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Essay Tests Handout

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9 views2 pages

Essay Tests Handout

Uploaded by

manugopinat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Essay Tests

PURPOSE
Many standardized tests such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and the Georgia Assessments for the
Certification of Educators (GACE) include a section that evaluates writing skills, and essays are often an important
part of class tests. Essay tests differ from essays written outside class in several ways that make them more
intimidating: they are timed, the questions/prompts are not known before the test begins, and help or advice is not
permitted.

Following the steps below will help you prepare to write a successful essay under these conditions. But let us
help you do even more: Attempt a timed practice essay at home and then bring it to the KSU Writing Center to
discuss how you can improve before your exam.

READ THE DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY


Determine what type of writing you are being asked to do: interpretive, relational, or informative.
• Interpretative writing supports thinking using evidence.
Keywords: assess, evaluate, analyze, support, argue, consider
• Relational writing finds connections or explains relationships among concepts.
Keywords: compare, use, apply, distinguish, contrast
• Informative writing presents facts and/or demonstrates knowledge. It also can include performing
informative or relational tasks.
Keywords: describe, illustrate, explain, demonstrate, define, summarize

Ask yourself the following questions:


• Who will be reading your essay (your instructor or test reviewers)?
• Should you use first person (I, my, etc.)?
▫ If the prompt or question asks you to state your opinion and/or requires you to provide your own
observations or experience as evidence, then you should use first person.
▫ If you do use first person, write with confidence: avoid phrases like I think or in my opinion.
• How will you manage your time?
▫ Before you begin writing, note how much time you plan to spend on individual tasks or sections of your
essay.

DEVELOP A THESIS STATEMENT


Your thesis statement provides your claim; it must directly answer or respond to the exam question or prompt.

VISIT WRITINGCENTER.KENNESAW.EDU TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE.


THE KSU WRITING CENTER: NOT BECAUSE YOU CAN’T WRITE . . . BUT BECAUSE YOU DO.
PLAN YOUR ESSAY
Create a brief outline to ensure you won't forget to include essential information.
• List the main points you will use to support your thesis. (Each main point will become
a body paragraph as explained in next section.)
• Determine an order for your main points. Consider organizing by . . .
▫ Importance: most to least or least to most important
▫ Complexity: most to least or least to most complex
▫ Chronology: order of occurrence
▫ Question and answer: problem/question, then proposed solution/answer

BEFORE YOU START WRITING, REVIEW YOUR OUTLINE AND THE EXAM DIRECTIONS
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Does your thesis provide a clear answer/response to the question or prompt?
• Does the main idea and evidence of each body paragraph support the thesis?
• Do you need to re-order your outline?

WRITE YOUR BODY PARAGRAPHS


Use the “MEAL plan” to organize body paragraphs.
Main idea: Typically, the main idea is expressed in a topic sentence.
Evidence: Support the main idea. Depending on the question’s instructions, this may mean citing course
materials; explaining key terms, concepts, or events; or providing examples from experience or
research.
Analysis: Clarify the how, why, or who cares of your evidence.
Link: Connect the paragraph (your main point) to your thesis.
For more detailed information, see our handout “Organizing Body Paragraphs with the MEAL Plan.”

WRITE YOUR INTRODUCTION AND CONCLUSION LAST


Introduction
In your introduction paragraph, begin with the general and end with the specific. Your introduction should provide
the following:
• key aspects of the prompt and relevant background information
• the thesis statement – your clear answer/response to the question or prompt

Conclusion
Your conclusion should wrap up your essay and reiterate (in different words) your thesis. In your conclusion
paragraph, begin with the specific and end with the general.

REVIEW AND PROOFREAD


 Read your entire essay once from start to finish to make sure everything makes sense.
 Read your entire essay again, starting with your last sentence. This helps you focus on sentence-level errors
instead of content.
 Think of common errors you’ve made in the past and look at each sentence specifically for those issues.

VISIT WRITINGCENTER.KENNESAW.EDU TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE.


THE KSU WRITING CENTER: NOT BECAUSE YOU CAN’T WRITE . . . BUT BECAUSE YOU DO.

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