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TIPS ON ESSAY WRITING

Introduction
Throughout a students higher education, he or she will more than likely be asked to answer timed essay questions. These essays are very similar to the ones that students have grown accustomed to writing for college-level classes. A timed essay will be graded on a students ability to organize the information needed through creating a strong thesis and building a solid conclusion.

Introduction
Instructors are looking for essays that demonstrate that the student (a) understands the subject, (b) relates the information accurately, and (c) synthesizes the answer into their own ideas.

Preparation Tips
Always take good notes throughout the semester. Ask the instructor exactly what they are expecting in the essay. Different instructors have different criteria If the question is given in advance, then ask if you may bring in a pre-organized outline of the question on the test day..

Preparation tips
Or write out a rough draft in advance and memorize it. For long essays, write miniature outlines. Create main points that you can memorize; therefore, if the question arises on the test, you will have more confidence and clarity in your answer.

Preparation Tips
If some form of the question is not given, then create your own possible essay questions. If the lecturer stresses certain information, there is a good chance that it will be an essay question, so listen carefully, turn the repeated information into a question, and practice writing an answer under timed conditions. Talk with other students on how they write essay questions. You may also want to ask other students for possible questions they think will be asked.

Preparation Tips
Analyze your essay questions from the past to see how you can improve upon the instructors comments. In advance, always ask questions that may come to your mind that pertain to the subject. How much time do you have to write the essay? Do you need to turn in all of your pre-writing versions along with your final essay? Should you write on only one side of the paper, while skipping every other line? Will the instructor take off points for grammatical errors? About how long should the essay be?

EXAMINATION SITUATION
Read the questions carefully, and mark and circle the key words, such as the action verbs and the subject. If you do not understand the structure of the questions, ask the lecturer for clarification immediately and quietly.

Essay Writing
Choose a key word from the topic in order to introduce your essay. Information compiled from a variety of Online Writing Labs indicates that you should consider the type of answer the question requires. These fall into broad categories, such as the following:

Essay Writing
AnalyzeBreak the subject into its parts. Identify and relate the parts to each other. ClassifyBreak the subject into categories. Compare/ContrastFind at least two important similarities and differences between the subjects. If you are asked to compare the two then you should emphasize the similarities. On the other hand, if you are asked to contrast the two then you should emphasize the differences.

Essay writing
CriticizeDiscuss the positives and the negatives of the subject. Define/IdentifyWhat makes the subject what it is? Why is the subject different from closely related topics?

Essay writing
DiscussGive the pro and con evidence of the topic. ExplainGive statements that describe reasons and causes of concepts. IllustrateEmphasize specific examples. OutlineOrganize your subject by its topics, stages, and points. ValidateUse logical reasons and/or factual evidence to state the truth of the subject.

Essay writing
Divide your time and equally allocate time to each question; including time for revision 4. For any type of essay, always take a minute or two to form a very broad but clear outline. List the main topics and points you would like to elaborate on. Organization always adds confidence in your writing and is the key to writing a well-written essay answer.

Essay writing
4.Structure Your Essay: Introduction; The function of the Introduction is to serve as a 'map' of the essay, outlining to your reader the main argument and points which you develop in your essay. Most introductions begin with an orientation in the form of a brief general statement that leads the reader into the topic showing how the specific topic relates to bigger issues or to the discipline field.

Essay writing
This is followed by your thesis statement, which is your concise response to the essay question, then an outline of the argument presented in the essay.

Essay writing
You may find it useful to think of an essay's introduction as funnel shaped moving from the general to the specific. Always state your thesis in the last sentence of your first paragraph. Continue to support your thesis throughout the essay by providing examples and description. Avoid restating it without support.

Essay writing
Body of the essay; Avoid repetitiveness in the essay. Check that the information that you have applied is understandable, readable, and to the point. Be direct and remember that the instructor wants to see that you understand the content. The instructors intention is not to see how many pages you can write in a certain amount of time.

Essay writing
Structure your paragraphs clearly. Each paragraph should discuss one major point . Use headings, numbering, and other technical formats to emphasize your main points. Use examples, facts, and explanations to support your ideas. If the essay is not very clear, then you might want to see if you can add short sentences and or even a paragraph that elaborates and sums up what you have applied. Look for confusing or murky sentences, words, and ideas that can be eliminated.

Essay writing
Conclusion. This is the final part that summarizes the main points, Recap your ideas in a clear summarizing manner. Leave a memorable impression and avoid unnecessary repetitions, Do not introduce new ideas that were originally absent from your thesis. Keep your conclusions as short as possible (10 lines). Should be a restatement of the introduction and not repetition.

Thank you
Thank you very much

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