Handout 34

Writing Essay Exams

A well written answer to an essay question is...

WELL FOCUSED

Be sure to answer the question that is asked completely, that is, answer all parts of the question. Avoid "padding." A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer.

WELL ORGANIZED

Don't write a haphazard travelogue in a "think-as-you-go" manner. The grader is not going to play detective and unravel clues as to what you might know. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point. Some words you can use in your conclusion are:

	for these reasons
	in conclusion
	to sum up
	therefore
	consequently

WELL SUPPORTED .

Do not just assert something is true, prove it! What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point? You may be intelligent, loveable, etc., but no one is going to believe all your statements just because you say they are true. In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence.

WELL PACKAGED

People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated. If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the Writing Lab!

How do you write an effective essay exam?

Read through all the questions carefully.
Budget your time and decide which question(s) you will answer first.
Underline the key word(s) which tell you what to do for each question.
Choose an organizational pattern appropriate for each key word and plan your answers on scratch paper or in the margins.
Write your answers as quickly and as legibly as you can; do not take the time to recopy. Begin each answer with one or two sentence thesis which summarizes your answer. If possible, phrase the statement so that it rephrases the question's essential terms into a statement (which therefore directly answers the essay question). Support your thesis with specific references to the material you have studied.
Proofread your answer and correct errors in spelling and mechanics.

Most essay questions will have one or more "key words" that indicate which organizational pattern you should use in your answer. The six most common organizational patterns for essay exams are as follows:

definition
analysis
cause and effect
comparison/contrast
process analysis
thesis-support

Organizational patterns and "key words"

1. DEFINITION

Typical questions: "Define X." "What is an X?" "Choose N terms from the following list and define them."

Process:

1. State the term to be defined.
2. State the class of objects or concepts to which the term belongs.
3. Differentiate the term from other members of the class by listing the term's distinguishing characteristics.

Example:

Q.: "WHAT IS a fanzine?
A.: (1) A fanzine is a (2) magazine (3) written, mimeographed, and distributed by and for science fiction or comic strip enthusiasts.

To define an object or term thoroughly you can use some of the following:

	details which describe the term
	examples and incidents
	comparisons to familiar terms
	negation to state what the term is not
	classification (i.e., to break it down into parts)
	examination of origins or causes
	examination of results, effects, or uses

2. ANALYSIS

Typical questions:

"Analyze X." "What are the components of X?" "What are the five different kinds of X?" "Discuss the different types of X." Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.

Example:

Q.: "DISCUSS the DIFFERENT services a junior college offers a community."
A.: Thesis: A junior college offers the community at least three main types of educational services: vocational education for young people, continuing education for older people, and personal development for all individuals.

Outline for supporting details and examples:

a. Vocational education
b. Continuing education
c. Personal development

Useful transition words:

	first, second, third, etc.
	next
	another
	in addition
	moreover

3. CAUSE AND EFFECT

Typical questions:

"What are the causes of X?" "What led to X?" "Why did X occur?" "Why does X happen?" "What would be the effects of X?" Cause and effect involves tracing probable or known effects of a certain cause or examining one or more effects and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

Example:

Q.: "DEFINE recession and DISCUSS the probable effects a recession would have on today's society."
A.: Thesis: A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would .......A......., it would .......B......., and it would .......C....... .

The rest of the answer would explain, in detail, the three effects: A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

	because
	consequently
	therefore
	for this reason
	as a result

4. COMPARISON-CONTRAST

Typical questions:

"How does X differ from Y?" "Compare X and Y." "What are the advantages and disadvantages of X and Y?"

Example:

Q.: "WHICH WOULD you rather own--a compact car or a full-sized car?"
A.: Thesis: I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D....... .

Useful transition words:

	on the other hand
	similarly
	yet
	unlike A, B ...
	in the same way
	but
	While both A and B are ..., only B ...
	Nevertheless
	on the contrary
	though
	despite
	however
	conversely
	While A is ..., B is ... .

5. PROCESS

Typical questions:

"Describe how X is accomplished." "List the steps involved in X." "Explain what happened in X." "What is the procedure involved in X?" Sometimes called process analysis, this involves giving directions or telling the reader how to do something. It may involve discussing some complex procedure as a series of discrete steps. The organization is almost always chronological.

Example:

Q.: "ACCORDING TO Richard Bolles' What Color Is Your Parachute?, WHAT IS the best PROCEDURE for finding a job?"
A.: In What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Bolles lists seven steps that all job-hunters should follow: .....A....., .....B....., .....C....., .....D....., .....E....., .....F....., and .....G..... . The remainder of the answer should discuss each of these seven steps in some detail.

Useful transition words:

	first, second, third, etc.
	next
	then
	following this
	after, afterwards, after this
	subsequently
	simultaneously, concurrently
	finally

6. THESIS AND SUPPORT

Typical questions:

"Discuss X." "A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?" "Defend or refute X." "Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position." Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied.

Example:

Q.: "Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children."
A.: Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because .......A......., .......B......., and .......C....... . The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

	therefore
	for this reason
	it follows that
	as a result
	because
	furthermore
	moreover

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