Below are some tips for successfully dealing with the writing portion of your exams:

On dealing with all types of WRITING QUESTIONS:

·        Think before you write.  Jot down main ideas you want to include.  (You will have enough paper to make any notes you need and to put them in whatever form serves you best.  I will only grade the final essay or identify, so you don’t have to worry about me looking at your “scribbles.”)

·        Always attempt an answer (you get partial credit).

·        Always imagine you are writing this for someone who is intelligent but knows nothing about the topic.  Tell them what they need to know for it to make sense and for them to understand it.   (Sometimes students will go into a great deal of depth but leave out the most basic facts; don’t make that mistake!)

On writing an ESSAY:

·        Read question carefully—WHAT is it asking?

·        Brainstorm for main ideas

·        Outline—organize your ideas

·        Reread question and make sure you are addressing it

·        Begin essay with introduction and thesis statement

·        Organize into paragraphs

·        Support everything with historical specifics.  Be as thorough as you can be and include as many facts as possible.

·        Conclude the essay

On writing an IDENTIFY:

·        Answer in paragraph form

·        Use a topic sentence

·        Tell the basics:  who, what, when, where, why and how it happened

·        Always be sure to include why this is significant

·        Be thorough

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Last Modified:August 14, 2003
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