The Essay Exam
For this unit, we will critically read and discuss a number of articles on literacy,
education and power. We will also learn and practice strategies for writing a
successful essay exam— a type of test that is very common in the college classroom.
We will read carefully, work together in groups to lead a class discussions, practice
essay exam strategies, and take an essay exam on the readings for the unit.
In this unit you will:

Practice critical reading strategies, including annotation and note-taking

Discuss and ask questions about our assigned articles

Work in a group to plan and lead a class discussion on one of the articles

Practice strategies for reading essay exam questions, planning, and writing a
successful timed essay

Practice strategies for studying in preparation for an exam

Take an essay exam on the readings we have studied discussed
You will take many essay exams, for a wide range of classes in college; after
completing this unit, you should be able to strategically approach and successfully
complete essay exams for any class.
A Guide to Critical Reading
Critical reading is not leisurely; it isn’t sit-back-and-relax perusing. When reading for an
essay exam, you must actively highlight key ideas and supportive details that will be
helpful to you during your test. But critical reading isn’t just underlining and circling
either. You need to also take notes that help you categorize and prioritize important
information. In short, critical reading means interacting with the text. It is definitely not
easy, and certainly not quick. But it will greatly enhance your understanding. All of this
highlighting and notetaking fall under one word: annotation.
Just remember: to read is to annotate, and to annotate is to read.
Try this:
1. Create an index at the back of the text or on a separate sheet of paper.
When you begin to find out what the important ideas or claims in the article or book are,
write them down (a brief sentence or even a word or two will do). Each time that a
concept or claim comes up, write the page number next to the description. Remember
that concepts are not the same thing as “key words.” (Important concepts are not
necessarily expressed with a single word or term.) These notes will be helpful for
preparing for an exam or when you are writing an essay using outside sources.
2. Outline
It is also useful to outline the reading as you go, or after you have finished. This will help
you get a sense of the article’s structure: how is the piece organized? In what order do
important concepts appear? Why?
3. Identify Author’s Purpose + Thesis
Most academic essays describe a “gap” in current thinking about a topic, which the writer
proposes to fill with her argument. Many present a problem and propose a solution.
Others propose a new lens or new heuristic for interpreting experience. These describe
the writer’s purpose in writing the essay.