Tips for Taking Essay Tests

1. Read all directions carefully and reread anything which is not clear. Write on the question: Underline important words in the question to help you when you look back at the question.
2. Be sure you know what is meant by directional words such as "name," "define," "compare," or "discuss." (Click here for a list of these words)
3. Read the entire exam. This allows you to have more time for any blocked information to surface as well as to write answers which do not overlap.
4. Make informed, conscious decisions on optional questions.
5. For each section budget your time in proportion to the credit value of the answers. If one question is worth more than another, make a comparable adjustment in time for that one.
6. For each question spend a few minutes jotting down key words or phrases which will serve to stimulate other ideas. Note any technical vocabulary which needs to be mentioned.
7. Allot specific amounts of time for each essay. Stick to these limits—a partial answer for #1 is better than no answer for #3.
8. Begin with the easiest essay. Ideas about the more difficult questions may occur to you as you write.
9. As ideas about the other questions occur to you, immediately jot them down on scratch paper before they slip away.
10. Figure out what your main point is. State it clearly and directly as a thesis statement. Think of the thesis as the trunk of a tree, and the examples, arguments, facts, and details are all roots and branches that lead back to and support the tree.
11. Before starting to write, jot down a quick outline. A little time spent on a brief outline pays big dividends. A planned answer saves you from a lot of excess wordage which wastes time and could be detrimental to your grade.
12. If you don’t know the answer to a question, try to reason it out. If you can’t, don’t waste time giving an erroneous or absurd answer.
13. Say as much as you can, use short paragraphs, write legibly, and use proper English. Volume, quality, clarity, and neatness pay off. You may also want to skip lines for neatness and in case you want to add something in later.
14. Star or underline important ideas appearing late in the question or in your answer.
15. If information you have given in one answer connects to a different answer, point out the interaction—It may be worth the credit.
16. If you run out of time, quickly outline or note the rest of what you would say if you had time.
17. Reread directions before turning in an exam. Did you define terms when you were asked to compare them?
18. Proofread. Use the entire period to double check. Check your paper thoroughly before you turn it in.