles of writing learnt in this course to the workplace.
Introduction
In this final section, you will look at three general examination strategies to consider
when taking an examination. Applying these three examination strategies will help
you to be well-prepared for any examination. We will then end this course with some
advice on using all the principles that you have learnt for writing in examination
situations and during the preparation of assignments.
General examination strategies

Here are three general examination strategies to take into consideration when sitting
for any examination:
1. Time management
2. Emotional stability
3. Following instructions
Time management
Half an hour left ...
It is important to keep track of time when you do your examination or when you
do your assignments. This principle is especially relevant when you do essay type
questions as there may be a tendency for examination candidates to write without
any proper planning at all. Similarly, without proper time management, students
doing assignments may face deadline pressure. This may result in low quality work
when the students realise that the deadline for the submission of their assignment
is almost near. It may also result in writer’s block where the writer may not know
how to proceed with the writing process.
During the examination, when you first look through your question booklet, decide
on the time to be spent on each question. Ensure that you leave enough time to
answer the more difficult essay questions and those that are worth more marks.
Generally, the more marks that are allocated to a question, the more time you should
spend your time on it.
Similarly, think through your assignment question and plan out how much time
you should allocate for each part of your writing process. Do not forget to leave
some time for reviewing your answers. Doing this immediately after answering each
essay question as well as at the conclusion of the entire examination gives you one
last chance to correct careless mistakes or add additional information that you may
have initially left out of the response.
Activity 5.13
Assume that you are to answer two questions during an examination.

The first question requires you to edit an essay of 350 words while
the second question involves writing an essay that is based on a
given topic. The mark allocation for Question 1 and Question 2
is 30 marks and 70 marks respectively. The total time allocated for
the paper is 2 hours.
UNIT 5 55
1. Which question should you spend more time on? Explain your
reason(s).
2. How would you allocate the 2-hour period to answer the

examination questions?
Emotional stability
Be calm during examinations.
Many students struggle with high levels of anxiety when taking tests. Anxiety can
interfere with your ability to do your best. The degree to which anxiety can interfere
with test performance varies from person to person. It is important to be calm when
you enter the examination hall. Being calm will help you to think and concentrate
better. You may wish to consider the following techniques to help you stay calm.
1. Do breathing exercises  concentrate on your breathing. Mentally count

1 to 3 when you inhale and count another 1 to 3 when you exhale. Do this
several times.
2. Take a good rest on the night before the examination. A sleepy and tired
mind will not be able to think well.
3. Some problems such as family-related problems may still linger in your

mind. As far as possible, try to clear your mind of these. Tell yourself to clear
the examination before you continue thinking about these problems.
4. Prepare the necessary items you need at least one day ahead of the
examination. For instance, ensure you have enough pens and pencils to
bring along. Do also remember to have all the required documents with
you such as your student card, identification card (I.C.), examination slip
or card, etc. You will invite unnecessary stress if you realise on the day of
the examination that you have forgotten some items or realise that your
only pen has run out of ink.
5. Ensure you have a meal before your examination. Examinations at WOU

are usually three hours long. It is also important that you dress comfortably and
bring a coat along just in case the examination hall is very cold.
6. Be sure to arrive at least half an hour before an examination. If you have

an examination very early in the morning, it will be wise to ask a friend to
call you or to have your spouse, your parents or a sibling to wake you up
in addition to using your alarm clock.
Following instructions
Sometimes, examination candidates do not follow the instructions in their

examination paper. This can be costly and may affect the final score in your paper.
Thus, it is advisable that all examination candidates read and follow the instructions
given. This applies to assignments as well. Be certain you know exactly what you are
required to do. Following instructions may assist you in doing well in assignments.
If you do not do so, you may be doing unnecessary things which may be a waste of
your time and resources. The following are some considerations you may wish to
follow to ensure you do well in your assignments and examinations:
1. Read the instructions on the cover page of the question booklet. Preview the
entire paper in the first two minutes. This will help you check the marks
allocated to each question and help you prepare mentally for particularly
challenging questions. It also helps you to plan your time better. Note
especially the number of questions that you have to answer  are there more
than one question that you have to answer? Is there any compulsory question?
Are there any choices given? If so, how many questions should one choose
and from which section should these questions be chosen?
2. Read all examination regulations carefully before you sit for your
examination.
3. Ensure that you remember the date and time of your examinations. If you
are required to be early in the examination room, be sure to manage your
time well so that you will be in the examination hall on time.
4. Print out all instructions for any assignment. Do not rely solely on your
memory as there is a tendency for one to forget minute details.
5. Remember to go through your final draft and ensure that your assignment
complies with the instructions given by your tutor for this module.
UNIT 5 57
Activity 5.14
For your WawasanLearn activity, share with your coursemates what

you would do to prepare for examinations. What problems may
arise when you work on essay questions? Share some pointers on
how you answer essay questions in examinations. Do include tips
on how you go about working on essay assignments.
Writing skills for life

You are reaching the end of this course. You have learnt the about writing for academic
studies: the characteristics of academic writing; the writing process; writing the
various parts of the essay; revising, editing and proofreading; and assessing the essay.
Are these principles valid only for only university-level writing? Are they relevant
only for the sake of passing examinations? This is certainly not the case as what you
learn here has applications to situations in your life and workplace. We have looked
at some of these writing aspects for the workplace in Unit 3 and Unit 4.
Here are some situations where you can apply what you have learnt in this course.
1. Writing a report for your manager  i.e., preparing the outline of your
report, selection of appropriate content, giving the appropriate amount of
content and examples in the report, drafting and re-drafting the report,
editing the final draft for submission to your manager.
2. Writing a proposal  i.e., offering solutions to problems and submitting

them to people who have the authority to make decisions.
3. Writing other technical documents  i.e., writing for a purpose, to give

information to a target audience.
4. Writing a response to a newspaper article  i.e., adequate reading to prepare

for your response to the article, selecting appropriate examples to support
your points mentioned in your response, drafting and editing your article
before you send it to the newspaper.
5. Writing an article for a magazine  i.e., writing the outline of the article,
researching for contents of the article, drafting and editing before submitting
the article to the editor for publication.
6. Writing a memorandum, a business letter, a fax, an sms (i.e., short message

service) message or an email (i.e., electronic message mail)  i.e., considering
the content, drafting and editing before sending it.
Learning to write for university level-studies is not confined to writing at university

level as you can also use what you have learnt in numerous other everyday situations.
Activity 5.15
Consider another possible situation where you can apply what you
have learnt in this course to your everyday life. How much of what
you have learnt here do you think has helped you to write better
in the situation you are thinking of?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Summary
In this unit, we looked at some general examinations strategies that

can help you to perform better in examinations. These principles
are applicable when working on assignment questions.
Be constantly aware of time management  allocate time wisely to

meet deadlines. Equally important is keeping calm and following
instructions. Following such simple strategies may help you to
attain better grades in your assignments and in the examinations.
Self-test 5.5
Consider the following situations and suggest one way that you
could take to overcome the problems that you face.
1. You receive your topic for an assignment which is due in ten

weeks. You are also working full-time. How would you complete
the assignment?
_________________________________________________
2. You suddenly get a panic attack just as you enter the examination
hall. Suggest one way that you can take to keep yourself calm.
_________________________________________________
UNIT 5 59
3. You are given a handout with your assignment. Should you read
every instruction in the handout? Explain your reason(s).
_________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 5.13
1. Spend more time on the second question as more marks are

allocated for it.
2. A likely estimate is 50 minutes on the first question and

70 minutes on the second question.
Activity 5.15
(All possible answers are acceptable.)

UNIT 5 61
Summary of Unit 5
Summary
In this unit, we looked at some strategies for doing well in

assignments and examinations. Generally, one must be aware
of the need to submit good and well-written or typed essays.
Submissions that are done lackadaisically will affect the markers’
perception and assessment of the essays. In all circumstances,
always check your grammar, content, typing, etc. You should
remember that examiners are just as human as you are. As such,
do help your examiners by writing legibly, editing your work and
keeping your essays tidy.
UNIT 5 63
Course Summary
Summary
Now that we are at the end of the course, let us summarise all that
we have covered in this course. In Unit 1, you learnt about the
writing process  choosing a topic, generating ideas, planning,
writing the first draft, revising, editing, and proofreading. You
were also shown how to write the introduction, body, and
conclusion. Unit 2 introduced you to the various types of essays.
The types of essays discussed were persuasion, compare and
contrast, discussion, definition, problem solution, evaluation,
and cause and effect.
In Unit 3, you learnt technical writing. Here, you were exposed

to the various techniques in technical writing including the
preparation of training manuals. Unit 4 introduced you to the
structure of writing reports, proposals, and policy statements.
Finally, you learnt how to answer written assignments and essays

in Unit 5. Here, we walked you through the answering of essay
questions by examining the rubrics and keywords. We also
examined the strategies for answering assignment questions. We
hope that the skills you have learnt and acquired will help you
throughout your university study, the various writing assignments
that you will have at your workplace, and your personal life.
UNIT 5 65
Unit Practice Exercise

Read the following questions and answer them accordingly.
1. What do you think you should first do when you have an unstructured essay
question in your assignment?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2. Which of the following would you do first when you open your question booklet
in the examination hall?
A. Read the essay topic and start planning the outline of the essay.
B. Read the instructions in the question booklet.
C. Start to relax through breathing techniques.
3. Is it necessary for you to know the marking criteria that your examiner is using
to mark essay questions in assignments and in examinations?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. Think through what you have learnt in this course. Are there potential problems
that you may face in examinations or for future writing assignments? What
steps would you take to overcome these problems?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
UNIT 5 67
Suggested Answers to Self-tests
Feedback
Self-test 5.1
1. Narrow down the topic to something specific and come up with

a thesis sentence.
2. More Malaysians have become more conscious of the food they

eat by eating more fruits and vegetables as compared to previous
generations. Many people are also exercising. Although the
number is not high, more Malaysians are signing up for gym
workouts which were not common until recent years.
3. Introduction Life expectancy of Malaysians.

Many attempts to increase lifespan.
Music and positive thinking.
Body paragraph 1 Music can be refreshing.
Listening to soothing music may help
you when you are down.
Helps to relax the mind.
Body paragraph 2 Positive thinking.
Do not worry.
Think of possible solutions instead of
focusing on problems.
Conclusion Take positive measures to live healthily.
Modern lifestyle tends to make people
lazy. Health is affected.
Persevere in all the steps we take to
live well.
(All possible answers are acceptable.)
[Ensure that your paragraph contains the topic sentence,

supporting statements and relevant examples.]
Self-test 5.1
1. The question is mainly about global warming and how to

prevent the situation from getting worse (i.e., prevent the Earth
from getting warmer).
2. Keyword: Explain.
Other possible keywords: global, warming, worsen, steps,

individuals, governments, and protect.
3. Explain steps that can be taken by individuals and governments

to prevent global warming from worsening.
4. No difference. In this case, “explain” and “discuss” can be used

interchangeably.
Self-test 5.3
1. No.
2. The assignment is handwritten. It should be typed in a font that

is easily readable. The margins are too narrow and they are not
in accordance with the required margin specifications.
3. Format:
• Use a word processor such as Microsoft Word to type your

assignments.
• The assignment should be typed 1.5 or double-spaced.
• The text of your essay should be aligned to the left.
• In-text citation and reference list using the Chicago style.
• Use font Times New Roman or Arial, and a font size of 12

point.
• Use an A4 size plain white paper of 80gsm.
• On the first page of your assignment, include the following:

Student’s name, ID, contact information, lecturer’s/tutor’
name, name of the course.
Layout:
• Title in bold and placed in the centre.

UNIT 5 69
• Leave a space between paragraphs.
• There should be a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, left

and right.
Self-test 5.4
1. Content.
2. No, language is still important. Every mark counts in an

examination. Nevertheless, one should focus more in generating
appropriate content.
3. Read the essay questions carefully and have a good understanding

of the rubrics. Produce an answer that is satisfactory in response
to each question. Check all your answers before you submit your
answer script. Be sure to have time to edit your answers
accordingly.
Self-test 5.5
1. Plan a schedule and organise your time accordingly to complete

the assignment before the deadline.
2. Practise relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.
3. Yes, you should read every instruction in the brief even though
you may know the instructions. It is always good to read the
instructions to be certain that the requirements of the assignment
have not changed.
UNIT 5 71
Suggested Answers to Unit Practice

Exercise
Feedback
1. Narrow down the topic to something specific that you can

focus on in your answer.
2. B
(Note: You should start to relax before you open your

examination booklet.)
3. No, it is not necessary.
(Note: It would be good for you to know what the criteria are.
Ask your tutor. You should aim to do well when you write your
text.)
4. (All possible answers are acceptable.)

UNIT 5 73
References
Brannan, B (2003) A Writer’s Workshop  Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays,
Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Clouse, B F (1996)The Student Writer  Editor and Critic, 6th edn, New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Humphrey, D and Conklin, R (2005) Connections Writing for the World, Ohio:
South-Western Educational Publishing.
Additonal references
http://core.ecu.edu/hist/zipfk/guidelines_for_grading_an_essay.htm
http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/Study%20Skills%20Guides/13%20Exam%20
techniques.htm
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/essay
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/glossary_keywords.html
http://www.bris.ac.uk/esu/e-learning/support/tools/Self-and-peer-assessment/
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/defining-common-exam-instruction-
words.html
http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/resources/2604/keywords.html
http://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/study-with-us/study-resources-for-students/
exams/tips-for-answering-exam-questions/
http://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/peer-and-self-assessment/eia-peer-
and-self-assessment-main.aspx
http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/studyresources/exams/sta-
answering.aspx
UNIT 5 75
Glossary
Writer’s block A situation when the writer does not know
what to say next in an essay. According to
Humphrey and Conklin (2005), this can
happen at any stage of the writing process.
To avoid this psychological barrier, plan your
time well. Aim for a good product but do not
aim to be “absolutely perfect”. When you are
writing, steer clear of distractions such as the
television and the handphone. Avoid worries
and preoccupations.

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UNIT 5 i

Answering written assignments and essay questions in examinations

EXTERNAL COURSE ASSESSOR

© 2014 Wawasan Open University

Wawasan Open University

5.1 Types of essay questions 3

Structured essay questions 3

Unstructured essay questions 5

Suggested answers to activities 9

5.2 Understanding rubrics and keywords 11

Suggested answers to activities 25

5.3 Strategies for answering essay questions 29

Handwritten essays in an examination 31

Suggested answers to activities 38

5.4 Evaluation of essays 41

What is evaluation and assessment? 41

How essays are assessed 41

Peer amd self-assessment 42

Suggested answers to activities 52

5.5 General examination strategies and writing 53

General examination strategies 53

Writing skills for life 57

Suggested answers to activities 59

Unit practice exercise 65

Suggested answers to self-tests 67

Suggested answers to unit practice exercise 71

1. Distinguish between various types of essay questions.

2. Use keywords in rubrics to answer essay questions.

4. Identify various ways of assessing essays.

5. Apply peer and self-assessment to assess essays.

6. Apply appropriate strategies for doing well in examination situations.

5.1 Types of Essay Questions

1. Identify the characteristics of structured and unstructured essay questions.

2. Use the appropriate approach in answering structured and unstructured

Why is it necessary to know these different types of essay questions?

Structured essay questions

What are structured

Here are two sample structured essay questions:

1. The essay has to be limited to 200 – 250 words.

2. The writer has to give two reasons.

3. The two reasons are stated:

a. To find other possible sources of energy, and

b. To seek alternative dwelling places for Earth’s ever-increasing population.

Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide supporting

The positive economic impact:

The positive social impact:

Unstructured essay questions

Here are two sample unstructured essay questions:

You have been given the following writing assignment:

Choose one aspect of Malaysian life (food, places, religious holidays,

2. Prepare an outline of your essay:

For your WawasanLearn activity, discuss whether you found

In this section, you looked at two different types of essay

It is important to understand these two types of essay questions so

Based on the following essay topic, answer the following questions.

Malaysians today live longer than those of previous generations. Discuss.

2. Give some specific examples or situations to support the

3. Suggest an outline of the essay for this topic.

4. Write a paragraph based on your outline for this essay topic.

Suggested answers to activities

Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide supporting

The positive economic impact:

More able to travel. Using fuel-powered vehicles instead of other forms

The positive social impact:

More people will be travel. Families may find it more affordable to

1. (All possible answers are acceptable.)