Strategies for Essay Questions
Most students look at essay questions with dismay because they take more time. Yet
essay test can be some of the easiest test to take because they give you the chance to
show what you really know. An essay question requires you to supply the information.
If you have studied, you will find that once you begin to answer an essay question, your
answer will flow easily. Some tips for answering essays questions are the following:










More is not always better: sometimes more is just more. Try to be as concise ad
informative as possible. A professor would rather see one page of excellent
material that five pages of fluff.
Pay close attention to the action work used in the question and respond with the
appropriate type of answer. Key words used in questions include the following:
o Discuss
illustrate
enumerate
describe
o Compare
define
relate
list
o Contract
summarize
analyze
explain
o Trace
evaluate
critique
interpret
o Diagram
argue
justify
prove
Write a thesis statement for each answer
Outline your thoughts before you begin to write
Watch your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Use details, such as times, dates, places, and proper names where appropriate.
Be sure to answer all parts of the question; some discussion questions have more
than one part.
Summarize your main ideas near the end of your answer
Write neatly
Proofread your answer
Example from a study skills test
1. Identify and discuss two examples of mnemonics
2. Justify why it is important to use the SQ3R method when reading
3. Draw and illustrate each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy, giving a brief definition of
each level
4. Compare an effective study environment with an ineffective study environment.