Preparing to Take an
Essay Exam
© 2001 by Ruth Luman
What is an essay exam?

A test in which you write
an essay or a certain
number of paragraphs in
response to a question.

It helps the teacher
check your ability to
organize and write
paragraphs or an essay.
Essay Exams

Many classes in high school and
college have essay or in-class writing
exams including:
• English
• History
• Psychology
• Theology
• Science
Don’t be Nervous!
It’s difficult to relax during an exam,
but there are steps you can take to be
more successful during an essay
exam.
Steps to Success

Read the essay question carefully.
Underline key words in the question
that will help you decide what kind of
information to include in your answer.
Steps to Success
Practice: Read the exam question below.
Which words are the most important words in
the question?
Question: Many parents do not allow their children to
attend the funeral service of a person who has died. Do
you think children should be allowed to attend funerals?
Why or why not? Give three reasons.
Click Here for Answers
Steps to Success

Rephrase the question into a statement.
This can serve as the thesis statement for
your essay answer or the topic sentence for a
one-paragraph answer.
Steps to Success
Example: Look at the example below of how
a question can be rephrased into a
statement.
Question: In what ways has TV affected society?
Thesis Statement: Some of the effects of TV on
society include…
Steps to Success
Practice: Read the exam question below.
How can you rephrase this into a statement?
Question: What is your major in college? Why did you
choose that major? Support your answer.
Thesis Statement: I chose the major of computer science
because I enjoy working on computers, it will be easy
to find a job when I graduate, and it is a challenging
field.
Steps to Success

Brainstorm on paper. Write down notes,
words, phrases, facts, quotations about the
question. Do this on another piece of
paper. Get down as much information as
you can.
Steps to Success

Focus your answer. Read through your
brainstormed notes and select information
for your answer. Cross out irrelevant ideas
in your notes; add any ideas that you think
are important.
Steps to Success

Make a rough plan of your answer.
Decide on the order that you would like to
follow when presenting your ideas. Prepare
a rough outline with your brainstormed
notes.
ESSAY
Thesis: -----------------Subpoint A
Subpoint B
Subpoint C
Conclusion
Steps to Success

Write your essay. Remember to look at
the clock while you write. You need to
know how much time you have left!
Steps to Success

Reread your answer during the testing
period. Be sure that it is complete. If you
want to add something, write it in the space
above the sentence where you want to add
it and use an arrow.
One of the main effects of the atomic bomb on
Hiroshima was the ill health of people affected
high amount
by the ^ of radiation.
Steps to Success

Edit your answer. On
an in-class writing exam,
you will not be able to edit
and proofread as carefully
as you can when writing
an out-of-class essay.
However, because some
mistakes in grammar and
even spelling can be
confusing, it is important
that you edit and
proofread.
Review of Steps
On an essay exam…
 Read the question carefully.
 Rephrase the question into a statement.
 Brainstorm ideas.
 Focus your answer.
 Make a rough outline.
 Write your essay and look at the time.
 Re-read your answer.
 Edit and proofread.
References

PowerPoint Presentation by Ruth Luman:
Modesto Junior College.