Writing an Essay Exam: A Sequenced Strategy

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Breaking the writing task into clear accessible steps helps counter the anxiety of writing under time constraints. Here are six steps to follow when you write your in-class essays.

1. READ the question.

2. LOCATE the key verbs and ask yourself: What am I being asked to do, and with what body of material?

3. OUTLINE the key topics. Plan the order in which you will take up each topic.

4. REWRITE the question into assertion.

5. WRITE your essay.

6. PROOFREAD the essay.

Essay Format: You need an introduction, body, and conclusion; however, the introduction and conclusion will be brief and efficient. Rewriting the prompt into an assertion allows you to state your thesis and quickly forecast your topics. Your conclusion pulls your discussion together in a sentence or two. A restatement of your thesis is appropriate. A few reflective sentences which extend the issues beyond the immediate context make for an even stronger finish.