The TCC Writing Center Guide to
Taking Essay Tests
Introduction
More and more college instructors are including essay tests as part of their assessment
of student progress. Essay tests allow instructors to see if students are applying the
course information, making connections, and thinking critically. The key to writing
effective essays during a test is preparation and organization. The following
information should help you prepare for and take your college essay exams.
Studying for the exam
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Prepare practice essay questions. If you receive a study sheet of questions,
focus on these by writing mock essays. If not, check your textbooks for
boldface headings. Turn these headings into practice essay test questions,
using the verbs listed later in this booklet. You can also form possible essay
questions from major topics covered in your lecture notes, course outlines,
and from brainstorming sessions with other students in the class.
Prepare a study sheet for each possible essay question. Record information
you think is relevant for each question, including key points and examples.
Try to form an outline (and even a practice essay) for each possible question.
While you study, try to see connections between different concepts and ideas
you’ve covered in class. Often, the purpose of an essay test is to reveal the
relation between ideas--the “big picture,” in other words. A list of random
pieces of information, no matter how well they are written, will not fulfill
this purpose. Try to uncover how different information fits together.
Before exam day, ask your instructor what criteria she will use to grade your
exams. Ask if she will focus at all on mechanics (spelling, grammar, etc.) or
just the content of your essay. This is a good time to ask if she can provide
past essay questions (or even a student writing sample!).
Preparation During Exam
The most important time during an essay exam is the first five to ten minutes. This is
when your strategies determine whether your are going to have a good or bad writing
experience. Use the following strategies to help you prepare to write an effective
essay:
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Plan and brainstorm ideas for short essay one: 5 minutes.
Write essay one: 20 minutes
Plan and brainstorm for short essay one: 5 minutes
Write short essay two: 20 minutes
Plan and brainstorm for long essay: 10 minutes
Writing long essay: 45 minutes
Revising, editing, and polishing: 15 min.
Carefully examine and analyze test question
1) Read all of the questions on the test before starting your exam. Reading
all of the questions before starting will help refresh your memory about the
material and help you choose between the prompts if you have the option.
2) “Mark up” the test questions you are going to answer. Underline important terms.
Generally, verbs will tell you what to do (see list in this booklet) and nouns will tell
you what to write about. Ask your instructor to clarify vague terms.
3) If you have time, put the essay prompts into your own words. This will help you
understand the prompt and form your thesis. Be sure to compare your version to the
original to make sure you haven’t misunderstood the prompt.
4) Do a quick brainstorm/listing of ideas for your essay question(s),
particularly items that you are worried you won’t remember. This will work
as a reference point for you as you write. It is easier to relax and focus on
your writing if you have already successfully remembered tough information.
If you get test anxiety at any point of the writing process, you can turn to this
list to help you get unblocked.
Essay Questions
This is a list of key terms (verbs) you may find in essay exam questions.
Understanding what these verbs mean is the first step toward a successful inclass essay.
Analyze/Assess/Examine
Develop a Time Budget
Look carefully at the tasks you have to accomplish and the time you have. Break
down your time so that each part receives the amount of time needed to complete it.
If you don’t plan your time, it is easy to spend too much time on one question, leaving
no time left for the last tasks. Once you put together a quick time plan, put all of your
concentration into the task at hand rather than worry about sections to come. Be sure
to stick with your timetable. If you have two short essay questions and one long one
to answer in two hours, you might do the following time-schedule:
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Analysis involves breaking a subject, idea, concept, etc. into its components and
examining and demonstrating how these parts make up the whole. EX. “Analyze the
work of the Clinton administration.”
Classify
To classify is to place your subject into a group with like or similar subjects. It may
also mean to break your subject up into types. EX. “Classify the different types of
families in America.”
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Compare/Contrast
To compare and contrast is to find key similarities and differences (for example
qualities or characteristics) between two items that reveal something significant about
them. While “compare” asks you to look at both similarities and differences (with an
emphasis on similarities), “contrast” asks you explicitly to explore differences. EX.
“Compare and contrast the views of the North and South on the issue of statehood.”
Criticize/critique
To criticize is to point out both the good and bad points of a situation, subject, or idea.
In other words, discuss the limitations, drawbacks, benefits, advantages, etc. of the
idea, and back up your judgment with specific details. Be sure to set up clear criteria
by which you critique your subject; then, determine whether your subject meets these
standards. EX. “Using Jungian theories, offer a critique of Freud’s theory of the
Oedipal Complex.”
Define
Definitions call for a clear and concise meaning of a term or concept. Details are
often not required but limitations of the definition should be briefly cited. You should
especially note the “class” or category to which your term or concept belongs and
compare and contrast it with other subjects. EX. “Define what is meant by
‘transference’ in a patient/therapist relationship.”
Describe
Using significant detail (including narrative when appropriate), explain or recount an
event, characterize a person, or sketch an idea. EX. “Describe a day in the life of a
woman in medieval England.”
Diagram
Depending on the subject matter, this may mean to represent something as a picture
(drawing, chart, plan, etc.) or to outline or describe something in terms of stages or
steps. EX. “Diagram the process of digestion.”
Discuss
This term asks you to go beyond just summarizing. You should examine and analyze,
presenting thoughtful conclusions on the subject. This kind of answer should be
detailed and often allows you to direct your essay with your own question. EX.
“Discuss feminism and its significance in the workplace.”
Enumerate
The word enumerate specifies a list or outline form of reply; or, if an actual outline is
not required, you should offer, in a very straightforward and concise manner, the
points required. EX. “Enumerate the causes of the Great Depression of 1929.”
Evaluate
To evaluate is to make a value judgment, often focusing on the effectiveness and/or
ineffectiveness of the subject. This kind of writing assumes an authoritative voice,
but should be backed up with evidence (rather than be based entirely on personal
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opinion or appeals to authority). You should carefully present the issue, offering both
positive and negative feedback. Also see “Criticize/critique.” EX. “Evaluate the role
the automobile has had on contemporary society.”
Explain
To explain means to bring out into the open, to make a subject clear. You should also
interpret the ideas you present. This term is similar to “discuss” but implies closer
attention to the “how or why” of an event or idea, including causes and effects, past
conditions that lead to present conditions, etc. This does not always open up the need
for examples or illustrations.
Illustrate
Unlike the term “explain,” “illustrate” asks you to provide detailed examples
(“illustrate” can mean literally a picture or diagram, but it can also mean a concrete
example, anecdote, hypothetical situation, etc.). In other words, use a specific
example to clarify the characteristics of your subject.
Interpret
An interpretation question is similar to one requiring explanation. You are expected to
translate, exemplify, or show a specific application for a fact, principle, or subject. It
can also involve some evaluation (your comment upon the subject). You should be
sure to back up your interpretation with evidence. “Interpret William Carlos
William’s poem “The Red Wheelbarrow.”
Justify
When you are asked to justify, you must prove that your perspective or point is
correct and show grounds for your decisions. In such an answer, evidence should be
presented in convincing form and should emphasize the positive reasons. EX. “Justify
the idea that Democracy is the best form of government in the world.”
List
Listing is similar to enumeration or outline, but perhaps asks more clearly for a
sequenced answer. You may be expected to present an itemized series or tabulation.
Such answers should always be given in concise form. EX. “List the characteristics
that determine an organism’s species.”
Outline
An outline answer is organized description that offers main points and supporting
points, but few minor details. The information should be presented in an organized,
even systematic, arrangement. EX. “Outline the movement of Germany across
Europe in the late 1930’s.”
Prove
“Prove” asks for logical reasoning and evidence to support your point. Your
opinion/main idea should be clearly and authoritatively worded, and then defended
carefully with evidence drawn from the material you’ve studied. EX. “Take a stand on
the issue of bilingual education in America. Prove and defend your point.”
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Relate
Show the relationship between two subjects, emphasizing the similarities, in a
descriptive manner. Take care to find the less obvious connections and associations.
Sometimes this term means “to relate” (to tell). Ask for clarification if you are not
sure which one applies. EX. “Relate the concepts ‘identity’ and ‘community.”
“Relate to your readers the theory of thermodynamics.”
essay prompt is not already in the form of a question, you might consider rephrasing it
into a question; your thesis, then, would be the answer to that question. Your
introduction should, if possible, also include an essay map. This is a quick
explanation of the key points you will use in your essay to develop your main point.
Body
This is where you develop your thesis.
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Review
This can mean two very different things. In some cases, “review” means that you
should summarize key points (here, “review” means “go over” or “retell”). In other
cases, reviewing is similar to critiquing and evaluating, where you need to offer a
critical examination of a subject (see “Critique” and “Evaluate). EX. “Review the
main tenets of Catholicism.” “Write a review of the film ‘Episode One: Phantom
Menace.’”
State
To state is to offer a concise statement of a position, point of view, or fact. In
questions that direct you to specify, give, state, or present, you should offer the main
points in a clear and succinct form. Examples and details are not necessary. EX.
“State the rules of chess.”
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Conclusion
Summarize your key points, reiterate your main point, and explain why it is important
to consider.
Other advice for writing your essay
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Avoid absolute statements like “always,” “never,” and “must/must not,”
general subjects like “media,” “society,” and “people,” and vague terms like
“interesting,” “good,” and “a lot.”
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Stick with your time schedule. If you get to the end of the time you allotted
for a particular answer, stop, leave some space, and start the next one. If you
have time at the end, return and complete that answer. Generally, you will
receive more points for five incomplete answers than three complete ones.
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If you face writer’s block (you suddenly can’t think of anything to write on
the subject), it is time to act fast. Many of us face test anxiety and “choke
up” at the beginning of the test. One thing you might try is to begin your
essay in the middle (leaving space for an introduction). You might jot down
a quick intro. on notepaper. The important thing is to start writing.
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If you run out of time and don't get to everything you mapped out in your
outline, quickly write down the additional points you included in your
outline along with a note to your instructor explaining that you ran out of
time. You may receive partial credit for this effort.
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When you’ve finished your exam, leave time to go back over and check for
errors and digressions. If you find that you did digress, cross out those
sentences or paragraphs (neatly). This will allow your instructor to see that
you were thinking critically about your own essay. Also check sentence
structure, spelling and punctuation.
Summarize
To summarize is to offer the main points or facts relevant to your subject in a
shortened, condensed form. Specific details, illustrations and elaboration should be
omitted. EX. “Summarize Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous speech, ‘I Have A
Dream.’”
Trace
To trace is similar to summarize, outline, and enumerate. When you are asked to trace
a course of events, relate them in terms of time, location, order of importance, by
description of progress, or cause and effect. The most common is by time order. EX.
“Trace the influence of online business on the stock market.”
Organizing and Writing
Make a brief outline for each question
This will help you stay focused and avoid rambling in your essay. Your writing
should be planned, organized, coherent, and thorough. An outline will help you
accomplish this. Note that to know just a little about your topic but to present it well
is actually better than knowing everything about your topic but presenting it poorly.
When you turn in your essay, ask your instructor if he would like you to include your
outline.
Writing your essay
Introduction
Start your essay with a strong statement, one that states the main idea you are going to
explore in your essay. It helps to repeat key words from the essay question. If your
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Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence that refers back to your thesis
and to one of the key points you outlined in your intro.
Within each paragraph, bring in supporting details to support your key point.
End each paragraph with a summarizing sentence.
Provide transitional phrases and words to create coherency between each
paragraph and to tie each point back to your thesis.
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you with this examination? How do they work in to help you explain this
theme?
What is a GOOD Essay exam answer?
It is . . .
Then, create your thesis as an answer to that question. The rest of your introduction,
then, could be an essay map to the key points you will cover in your essay. Note that
you must call on knowledge from the course to answer any essay test question:
Focused
Although you should make sure that you answer the question completely, you should
also make sure that you don’t “pad” your answer with irrelevant material. Your entire
essay should address what you introduce in the first sentence or two of your essay.
Your teacher can tell the difference between what you know and filler material. And
no instructor wants to sort through a mess of ramblings to find the substance of the
essay!
“Many themes run through Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story ‘The Yellow
Wallpaper,’ including insanity, female subjugation, male power, and
alienation. The strongest theme is the prison of psychology, brought to light
by the metaphor of the wallpaper, the characterization of the two main
characters, and the author’s use of setting.”
Sample B. suppose you are given the following prompt in your sociology class:
Organized
Don’t decide what you are going to write as you write! An essay test is no place for
“exploratory” writing, where you write and write hoping to hit on the right points. A
good essay has a clear introduction (which states the point you are going to make,
using concepts from the test question), body (which develops that point and includes
appropriate details), and conclusion (which summarizes the ideas you’ve covered and
emphasizes your key points).
“Define the term ‘Discourse Community,” and, using one specific example,
trace its use and influence in the field.”
Revise into a question:
“What is ‘Discourse Community,’ How has it been used and how has it
influenced the field of Sociology, using one example to illustrate this?
Supported
It is not enough to assert a point. You must support it with evidence: illustrations,
examples, facts, statistics, etc., unless the prompt clearly notes otherwise.
Polished
Leave time at the end of your writing to edit and proofread your essay. This is your
chance to find missing words, digressions, punctuation or spelling errors, or sections
that are unreadable. Although an in-class essay test cannot have the polish of a takehome assignment, instructors always appreciate the effort a student makes to create a
relatively error-free and readable essay.
Practice
1) Creating thesis statements/introductions out of essay test
questions:
Sample A. suppose you are given the following prompt in your Literature class:
“Review the major themes of Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper,’ then do an
interpretation of one theme, calling on three different literary devices.”
First, if your test prompt is not already in the form of a question, rephrase it so it is in
question form:
“What are the major themes of Gilman’s ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’? What is
your interpretation of one of those themes? Which literary devises best help
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Thesis:
“’Discourse Community’ describes a group of people, organized
geographically or by trade or habit, who share common interests, values, and
language. This concept, which emerged in the early 1980’s, has significantly
shaped the face of the field, particularly in how it has helped us talk about
cultural conflicts like the Makah Whale Hunt debate.”
Sample C: suppose you are given the following prompt in your freshman comp.
class:
“Summarize, analyze, and evaluate your writing process and growth as a
writer in this class, using comparisons and illustrations (from your own
work) as evidence.” [note that to “translate” this essay prompt, this student
turned to the list of essay test verb definitions above]
Revise into a question:
“What is your writing process and how have you grown as a writer in this
class? What are the steps of your process and growth and how have they
helped create the writer you are now? How would you judge your growth
and process, using examples from your own writing to illustrate this? With
what would you compare your growth and progress as a writer?
Thesis [note that because of the complexity of this prompt, the thesis appears in
several sentences]:
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“Both my writing process and skills have improved in this class. My writing
process once mirrored the steps one might take to prepare for a blind date, but has
grown into a comfortable marriage. Although I had a tough time with planning
and revising in the beginning, particularly with essay one and two, these steps
have become easier for me. I have become a more successful writer, but like a
married couple, I must continue to grow and understand myself as a writer better.
Your Notes
2) Planning your essay with a quick outline
Let’s take Sample C, the most complex of the previous examples. This student has a
challenge ahead of her to keep her essay focused and organized, and at the same time
cover all of the tasks the instructor set in the prompt. Here is how she might set up
her outline. Once this student completed her outline, she would go back to the initial
prompt, making sure her outline follows the tasks dictated by the prompt:
I.
II.
III.
Intro (restate thesis)
Body
A. Summarize, analyze, and evaluate writing process at the
beginning of class
i.
use comparison with blind date to summarize
ii.
Break apart process, using this comparison
and first two essays as examples
a. “fear of the unknown”
b. “last minute doubts”
c. “leaping in with little knowledge or
preparation”
iii.
Evaluate: discuss how ineffective this process
was and why
B. Summarize, analyze, and evaluate writing process at the
end of this class
i.
Use comparison with marriage to summarize
ii.
Break apart (to analyze) new process using
this metaphor and last two essays as
examples
a. “well acquainted and prepared”
b. “a wealth of experience”
c. “sometimes a little too comfortable—
taking skills for granted”
iii.
Evaluate: discuss how effective this new
process is and why
Conclusion: summarize what this all says about my growth as
a writer in this class, and explain the need to continue to grow
as a writer and examine one’s process (just like in a marriage).
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This booklet was created with inspiration from the following sources: Arizona State
University Writing Center, The Purdue OWL, George Mason University, University
of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Indiana University Writing tutorial services, and the Center
for Teaching Excellence. No material from these sources was used in this booklet,
however. Copyright © 2002 by the Tacoma Community College Writing Center. All
rights reserved.
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