Lakeland College
P.O. Box 359
Sheboygan, WI 53082-0359
Essay Questions
Before Writing:
Schedule your time. Make sure you allow yourself enough time to write, proofread, and edit all of your answers. For example, if six essay questions are to be answered in sixty minutes, allow yourself seven minutes for each essay.
If certain essays are worth more points than others, allocate your time so that you have more time for the higher point questions.
Prepare:
Before you begin, read through all the questions once to see if you have any choices as to how many or which ones to answer. As ideas come to you, write them down in the margin or on the back of the test so that you won't forget them later or clutter your mind trying to remember everything. As you read the questions, underline key words and directives making sure you understand what you are asked to do. Put the question into your own words. Then compare your version to the original. Do they mean the same thing? If they don't, you've misread the question. Begin with the question that seems easiest to you; this will decrease anxiety and facilitate clear thinking. Make a rough outline and number the items in the order you will discuss them. Quickly write down ideas, facts, relationships, and examples as they come to you. Discriminate between main issues, supportive details, and examples.
Writing Your Essay:
Your essay must have a clearly stated thesis statement that directly answers the question. The thesis statement should be stated in the first paragraph of your essay. You must support your thesis statement with evidence. Evidence should include general and specific information in the form of facts, examples, relevant details, and quotations and/or paraphrases from your text or notes. The body of your essay should:
-
Begin each paragraph with a key point from the introduction.
-
Develop each point into a complete paragraph.
-
Use technical vocabulary used in the course.
-
Use transitions between paragraphs.
Your time should be allocated for each essay. Once your time is up, stop and start the next question. The incomplete answer can be completed during the review time. Six incomplete answers will generally receive more credit than three complete ones. If your time runs out on a question, but you would like to say more, quickly write down in outline form what you would have written if you had time. Your print should be legible. If your mind goes blank or you don't know much about the question, relax and brainstorm for a minute or two about the topic. Try recalling passages from the text, lectures on the topic, or class discussions to trigger your memory. Try to organize these memories into a coherent form. When you are unsure use a qualifying answer, it is better to give a general time frame than to use the wrong date. For example, it is better to say in the late 1700s than to say 1798, when the correct year is 1785. This is because if the actual date is different from what you said, you will be wrong and graded accordingly. However, if you know an event took place in the late 1700s, you are not wrong to state it that way. Only use exact dates if you are sure.
The conclusion of your essay should:
Summarize your main points. Restate your thesis statement.
After you Write, Proofread! Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Make sure arguments are clearly and compactly stated and in a logical order.
To know a little and to present that little well is, by and large, superior to knowing much and presenting it poorly.
Helpful links: