Essay-Type Exams
Presented by:
Dr Derek Richards
Adapated from Mark Mathews workshop
Today’s Workshop
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How to do well
Structure of essay type question
Where marks are lost
Practice
Exam writing
Sources:
Exam Guide, SU & Student Learning
How to Do Badly in Examinations, Dr. Frank Bannister
How to Succeed in Exams.. , McMillan & Weyers
Grading
Grading
I
Thorough, deep understanding
Critical thinking, insight, creativity
Well written
Nearly all points
II.I
Good grasp of subject
Critical & Analytical thinking
Logical Clear Presentation
Nearly all key points
Grading
II.II
Solid Answer
Knowledge beyond lectures
Good on facts
Writing good, some structure
III
Knowledge Facts, but little insight
Narrow/ No critical thought
Poorly written / incoherent
F
Little Factual Content & Errors
How to Do Well
Answer the Question
• Demonstrate that you understand the question
• The structure is as important as what you know
• More is not necessarily better
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Understand what is being asked
Only answer the QUESTION
Do not include irrelevant material
Underline keywords: “Cause & Effect”
“Explain & Discuss”
“Compare & Contrast”
How to do well
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4.
Provide Analytical Answer (not descriptive)
Describe the context & situation
Discuss the implications (theoretical & practical)
Display evidence of reading/ thinking around
debate
5. Do not just assert something is true, prove it.
What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove
your point?
6. Cover all sides
Essay
Structure
Step-by-Step Method
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Read Question
Capture your ideas
Do quick outline
Start writing
Add new ideas to outline
Structure for essay writing
Introduction
Main body – divided into
paragraphs (make one
point, expand and give
evidence)
Conclusion
Adapted from: Rosenwasser, David and Jill Stephen.
Writing Analytically. 3rd ed. Boston: Heinle/Thompson
Learning. Inc, 2003. Seattle University Writing Centre. For
more information: Hacker, Diana. A Writers Reference. 5th
ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.
Develop an Outline
• Discuss the different services a junior
college offers a community.
• Outline:
• Introduction
• Body
» Vocational education
» Continuing education
» Personal development
• Conclusion
Introduction
• The introduction is about the question –
not the answer
• Restate question in your own words
• Find and use the key words
• Show you understand the question
• define the key words/concepts/theories etc (see
handout on key verbs).
Restate Question as Statement
• "Discuss the different services a junior
college offers a community.“
• 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.
•
From http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/737/1/
Main Body
• Develop points from outline
• Paragraphs
– One point per paragraph
– Explain point
– Evidence to support point
Conclusion
Conclude the essay by emphasising how
each part you have described makes up
the whole, summarise the points made,to
answer the question.
From http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/737/1/
Where marks
are lost
How you lose marks
• Re-interpreting the Question
• Writing out the question
• Pointless Definitions / Quotes
• Poor English
• Bullet Points
• Lack of structure (aka Brain Dumping)
How you lose marks
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Taking a long time to get to the point
Irrelevance
Repetition
1. Present what you know
2. Add Value
3. Get to the point
Over-complication
What is meant by each of the following data
mining terms? In each case, include a
simple example to illustrate your answer.
• Decision trees;
• Clustering;
• Accuracy;
• Coverage.
(8 Marks)
Over-complication
Decision trees are used in data mining as a way of progressively
breaking down data into groups. As this happens, the number in each
classification may be noted. A customer database may break down as
70% male, 30% female. The males may be divided into those that
spend over €1,000 a year with us (90%) and those that do not (10%).
The same subdivision for female shows that only 2% of females spend
over €1,000 with us. The high spending males break-down into 77%
under 30 and 23% over 30 years of age. When females are divided
into high and low spending, it might be found that 80% of high spenders
are repeat customers and 20% are not. Low spending females, on the
other hand, might be 90% non repeating customers. A parallel analysis
of high spending male customers might show that…
Padding
Work breakdown structures are important. They are used in all projects including civil,
mechanical and electrical engineering projects as well as software projects. Work
breakdown structures decompose the work to be done in a project into successively
smaller components. The result is a hierarchical structure. This is usually done by the
project manager, but may be done by sub managers or engineers. Being able to prepare
a work breakdown is an important project management skill and needs experience.
Specialist engineers may be required to complete a WBS where specialised work is
involved. The work breakdown structure enables the project manager to estimate more
accurately and later on helps in controlling the project. A typical breakdown may start
with a project being divided into phases, stages, activities and tasks. The lowest level in
the breakdown is usually a task though occasionally task may be further subdivided into
sub-task or even steps. The number of tasks in a project can be very large. The absence of a work
breakdown structure can cause problems in a project as it may not be possible to estimate accurately
or assign work effectively. If the work breakdown structure is not complete in some way, then the
project is almost certain to overrun. One project manager was quoted as saying that a good work
breakdown structure is of ‘monumental importance’. A proper work breakdown structure is normally
coded with a simple numeric coding system. The work breakdown structure may also be reflected in a
Gantt chart. A Gantt chart is a sort of horizontal bar chart used for showing the timing and duration of
the various stages of a project.
Practice
Would you sit your driving test without ever driving a car?
Practice makes perfect…
Practice Exam Skills
• 50% how well you know your material
• 50% performance in exams
• Knowing something is not the same as
being able to do it when the situation
demands it.
• You need to practice in a simulated
environment.
Steps to Practice
1.
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7.
Get sample exam questions
Practice your starting procedures
Practice analysing questions (5 mins)
Practice generating ideas (5 mins)
Practice developing a structure (5 mins)
Practice writing Introduction (5 mins)
Practice past exam questions (timed and un
timed)
8. Mark your own answers as critically as
possibly
• http://www.tcd.ie/Local/Exam_Papers/sum
mer_nonTSM.html
Study preparation
1. Generate a list of major topics using your
notes and past exam papers.
2. Create a chart or summary sheet of the main
topics.
3. Generate ideas and plan an outline for each
question
4. Follow a structure and review your essays
(time spent and quality of your answers)
Not practicing leads to..
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Poor Handwriting
Brain Dumping
Irrelevant Material
Poor Structure
Running out of time
Anxiety
Exam Writing
Equal time for equal marks
Leave time at beginning (to plan) and end
(to check) paper.
Question 4
Question 1
Question 2
40 minutes
40 minutes
Question
3
40
minutes
40 minutes
Maximum gains for time are in
the early stages of your answer
Maximum gain
120
Rehearse producing quality
work in time available
100
% personal best
Plan your time in advance
80
60
40
20
0
Equal Time for Equal Marks
5
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Time in minutes
Writing
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Keep your writing simple
Short sentences
Practice writing
Avoid unsupported value judgements
- “World War II was really important.”
Think about your
examiner
Make your writing legible!!
Tour Guide
• Use signpost words to develop your
argument
• “This is the broad area, but these are the
key issues because…”
• Headings to delineate sections
A good answer is:
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Well Focused
• Answers the question completely,
• Avoids "padding."
Well Organized
• Plan - outline
• Introduction which restate the question, states the point(s) you are going to
make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed.
• Body that makes clear, well supported, relevant points
• Conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your
main points.
Well Supported
• Use facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point.
Well Packaged
• Use conventions of language in your field.
Adapted from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/737/1/
Remember!
Main Points to remember!
REVISION BEFORE THE EXAM
• Rehearse– look at old exam papers
• Practice producing quality work in time
available e.g. If questions are 20 mins
long, practice writing answers for 20 mins
Main Points to remember!
IN THE EXAM
• Answer the question asked – key words
• Equal time for equal points – plan time in
advance if possible
• Do an outline as a guideline
• Write clearly, simply and legibly
http://www.tcd.ie/Student_Counselling/studentlearning/undergraduate/topics/exams/
Watch out for upcoming workshops
• Science Exam Skills – Wednesday 27
March
• Exam Taking Strategies – Tuesday 2nd ,
Thursday 4th, Wed 10th April
• Exam Nerves – how to overcome them –
Tuesday 9th April
Student Learning Development
Phone us - 01 8961407
Visit our website at: http://student-learning.tcd.ie
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