how to answer a essay question

How to Answer Essay Questions – The Ultimate Guide

• Posted by Brian Stocker MA
• Date November 30, 2007
• Comments 7 comments

Everyone Loves Essay Questions!

“I hate essays!” This battle cry is famous to most students. That’s because essay questions are either easy or difficult. Either way, there’s no certain formula. Even if you think you know the answer - don’t be overconfident - the critical part is how you make your essay worth reading. So how do you do it?

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Tips for Writing an Essay

Read the question more than once. Some questions can be tricky so make sure you understand it to the letter. A lot of students commit error by simply not reading instructions very well. They read and then write a long essay, only to realize very late that they did not understand the question correctly.

Familiarize yourself with your professor or teacher’s style of organization, if you can. As students, it’s your role to know how your teachers want their essays answered.

Mentally go through your lecture notes before writing anything on your paper.

Create an outline of thoughts and related topics in connection with the essay question. By doing this you are helping yourself create a more organized answer.

Construct an idea in each paragraph. Go back to your essay outline if you think you are repeating yourself or not making sense at all.

Use the terminology of the course . Be professional in knowing what type of words to use in a particular topic or subject.

Read and go back to your previous paragraphs after you are finished with one paragraph. This will help you determine your flow of thought and if you are really making a point or giving an answer.

Don’t include ideas that are off-topic.

If there are too many ideas in your outline , cut out the least important ones. As much as possible, make your idea concrete and pointed, with arguments or statements that is easy to understand.

The body of your essay should have a summary or statement.

Support your summary or statement with adequate details and specifics. If you do not know how to add details, just expand on your generic idea.

Avoid jumping from one point to another.

Avoid vague descriptions if necessary . Include specifics to get your message across.

Review the question again and again so you will not lose your thread of thinking.

If you have time to make revisions, do so.

Use all the time you have to complete your essay. Review and re-check your answers before submitting your paper.

If you have nothing to write and don’t know what to write , don’t leave your paper blank. Write something at least.

Get the Complete Guide to Studying

Get the complete guide to taking notes, taking a test complete guide to multiple choice, essay check list.

Here is a great Checklist for answering Essay Questions from Tennessee State University:

Use the following as a guide when writing answers to discussion questions and as a checklist after you have written your answer.

1. Do I understand the question?  What am I being asked to do? 2. Do I have a plan?  What are my major points and how am I going to present them? 3. Does the reader know, just from reading the first sentence of my essay, both the question and how I will answer it? 4. Are my major points clear and do they stand out? 5. Do I support my argument with facts and examples? 6. Do I make clear and sensible transitions between major points? 7. Is my answer clear to someone who knows nothing about this? 8. Have I answered the question completely?  Have I fully covered all of the major points required to completely answer the question? 9. Is there irrelevant material? 10. Do I have a conclusion and summary statement? 11. Have I proofed my essay for common spelling and grammatical errors? 12. Is my handwriting legible?  Is there room for comments or additions?

Glossary of Essay Exam Terms

When taking an exam the first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with all instructions. At times this can be confusing especially if you do not understand the terms. Below you will find some common terms used on essay exams. Learning these terms is a key step in successful completion of most essay exams.

• Compare (also Compare with): Discuss the similarities between two or more given subjects.
• Contrast: Discuss the differences in two or more given subjects.
• Criticize: Explain the value of a finding or theory. Include both negative and positive aspects based on implementation. This could be the ease of which it is applied, examples of false findings, etc…
• Define: Describe precisely a term’s meaning as it applies specifically to a given subject.
• Describe: Use exact detail to explain a given term. This may call for the use of examples, definitions, or discussion of the term.
• Diagram: Use a visual representation of relevant information to explain implementation of a term. This usually calls for an explicit chart or graph which is thoroughly labelled. In some cases it may call for a detailed plan as well.
• Discuss: The literal meaning of discuss is talk about. To do this in an exam you must thoroughly explain your subject with words.
• Enumerate: Form a list of relevant points and explain each point. This may result in an outline like answer.
• Evaluate: Discuss the pros and cons of the application of your given subject from a professional point of view. This differs from criticize because personal opinion should be avoided unless instructions specify otherwise.
• Explain: Define the given material and give examples of how and why it is important to the subject.
• Illustrate: Use a visual aid or a clearly defined example to explain a given subject.
• Interpret: Explain the given question, include you personal feelings on the subject as well as a solution.
• Justify: Use factual information to argue you view of the situation presented in a given problem.
• List: Brief but thorough list of information that explains the given topic.
• Outline: much like writing an outline for a paper. Answer the question by creating an outline that highlights the main ideas and key points of those ideas.
• Prove: Discuss the topic in a way that readers are convinced to support or reject the idea discussed. This is done through presentation of facts or the step by step illustration of logical thinking.
• Relate: Discuss the connection between two or more events, people, problems, etc…
• Review: Close examination of a problem accompanied by brief comments that explain the main points.
• State (also Give, Specify, or Present): Explain the major points of a subject in brief for. There is typically no need for further explanation.
• Summarize: Create a brief description that highlights the major points of your subject.
• Trace: Explain the progress of the given subject from conception to current date. Highlight anything that is considered a major topic as well as the reason for any changes.

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Every thing was educational. Had a good feeling on how to deliver good papers.

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• Focus and Precision: How to Write Essays that Answer the Question

About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg.

We’ve all been there. You’ve handed in an essay and you think it’s pretty great: it shows off all your best ideas, and contains points you’re sure no one else will have thought of.

You’re not totally convinced that what you’ve written is relevant to the title you were given – but it’s inventive, original and good. In fact, it might be better than anything that would have responded to the question. But your essay isn’t met with the lavish praise you expected. When it’s tossed back onto your desk, there are huge chunks scored through with red pen, crawling with annotations like little red fire ants: ‘IRRELEVANT’; ‘A bit of a tangent!’; ‘???’; and, right next to your best, most impressive killer point: ‘Right… so?’. The grade your teacher has scrawled at the end is nowhere near what your essay deserves. In fact, it’s pretty average. And the comment at the bottom reads something like, ‘Some good ideas, but you didn’t answer the question!’.

If this has ever happened to you (and it has happened to me, a lot), you’ll know how deeply frustrating it is – and how unfair it can seem. This might just be me, but the exhausting process of researching, having ideas, planning, writing and re-reading makes me steadily more attached to the ideas I have, and the things I’ve managed to put on the page. Each time I scroll back through what I’ve written, or planned, so far, I become steadily more convinced of its brilliance. What started off as a scribbled note in the margin, something extra to think about or to pop in if it could be made to fit the argument, sometimes comes to be backbone of a whole essay – so, when a tutor tells me my inspired paragraph about Ted Hughes’s interpretation of mythology isn’t relevant to my essay on Keats, I fail to see why. Or even if I can see why, the thought of taking it out is wrenching. Who cares if it’s a bit off-topic? It should make my essay stand out, if anything! And an examiner would probably be happy not to read yet another answer that makes exactly the same points. If you recognise yourself in the above, there are two crucial things to realise. The first is that something has to change: because doing well in high school exam or coursework essays is almost totally dependent on being able to pin down and organise lots of ideas so that an examiner can see that they convincingly answer a question. And it’s a real shame to work hard on something, have good ideas, and not get the marks you deserve. Writing a top essay is a very particular and actually quite simple challenge. It’s not actually that important how original you are, how compelling your writing is, how many ideas you get down, or how beautifully you can express yourself (though of course, all these things do have their rightful place). What you’re doing, essentially, is using a limited amount of time and knowledge to really answer a question. It sounds obvious, but a good essay should have the title or question as its focus the whole way through . It should answer it ten times over – in every single paragraph, with every fact or figure. Treat your reader (whether it’s your class teacher or an external examiner) like a child who can’t do any interpretive work of their own; imagine yourself leading them through your essay by the hand, pointing out that you’ve answered the question here , and here , and here. Now, this is all very well, I imagine you objecting, and much easier said than done. But never fear! Structuring an essay that knocks a question on the head is something you can learn to do in a couple of easy steps. In the next few hundred words, I’m going to share with you what I’ve learned through endless, mindless crossings-out, rewordings, rewritings and rethinkings.

Top tips and golden rules

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told to ‘write the question at the top of every new page’- but for some reason, that trick simply doesn’t work for me. If it doesn’t work for you either, use this three-part process to allow the question to structure your essay:

1)     Work out exactly what you’re being asked

It sounds really obvious, but lots of students have trouble answering questions because they don’t take time to figure out exactly what they’re expected to do – instead, they skim-read and then write the essay they want to write. Sussing out a question is a two-part process, and the first part is easy. It means looking at the directions the question provides as to what sort of essay you’re going to write. I call these ‘command phrases’ and will go into more detail about what they mean below. The second part involves identifying key words and phrases.

2)     Be as explicit as possible

Use forceful, persuasive language to show how the points you’ve made do answer the question. My main focus so far has been on tangential or irrelevant material – but many students lose marks even though they make great points, because they don’t quite impress how relevant those points are. Again, I’ll talk about how you can do this below.

3)     Be brutally honest with yourself about whether a point is relevant before you write it.

It doesn’t matter how impressive, original or interesting it is. It doesn’t matter if you’re panicking, and you can’t think of any points that do answer the question. If a point isn’t relevant, don’t bother with it. It’s a waste of time, and might actually work against you- if you put tangential material in an essay, your reader will struggle to follow the thread of your argument, and lose focus on your really good points.

Put it into action: Step One

Let’s imagine you’re writing an English essay about the role and importance of the three witches in Macbeth . You’re thinking about the different ways in which Shakespeare imagines and presents the witches, how they influence the action of the tragedy, and perhaps the extent to which we’re supposed to believe in them (stay with me – you don’t have to know a single thing about Shakespeare or Macbeth to understand this bit!). Now, you’ll probably have a few good ideas on this topic – and whatever essay you write, you’ll most likely use much of the same material. However, the detail of the phrasing of the question will significantly affect the way you write your essay. You would draw on similar material to address the following questions: Discuss Shakespeare’s representation of the three witches in Macbeth . How does Shakespeare figure the supernatural in Macbeth ?   To what extent are the three witches responsible for Macbeth’s tragic downfall? Evaluate the importance of the three witches in bringing about Macbeth’s ruin. Are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ? “Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, there is profound ambiguity about the actual significance and power of their malevolent intervention” (Stephen Greenblatt). Discuss.   I’ve organised the examples into three groups, exemplifying the different types of questions you might have to answer in an exam. The first group are pretty open-ended: ‘discuss’- and ‘how’-questions leave you room to set the scope of the essay. You can decide what the focus should be. Beware, though – this doesn’t mean you don’t need a sturdy structure, or a clear argument, both of which should always be present in an essay. The second group are asking you to evaluate, constructing an argument that decides whether, and how far something is true. Good examples of hypotheses (which your essay would set out to prove) for these questions are:

• The witches are the most important cause of tragic action in Macbeth.
• The witches are partially, but not entirely responsible for Macbeth’s downfall, alongside Macbeth’s unbridled ambition, and that of his wife.
• We are not supposed to believe the witches: they are a product of Macbeth’s psyche, and his downfall is his own doing.
• The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is shaky – finally, their ambiguity is part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. (N.B. It’s fine to conclude that a question can’t be answered in black and white, certain terms – as long as you have a firm structure, and keep referring back to it throughout the essay).

The final question asks you to respond to a quotation. Students tend to find these sorts of questions the most difficult to answer, but once you’ve got the hang of them I think the title does most of the work for you – often implicitly providing you with a structure for your essay. The first step is breaking down the quotation into its constituent parts- the different things it says. I use brackets: ( Within Macbeth ’s representation of the witches, ) ( there is profound ambiguity ) about the ( actual significance ) ( and power ) of ( their malevolent intervention ) Examiners have a nasty habit of picking the most bewildering and terrifying-sounding quotations: but once you break them down, they’re often asking for something very simple. This quotation, for example, is asking exactly the same thing as the other questions. The trick here is making sure you respond to all the different parts. You want to make sure you discuss the following:

• Do you agree that the status of the witches’ ‘malevolent intervention’ is ambiguous?
• What is its significance?
• How powerful is it?

Step Two: Plan

Having worked out exactly what the question is asking, write out a plan (which should be very detailed in a coursework essay, but doesn’t have to be more than a few lines long in an exam context) of the material you’ll use in each paragraph. Make sure your plan contains a sentence at the end of each point about how that point will answer the question. A point from my plan for one of the topics above might look something like this:

To what extent are we supposed to believe in the three witches in Macbeth ?  Hypothesis: The witches’ role in Macbeth’s downfall is deliberately unclear. Their claim to reality is uncertain – finally, they’re part of an uncertain tragic universe and the great illusion of the theatre. Para.1: Context At the time Shakespeare wrote Macbeth , there were many examples of people being burned or drowned as witches There were also people who claimed to be able to exorcise evil demons from people who were ‘possessed’. Catholic Christianity leaves much room for the supernatural to exist This suggests that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might, more readily than a modern one, have believed that witches were a real phenomenon and did exist.

My final sentence (highlighted in red) shows how the material discussed in the paragraph answers the question. Writing this out at the planning stage, in addition to clarifying your ideas, is a great test of whether a point is relevant: if you struggle to write the sentence, and make the connection to the question and larger argument, you might have gone off-topic.

Step Three: Paragraph beginnings and endings

The final step to making sure you pick up all the possible marks for ‘answering the question’ in an essay is ensuring that you make it explicit how your material does so. This bit relies upon getting the beginnings and endings of paragraphs just right. To reiterate what I said above, treat your reader like a child: tell them what you’re going to say; tell them how it answers the question; say it, and then tell them how you’ve answered the question. This need not feel clumsy, awkward or repetitive. The first sentence of each new paragraph or point should, without giving too much of your conclusion away, establish what you’re going to discuss, and how it answers the question. The opening sentence from the paragraph I planned above might go something like this:

Early modern political and religious contexts suggest that Shakespeare’s contemporary audience might more readily have believed in witches than his modern readers.

The sentence establishes that I’m going to discuss Jacobean religion and witch-burnings, and also what I’m going to use those contexts to show. I’d then slot in all my facts and examples in the middle of the paragraph. The final sentence (or few sentences) should be strong and decisive, making a clear connection to the question you’ve been asked:

  Contemporary suspicion that witches did exist, testified to by witch-hunts and exorcisms, is crucial to our understanding of the witches in Macbeth.  To the early modern consciousness, witches were a distinctly real and dangerous possibility – and the witches in the play would have seemed all-the-more potent and terrifying as a result.

Step Four: Practice makes perfect

The best way to get really good at making sure you always ‘answer the question’ is to write essay plans rather than whole pieces. Set aside a few hours, choose a couple of essay questions from past papers, and for each:

• Write a hypothesis
• Write a rough plan of what each paragraph will contain
• Write out the first and last sentence of each paragraph

You can get your teacher, or a friend, to look through your plans and give you feedback. If you follow this advice, fingers crossed, next time you hand in an essay, it’ll be free from red-inked comments about irrelevance, and instead showered with praise for the precision with which you handled the topic, and how intently you focused on answering the question. It can seem depressing when your perfect question is just a minor tangent from the question you were actually asked, but trust me – high praise and good marks are all found in answering the question in front of you, not the one you would have liked to see. Teachers do choose the questions they set you with some care, after all; chances are the question you were set is the more illuminating and rewarding one as well.

Image credits: banner ; Keats ; Macbeth ; James I ; witches .

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• Answering Essay Questions

How to Answer Essay Questions on an Exam

By: Angelina Grin

From high school English comprehension exams all the way up to college entrance exams and the GRE, essay questions are a mainstay. They can be broadly broken down into four categories: factual recall, analysis, synthesis, and opinion.

Understanding the Question

Identify the question category, writing your response, check yourself, short answer examples, how to answer long essay questions, tips on how to answer an essay question.

• How can you spot a good essay question?
• Why do students find essay questions challenging?
• What is the #1 takeaway for answering these questions?
• How can I write better answers?

You have one hour to respond to as many as five different short essay questions, each of which requires you to write a paragraph. Writing an essay requires you to break it up into several paragraphs. Within the allotted time, you might be asked to compose just one extended essay , or maybe even two of them.

In this article, we will show you how to answer essay-style exam questions.

What are the Steps for Answering Essay Questions Properly?

There are four basic steps you need to focus on.

You are strapped for time in every exam but understanding the question is the most important part. If you cannot understand what it is that you need to do, you will write a quality answer, no doubt, but it will be misguided and wrong, and you will have wasted all that time, resulting in poor test scores. Therefore, to save time in the long run, you have to understand what relevant facts are being asked of you before you commit to a course of action.

The strategy is to begin the exam by answering essay questions. You'll save time by dealing with the most stressful issue first. You should also pay particular attention to the questions themselves: read them 2-3 times to properly comprehend what they are asking of you, paying special attention to the verbs, and ask the examiner before the test begins if you have any doubts or confusions. It will also make answering the question much easier if you underline or highlight the essential terms inside it.

Speaking of relevant terms, that is what we will talk about next.

Essay questions typically include a list of specific keywords that teachers and professors want students to focus on when composing their responses. For instance, an essay question that asks you to "describe" an issue will be different from an essay question that asks you to "argue" a position. Both of these types of questions are part of an essay. When you read an essay question, it is imperative that you locate and identify the corresponding keyword. The following are some of the most frequently used keywords:

• To analyze something means to explain its what, where, who, when, why, and how components. Include a summary of the benefits and drawbacks, the positives and negatives, etc.
• Compare means to talk about the parallels and dissimilarities that exist between two or more things. Remember to explain why the comparison is helpful in your response.
• To contrast is to discuss the ways in which two or more things are different from one another or to differentiate between them. Be sure to include an explanation of why the contrast is helpful.
• Define means to state what something is, what it does, what it accomplishes, etc.
• Describe means to enumerate the qualities or characteristics of something. It's possible that you'll also need to summarize something, such as an essay prompt that asks you to "Describe the major events that led up to the Civil War."
• "Discuss" calls for a more analytical approach. In most cases, you start by describing the topic at hand, and then you move on to presenting either pro or con arguments. You might need to conduct an analysis of the benefits or drawbacks associated with your topic.
• To evaluate something means to present both the advantages and disadvantages, the perks and drawbacks of a topic. You might be asked to analyze a claim to determine whether it is supported by logic or an argument to determine whether it has any flaws.
• To justify your position means to explain why or how something occurred or by explaining why you hold a particular opinion.
• "Prove" is typically saved for essays that are more scientific or objective. In order to build a case for a particular position or set of hypotheses, you might be asked to include evidence and research in your argument.
• To list the most important ideas or themes of a topic is typically what is meant when the term "summarize" is used. It is also possible that you will be asked to present the main ideas and thoroughly discuss them. The vast majority of questions will not ask for a straightforward summary with nothing else attached.

Okay, now you have a grasp on what the question demands from you. That’s great. The next step involves writing your answer. How to structure answers to essay questions? Let’s find out.

In most cases, sticking to the usual five-paragraph formula will work. This consists of an introductory paragraph, up to three body paragraphs, and a final paragraph where you summarize your arguments and conclude your answer.

There is no universally applicable standard for how to answer essay-type exam questions in college or university. One thing is certain, though: your introductory paragraph has to make a strong impact. It's the first thing people will read, so if it doesn't hook them, the rest of the essay better be excellent. It needs to be competent, at the very least. The introduction should take up about 10% of the total number of words in the essay. If you write a 1500-word essay, for instance, your introduction will be about 150 words.

The body of the essay will nearly write itself once you have a plan in place. All that's left to do is fill in the main ideas. Now that you know what they are, it's time to employ the key terms you found in the question. In order for the text to make sense, each paragraph needs to make some sort of connection back to the topic sentence. You will have access to far more data than is actually useful, so write only that which is absolutely necessary. Avoid fluff. You want to be comprehensive but not at the cost of putting your professor to sleep.

In the concluding paragraph of your essay, you will restate your main points. It is crucial, so make sure to always include one. The examiner will spend the least amount of time on this section, but it will have the greatest impact on the final grade.

You should restate the primary points you made and make direct reference to the question's keywords. The most important thing is that it doesn't add anything to what you've already said. It's too late to say anything else that hasn't already been said.

Following this structure for your essay answers is a good way to learn how to write a paper to answer a bunch of questions essay.

Even with the essay questions answered, you’re not finished yet. When you’re done with your essay answer, give yourself some time to go through what you wrote. No matter how carefully you craft the answer in your head and how quickly you write it, you are bound to make some spelling errors. Even if you go through it and find that you didn’t make any, you can now be sure that you didn’t! That in itself is worth the time to go through and proofread your well-rounded essay.

In this section, we will talk about answering multiple questions in essay format examples. By studying these illustrations, we will see how and why they work.

Hopefully, by reviewing these short essay question examples, you now have a better grasp on how you want to do things. These are the kinds of answers admissions officers look at on personal statements when you apply to graduate school.

In this section, we will take two essay answers that are on the longer side and dissect them. We will discuss what makes them good, and why you should try to model your style after them if you can.

There are a lot of things you can do to improve the essay answers you write. In this section, we will discuss the top five things you can and should do in order to write better answers for your tests.

• To begin an essay prompt response, you should try restating the question as a statement. To show that you have read and comprehend the question, you should begin your essay with an introduction like this. Changing the wording of the question forces you to focus on answering that specific question from the get-go. Take the following as an example of a potential question: "Should drugs be made available for recreational use? Defend your position by providing examples and explanations." You may rephrase that as "Recreational drug usage should be legalized." This is the main argument that you'll elaborate on and provide evidence for.
• In a compare and contrast essay, you still need to have a strong thesis statement. If you're arguing for or against legalizing recreational drugs, for instance, you need to answer the other side's position. However, your essay's position on the issue must be made clear. There are many parallels and contrasts between X and Y, which is a common theme in essay prompts. There is no distinct position presented, which can lead to a low grade.
• Bad punctuation, sentence structure, and poor grammar might lower an otherwise good grade on an essay question. There might not be time to go back and fix your grammar and punctuation, so make an effort to do it as you write. It's always a good idea to check what you've written if you find yourself with some extra time. If you need to write your response down, make sure it is easy to read. If your professor has trouble understanding what you've written, they may reduce your grade.
• Keep in mind that your thesis statement should be an answer to the issue that was posed, and that everything you say should support that simple statement. In a formal essay, you can afford to let your thoughts wander, but in an essay exam, you must respond directly to the prompt. If you don't include everything that's needed, you risk giving irrelevant details and getting fewer points. If you find yourself wandering away from the question, go back and read it, as well as any notes you may have made. After refocusing, proceed with the rest of your response.
• An excellent response to an essay question demonstrates your understanding of the topic at hand and provides a pertinent answer. Think about how you can use the information you've gathered in your research to come up with the most effective strategy for achieving this objective without overanalyzing. You might find it helpful to compile a list of the information you intend to include in your essay response. As you compose your response, you can then consult this checklist. Before you begin preparing your answer, it's a good idea to make a list of all the major points you want to make. In this method, you may double-check your work and make sure nothing important was overlooked.

Following these five tips will have shown you how to answer essay questions but they will also improve the overall quality of your test-taking experience as well. You should put these into practice when you take timed mock tests at home to prepare for the exam . The more you write essays, the better position you will be in when the date for the actual test rolls around.

How can you spot a good essay question? 🔥

You can tell whether most essay questions are good just by reading them. It will be clear about what it wants and to the point.

Why do students find essay questions challenging? 😓

Time management. Reading the essay, noting information, understanding the question–all of these take time, and that makes it tough for middle school students to master and leads to a desire for essay question help.

What is the #1 takeaway for answering these questions? 🥇

Answering questions in essay form can be hard. The main thing you need to do is understand what the question wants. Once you get that, it’s only a matter of writing it down. So give yourself some time while you read it to understand it effectively.

How can I write better answers? ✏️

The key to answering essay questions is to think fast and write fast. You have to recall the main topic from the passage and apply it quickly. And you also have to give yourself enough time to check your answer for errors afterward.

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The Writing Guide

• The First Thing
• Step 1: Understanding the essay question

Identify task, content & limiting words in the essay question

Words, words, words..., academic writing webinar part 1.

• Step 2: Critical note-taking
• Step 3: Planning your assignment
• Step 4a: Effective writing
• Step 4b: Summarizing & paraphrasing
• Step 4c: Academic language
• Step 5: Editing and reviewing
• Getting started with research
• Working with keywords
• Evaluating sources
• Research file
• Reading Smarter
• Sample Essay
• What, why, where, when, who?
• Referencing styles
• Writing Resources
• Exams and Essay Questions

Essay topics contain key words that explain what information is required and how it is to be presented.  Using the essay question below indentify task content & limiting words.  Regardless of your topic or discipline, if you can identify these words in your essay topic, you can begin to consider what you will need to do to answer the question.

Task words : These are words that tell you what to do, for example “compare”, “discuss”, “critically evaluate”, “explain” etc.

Content words : These words in the essay topic will tell you which ideas and concepts should form the knowledge base of the assignment. Refer to subject specific dictionary or glossary.

Effective communication is considered a core skill in higher education and is usually conveyed through the medium of academic papers and essays. Discuss the process of writing academic essays and critically examine the importance of structure and content.

Before you scroll down to the next box, what can you unpack from this topic? What are you actually going to look for in a search tool like One Search? What are you supposed to do?

• Content Words
• Limiting Words
• Context Words

Task words are usually verbs and they tell you what to do to complete your assignment.

You need to identify these words, because you will need to follow these instructions to pass the assignment.  As you research and write your assignment, check these words occasionally to make sure you are still doing what you have been asked to do.

Here are some definitions of different academic task words.  Make sure you know exactly what you need to do for your assignment.

Don't try to use them in your research - they aren't things to find, only things to do.

The task words from our sample question are:

Effective communication is considered a core skill in higher education and is usually conveyed through the medium of academic papers and essays. Discuss the process of writing academic essays and critically examine the importance of structure and content.

• Discuss means to "consider and offer an interpretation or evaluation of something; or give a judgment on the value of arguments for and against something"
• Examine means to inspect something in detail and investigate the implications

So, you would need to give a short description of what essay writing is all about, and then offer an evaluation of the essay structure and the way it presents content.

• Task Words Here are some definitions of different academic task words. Make sure you know exactly what you need to do for your assignment.

The content words are the "meat" of the question - these are things you can research.

Effective communication is considered a core skill in higher education and is usually conveyed through the medium of academic papers and essays . Discuss the process of writing academic essays and critically examine the importance of structure and content .

You will often be asked to talk about "the role" something plays or "processes", "importance", "methods" or "implementations" - but you can't really research these things just by looking for those words.

You need to find the keywords - the most concrete concepts - and search for those.  The information you find about the concrete terms will tell you about the "roles" and "methods", the "process" or the "importance", but they probably won't use those words exactly.

One of the core skills of academic research is learning to extrapolate :  to find the connections in the information you can find that will help you answer the questions which don't have clear, cut-and-dry answers in the books and articles.

So, the core keywords/concepts to research are:

• "academic writing"
• "higher education"
• structure and content

Limiting words keep you focused on a particular area, and stop you from trying to research everything in the history of mankind.

They could limit you by:

• Time (you may be asked to focus on the last 5 years, or the late 20th Century, for example)
• Place (you may be asked to focus on Australia, or Queensland, or South-East Asia)
• People groups (such as "women over the age of 50" or "people from low socio-economic backgrounds" or "Australians of Asian descent")
• Extent (you are only to look at a particular area, or the details you believe are most relevant or appropriate).

In this example, you have two limits:

• "higher education" is the industry focus. This could be expanded to include the tertiary or university sector.
• Essays - we are concentrating on essay writing as the aspect of communication.  Note that this is also a content word. There can be (and usually is) some crossover.

Sometimes it can help to add your own limits .  With health sciences, you almost always limit your research to the last five or six years. Social sciences  are not as strict with the date range but it's still a good idea to keep it recent.  You could specifically look at the Australian context.  You may decide to focus on the private sector within that industry.

With the question above you could limit yourself to only looking at first year university students.

Sometimes an assignment task will give you phrases or sentences that aren't part of the task at all:  they exist to give you some context .

These can be ignored when you do your research, but you should read over them occasionally as you are writing your assignment.  They help you know what the lecturer was thinking about (and wanted you to think about) when they set that task.

Effective communication is considered a core skill in higher education and is usually conveyed through the medium of academic papers and essays . Discuss the process of writing academic essays and critically examine the importance of structure and content.

You don't have to do anything with the first sentence of this question - but it does get you to think specifically about the "using essays to communicate knoweldge" - something that isn't mentioned in the task itself.

Obviously, whoever wrote the task wants you to think about the assignments as a form of writing and communication.

It is easy to get distracted and go off on tangents when doing your research .  Use the context words to  help you keep your focus where it should be.

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To answer an essay question (EQ), students must assess the purpose of the essay question: factual recall, analysis (explanation of relationships) synthesis (application/transfer of previously learned principles) opinion

How much information to include, repeat, restate (intro needed? details needed?).

The chart below outlines 4 main types of essay questions, the verbs/cues that indicate the type of essay question and its purpose, and the strategy to be used to answer it.

Read the questions very carefully at least 2 or 3 times. Circle  the main verb (= action verb/imperative) in the question and decide on the necessary rhetorical strategy for answering the question (cause-effect, comparison-contrast, definition, classification, problem-solution). Make sure you understand what type of answer the main verb calls for (a diagram a summary, details, an analysis, an evaluation). Circle all the keywords in the question. Decide if you need to write a 1-paragraph or a multi-paragraph answer. Write a brief outline of all the points you want to mention in your answer. Restate the question and answer it with a topic sentence (for a 1-paragraph answer) or a thesis statement (for a multi-paragraph answer).  Answer the question according to general rules of academic writing.  Use indentations; begin each paragraph with a topic sentence; support the topic sentence(s) with reasons and/or examples; use transition words to show logical organization; write a conclusion.  Use correct punctuation throughout. Read over your answer again and check if all the main ideas have been included. Check your answer for grammar and punctuation.

© 2005: Christine Bauer-Ramazani ; last updated: September 02, 2019

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Answering Assignment Questions

In order to decide how to answer an essay question, you need to identify what the question requires in terms of content and genre. This guide outlines some methods to help you analyse essay questions.

Analyse the question using key words

Assignment questions can be broken down into parts so that you can better understand what you are being asked to do. It is important to identify key words and phrases in the topic.

What are key words?

Key words are the words in an assignment question that tell you the approaches to take when you answer.

Make sure you understand the meaning of key words in an essay question, especially t ask words . As Task words are verbs that direct you and tell you how to go about answering a question, understanding the meaning helps you know exactly what you to do.

Content words tell you what the topic area(s) of your assignment are and take you halfway towards narrowing down your material and selecting your answer. Content words help you to focus your research and reading on the correct area.

Limiting words make a broad topic workable. They focus the topic area further by indicating aspects you should narrowly concentrate on.

If you're not sure about any aspect of the question, ask your tutor/lecturer for clarification. Never start any assignment until you know and understand exactly what you are being asked to do.

How to use key words

• Look for the keywords in your essay question.
• Underline them.
• Spend a little time working out what they mean. Use the Glossary of task words to help you.

Example Question

Computers have had a significant impact on education in the 20th century. Discuss the changes they have made.

DISCUSS. Look up the meaning in the glossary of task words to find out what it means.

(See Glossary of task words )

Content Words

EDUCATION, COMPUTERS. Content words help you to direct your research and reading towards the correct area(s), in this case on computers and on education.

Limiting Words

CHANGES, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, 20TH CENTURY. Limiting words further define the topic area and indicate aspects you should narrowly concentrate on. For example, in this question, do not just write about computers in education, Discuss the SIGNIFICANT IMPACT they have had and the CHANGES computers have made to education during a certain time: the 20TH CENTURY.

 See next: Implied or complex questions

Essay and assignment writing guide.

• Essay writing basics
• Essay and assignment planning
• Complex assignment questions
• Glossary of task words
• Editing checklist
• Writing a critical review
• Annotated bibliography
• Reflective writing
• ^ More support

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Writing Essays for Exams

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What is a well written answer to an essay question?

Well Focused

Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts of the question. Avoid "padding." A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer.

Well Organized

Don't write in a haphazard "think-as-you-go" manner. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point.

Well Supported

Do not just assert something is true, prove it. What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point? In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence.

Well Packaged

People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated. If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the Writing Lab

How do you write an effective essay exam?

• Read through all the questions carefully.
• Budget your time and decide which question(s) you will answer first.
• Underline the key word(s) which tell you what to do for each question.
• Choose an organizational pattern appropriate for each key word and plan your answers on scratch paper or in the margins.
• Write your answers as quickly and as legibly as you can; do not take the time to recopy.
• Begin each answer with one or two sentence thesis which summarizes your answer. If possible, phrase the statement so that it rephrases the question's essential terms into a statement (which therefore directly answers the essay question).
• Support your thesis with specific references to the material you have studied.
• Proofread your answer and correct errors in spelling and mechanics.

Specific organizational patterns and "key words"

Most essay questions will have one or more "key words" that indicate which organizational pattern you should use in your answer. The six most common organizational patterns for essay exams are definition, analysis, cause and effect, comparison/contrast, process analysis, and thesis-support.

Typical questions

• "Define X."
• "What is an X?"
• "Choose N terms from the following list and define them."

Q: "What is a fanzine?"

A: A fanzine is a magazine written, mimeographed, and distributed by and for science fiction or comic strip enthusiasts.

Avoid constructions such as "An encounter group is where ..." and "General semantics is when ... ."

• State the term to be defined.
• State the class of objects or concepts to which the term belongs.
• Differentiate the term from other members of the class by listing the term's distinguishing characteristics.

Tools you can use

• Details which describe the term
• Examples and incidents
• Comparisons to familiar terms
• Negation to state what the term is not
• Classification (i.e., break it down into parts)
• Examination of origins or causes
• Examination of results, effects, or uses

Analysis involves breaking something down into its components and discovering the parts that make up the whole.

• "Analyze X."
• "What are the components of X?"
• "What are the five different kinds of X?"
• "Discuss the different types of X."

Q: "Discuss the different services a junior college offers a community."

A: Thesis: 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.

Outline for supporting details and examples. For example, if you were answering the example question, an outline might include:

• Vocational education
• Continuing education
• Personal development

Write the essay, describing each part or component and making transitions between each of your descriptions. Some useful transition words include:

• first, second, third, etc.
• in addition

Conclude the essay by emphasizing how each part you have described makes up the whole you have been asked to analyze.

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect involves tracing probable or known effects of a certain cause or examining one or more effects and discussing the reasonable or known cause(s).

Typical questions:

• "What are the causes of X?"
• "What led to X?"
• "Why did X occur?"
• "Why does X happen?"
• "What would be the effects of X?"

Q: "Define recession and discuss the probable effects a recession would have on today's society."

A: Thesis: A recession, which is a nationwide lull in business activity, would be detrimental to society in the following ways: it would .......A......., it would .......B......., and it would .......C....... .

The rest of the answer would explain, in some detail, the three effects: A, B, and C.

Useful transition words:

• consequently
• for this reason
• as a result

Comparison-Contrast

• "How does X differ from Y?"
• "Compare X and Y."
• "What are the advantages and disadvantages of X and Y?"

Q: "Which would you rather own—a compact car or a full-sized car?"

A: Thesis: I would own a compact car rather than a full-sized car for the following reasons: .......A......., .......B......., .......C......., and .......D....... .

Two patterns of development:

• Full-sized car

Disadvantages

• Compact car

Useful transition words

• on the other hand
• unlike A, B ...
• in the same way
• while both A and B are ..., only B ..
• nevertheless
• on the contrary
• while A is ..., B is ...
• "Describe how X is accomplished."
• "List the steps involved in X."
• "Explain what happened in X."
• "What is the procedure involved in X?"

Process (sometimes called process analysis)

This involves giving directions or telling the reader how to do something. It may involve discussing some complex procedure as a series of discrete steps. The organization is almost always chronological.

Q: "According to Richard Bolles' What Color Is Your Parachute?, what is the best procedure for finding a job?"

A: In What Color Is Your Parachute?, Richard Bolles lists seven steps that all job-hunters should follow: .....A....., .....B....., .....C....., .....D....., .....E....., .....F....., and .....G..... .

The remainder of the answer should discuss each of these seven steps in some detail.

• following this
• after, afterwards, after this
• subsequently
• simultaneously, concurrently

Thesis and Support

• "Discuss X."
• "A noted authority has said X. Do you agree or disagree?"
• "Defend or refute X."
• "Do you think that X is valid? Defend your position."

Thesis and support involves stating a clearly worded opinion or interpretation and then defending it with all the data, examples, facts, and so on that you can draw from the material you have studied.

Q: "Despite criticism, television is useful because it aids in the socializing process of our children."

A: Television hinders rather than helps in the socializing process of our children because .......A......., .......B......., and .......C....... .

The rest of the answer is devoted to developing arguments A, B, and C.

• it follows that

A. Which of the following two answers is the better one? Why?

Question: Discuss the contribution of William Morris to book design, using as an example his edition of the works of Chaucer.

a. William Morris's Chaucer was his masterpiece. It shows his interest in the Middle Ages. The type is based on medieval manuscript writing, and the decoration around the edges of the pages is like that used in medieval books. The large initial letters are typical of medieval design. Those letters were printed from woodcuts, which was the medieval way of printing. The illustrations were by Burn-Jones, one of the best artists in England at the time. Morris was able to get the most competent people to help him because he was so famous as a poet and a designer (the Morris chair) and wallpaper and other decorative items for the home. He designed the furnishings for his own home, which was widely admired among the sort of people he associated with. In this way he started the arts and crafts movement.

b. Morris's contribution to book design was to approach the problem as an artist or fine craftsman, rather than a mere printer who reproduced texts. He wanted to raise the standards of printing, which had fallen to a low point, by showing that truly beautiful books could be produced. His Chaucer was designed as a unified work of art or high craft. Since Chaucer lived in the Middle Ages, Morris decided to design a new type based on medieval script and to imitate the format of a medieval manuscript. This involved elaborate letters and large initials at the beginnings of verses, as well as wide borders of intertwined vines with leaves, fruit, and flowers in strong colors. The effect was so unusual that the book caused great excitement and inspired other printers to design beautiful rather than purely utilitarian books.

From James M. McCrimmon, Writing with a Purpose , 7th ed. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1980), pp. 261-263.

B. How would you plan the structure of the answers to these essay exam questions?

1. Was the X Act a continuation of earlier government policies or did it represent a departure from prior philosophies?

2. What seems to be the source of aggression in human beings? What can be done to lower the level of aggression in our society?

3. Choose one character from Novel X and, with specific references to the work, show how he or she functions as an "existential hero."

4. Define briefly the systems approach to business management. Illustrate how this differs from the traditional approach.

5. What is the cosmological argument? Does it prove that God exists?

6. Civil War historian Andy Bellum once wrote, "Blahblahblah blahed a blahblah, but of course if blahblah blahblahblahed the blah, then blahblahs are not blah but blahblah." To what extent and in what ways is the statement true? How is it false?

For more information on writing exam essays for the GED, please visit our Engagement area and go to the Community Writing and Education Station (CWEST) resources.

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How To Answer Essay Questions On Your English Exams

The reputation behind essay questions in English is a lot worse than their real difficulty. I remember enjoying these exam questions, but I also recall them being the bane of many students’ existence.

Why do we say that the essay answers’ reputation is overestimated? Because they’re mostly a matter of getting used to them. Paper questions require a different approach than other types of assessment methods. That’s the majority of their difficulty.

Once you know how essay questions work and why they exist, it will be noticeably easier to answer them. Essay writing sites receive countless requests for paper questions every week. There are definitely a lot of people in need of help. But how to choose the proper company? What are the criteria? How not to stumble upon scammers. Check out the best essay writing services review.

What is an essay question?

Merriam-Webster has a straightforward definition of essay questions. It defines them as an exam issue requiring developed answers: from a sentence to a short composition. These questions take much longer to answer. The reason is that they consist of analysis and opinion-making.

By answering various matters, students learn to analyze and formulate opinions and ideas. Answer selection tends to favor memorization instead of reasoning. So essay questions make up for that.

IELTS preparation teachers also point out several types of essay questions within the test. You can find them on topics like education, art, business, language, society, tourism, and communication. All of these are fields that require critical thinking and reasoning.

What are the types of essay questions?

Naturally, written statement questions come in different types. These categories depend on the structure of the question and how the student should approach answering that issue.

The State Library of Victoria has a great article introducing these kinds of essay questions.

Quotation and discussion

This type is one of the most common paper questions. It comes as a direct quotation, and it asks the student to discuss their thoughts about the said quote.

The focus of these matters is to work out arguments and express your thoughts. You’re free to agree or disagree with the argument as long as you can justify it and get to a conclusion.

Double-barrelled

These questions get their name from how they include different issues and ideas that you must address separately. Students tend to fail these queries. The reason is that they miss certain sections during the exam.

The best way to approach these questions is to break down the different ideas exposed before tackling each one. That way, you can spot different goals to research and write about. These issues also tend to require you to relate different ideas and explain their relationship.

General questions usually go for broad issues that students can apply to different topics. It can be confusing to know where to start. But you can also decide your essay’s scope and how you want to build the argument.

Once you understand what to cover, general matters allow for lots of freedom when answering them. Make sure to take advantage of that.

Specific issues are somewhat the opposite of general questions, as their name implies. They usually have longer descriptions and clear outlines detailing what your essay must cover.

While they’re stricter than general questions, they’re easier for many people. That’s because they basically tell the student what to do. However, it can be a double-edged sword because of their lack of room for error.

General exam essay writing tips

If you’re still doubting how to answer an essay question, we’ve found a great set of tips for you. The College Info Geek has a great set of “rules” to help you answer these questions. We’ll summarize them to offer the ultimate guide to paper questions.

Understanding fundamentals

Professors use essay questions to verify if you learned the entire course. That includes facts, synthesizing content, and formulating opinions. That means your written statement answer must show that you succeeded in doing just that. Make sure you take the facts and use them to formulate your own answer instead of repeating everything your course said.

Don’t start writing as soon as you read the question. Make sure you understand all the requirements and the ideas you must tackle. Formulate your argument in your head, and make sure it’s complete. Once you know exactly what to write, you can start doing so.

You should organize your ideas so that it’s easier to read and understand them. Ideally, you want to start with an intro summarizing your idea before diving into a detailed explanation. Once you’re done, write a conclusion synthesizing your main thesis. You can use different patterns if you’d like, but that’s the fundamentals.

Conciseness

It’s easy to get diverted while writing and producing a redundant essay. Make sure your sentences go straight to the point and don’t repeat themselves down the line. Your essay doesn’t have to be longing for quality, contrary to what many students seem to believe.

Proofreading

After you’re done, make sure your text shows your arguments in the right way. Read at least twice through the entire text: once in your mind and once out loud (but quietly). This strategy ensures your essay is clear and at its best.

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How to Answer Essay Type Questions in Literature Examinations

Last Updated: November 14, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci . Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 85% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 145,853 times.

Answering essay questions on literature exams can be daunting, especially with timed exams. Before the test, you should have a full understanding of how the different parts of a classical argument fit together to make a whole. The best way to quickly write an organized essay is to outline your argument before you begin your answer. With a little bit of preparation, you can ensure a good grade on your exam.

Writing Your Essay

• Create a bullet point for each point you choose to make in your paper.
• Your first point should include the introduction, statement of facts, and thesis.
• You should break up the “proof” or body paragraphs into however many points you laid out in your thesis. If you promised three points, create three bullet points. If you promised four points, create four bullet points. Remember that the body paragraphs must follow the exact order of the thesis.
• Create a point for the statement of the counterargument. You can either create a new point/paragraph for your refutation of it, or keep it all in one paragraph by making the refutation a subpoint.
• Create a point for the conclusion.

• If you're using external sources, you should include them in your outline. You don't want to accidentally leave out a great source because you got caught up in the writing and forgot about it.

• Use transition words like furthermore, similarly, or indeed to transition between agreeing ideas. [4] X Research source
• Use "conflict" transition words and phrases to transition between conflicting ideas — like the counterargument and your refutation of it. Examples include however, in contrast, on the other hand, or conversely.

• Make sure to refer back to your outline repeatedly during the writing process. This is the roadmap of your answer. Don't wander away from it and get off-course.

• If you're being graded primarily on the content of your argument, leave grammar and spelling editing for your last step.
• If you're being graded primarily on your grammar and spelling, by all means, correct your errors as you go!
• In most cases, you won't be graded on one or the other. Keep your specific teacher or standardized test in mind. Have a strategy for when you plan to correct your errors before you take the test.

• If you're in an isolated room, read the essay aloud to yourself to look for grammar errors that sound wrong. It's easier to hear mistakes than see them on the page.
• Read your sentences backwards to look for spelling errors you might skim over if you were reading the sentences normally. [5] X Research source

Structuring Your Argument

• Introduction (exordium)
• Statement of Facts (narratio)
• Thesis (partitio)
• Proof (confirmatio)
• Refutation (refutatio)
• Conclusion (peroratio)
• The introduction, statement of facts, and thesis are often grouped together in the first paragraph of the answer.

• Another way to think of the exordium is to consider where the word "introduction" comes from. The prefix "intro" means "inward," as in introspection (looking inward). "Duction" comes from the Latin root "ducere," which means "to lead." This is where we get the modern words duke (one who leads) and orchestra conductor (one who leads together). [7] X Research source [8] X Research source
• In the introduction, you want to intro + duce, or lead the reader inward, further into your argument.

• If your reader already knows the background information, you may be able to skip this section.
• In Cicero's Latin, this section was called the "narratio," which is where we get the modern word "narrator." The narrator is the voice in a book that gives readers information that can't be delivered through dialogue or action.
• The word "knowledge" itself shares a root with narration : gnoscere. [10] X Research source In this section, you give the readers the knowledge they need to follow your argument.

• Cicero's Latin word, partitio, shares a root with the modern word "partition," which means division or separation. When Beyonce sings "Driver roll up the partition, please," she's asking the driver to roll up the window that separates him from the passengers in the back.
• So the thesis is where you list out the different parts of your argument — your X, Y, and Z — in list form, separately.

• Note that it's not enough to just list a bunch of quotes and statistics from sources. That's not making an argument — it's restating someone else's information or argument.

• Don't include a counterargument without refuting it. To refute means to "beat back." [13] X Research source The only reason you include the opposing point of view is to beat it back and strengthen your own position.

• Do not transition into your conclusion with a signal phrase like "in conclusion" or "in summary." Find a less obvious, more sophisticated transition.

Expert Q&A

• Never plagiarize another author's words or ideas. You can fail the assignment or even the entire course, or get suspended or expelled from school Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ Tristen Bonacci. Licensed English Teacher. Expert Interview. 21 December 2021.
• ↑ https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/global/documents/library/essay_outline_worksheet.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/29/
• ↑ https://www.msu.edu/~jdowell/135/transw.html
• ↑ http://www.stlcc.edu/Student_Resources/Academic_Resources/Writing_Resources/Writing_Handouts/proofreading.pdf
• ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=exhort
• ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=duke&searchmode=none
• ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=conductor&searchmode=none
• ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=narration&allowed_in_frame=0
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
• ↑ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=refute

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How to Tackle Exam Questions

Learn more about how to tackle different kinds of exams and exam questions.

We cover the following topics on exam preparation on this page:

• Quantitative Questions
• Multiple Choice Questions
• Essay Questions

First, Let’s Think About De-Coding Different Types of Exam Questions

It’s helpful to understand the kinds of question that are asked on a exam, because the response you need to come up with depends on the type of question. Knowing about different types of exam questions can help you activate appropriate strategies for formulating answers and reduce exam-taking anxiety.

Exam questions generally fall into one of three categories: 1

“Green Light”

• Go right ahead!
• These are factual questions, and the answers are straight-forward. You either know the answer or you don’t; it’s right there in your head or it’s not.
• Some green light questions can be very difficult, and your ability to recall details is often tested with this typeof question.
• Study for this type of question by using recitation, making flash cards, quizzing yourself or a study partner, etc.
• If you don’t know the answer to a green light question right away, circle it and move on; often the answer will pop into your head later on during the exam.

“Yellow Light”

• These questions are more detailed than green light questions, but are based on the same idea: you either know the answer or you don’t.
• Often you’ll have to put multiple or “green light” details together.
• Similar strategies work for yellow and green questions, but with yellow light questions you’ll need to recall many ideas, concepts, formulas, etc., just to answer one question.

• These questions ask you to make inferences or apply your knowledge to new situations, which is sometimes called “critical thinking”.
• You need to know the material being covered to answer these questions at the “green light” level, but the exam question is not asking you to simply regurgitate it. You will need to take what you know and use it in ways you have not yet used it.
• This type of question sometimes flummoxes students, because they are surprised to they are being asked a question that wasn’t exactly covered in class. Remember that with red light questions you are not supposed to already know the answer. You have to come up with the answer yourself, it is not already in your head. (You will need to know the basic information, though, to be able to answer this type of question.)
• Red light questions are asked more frequently in college than in high school.
• To study for red light questions, make diagrams or concept maps that link ideas or topics from the course together. Think about how what you’re learning relates to what you’ve learned in other classes. Sit down with friends or classmates and talk about how one might use information from the class in a job setting.

See this link for a pdf of  Decoding exam questions.

How to Tackle: Problem-Solving and Quantitative Questions

Study for problem-based exams by practicing (new!) problems

As you work on the problems, remember:

• DO let yourself be stuck.* (yes, we mean that!)
• DON’T sneak a peak at the answer if you get stuck. (keep trying!)
• Check your answer only after you’ve put something–anything–down. Think partial credit, which is better than no credit if you freeze when you get stuck on hard problems on the test.

* You need to get your “stuck” muscles stronger so you know what to do on tests when you feel stuck.

Watch: LSC’s Mike Chen Shares “The Key to Problem-Solving Tests”

Taking problem-based exams

1. Understand the problem: Determine what you are supposed to find, what you need to find it, and what the unknown is (and if there is extra information). Consider whether drawing a sketch will help. Also – note each part of the question. Not answering each part is an easy way to lose points.

2. Determine a way to solve the problem: Write down all that is given or known. Draw a sketch when appropriate to show relations. Write down all relevant formulas.

3. Carry out the procedure you have devised: For numerical problems, try and estimate an answer first. This will help you to check your work later. Neat, careful work keeps you from making mistakes, and allows you to find them when you do make them (show your units!!). Additionally, when the instructor can see your work clearly, he or she may give you partial credit for what you do know, even if your ultimate answer is incorrect.

4. Check your Answers: This requires the same quality of thought originally used to solve the problem. Is your answer what you thought it would be in your original estimate? Is it a quantity that makes sense? Is your answer in the correct units? If your answer does not seem reasonable, rework the problem.

How to Tackle: Multiple Choice Questions

1. Read the stem: First, read the stem and make sure you understand what it is getting at. Look out for double negatives or other twists in wording before you consider the answer.

2. Try to come up with the correct answer: Before you look at the answer choices, try to come up with the correct answer. This will help you to rule out choices that are similar to the correct answer. Now read and consider each option carefully.

3. Look for clues in the stem: Look for clues in the stem that suggest the correct answer or rule out any choices. For example, if the stem indicates that the answer is plural you can rule out any answers that are singular. The basic rule is: the correct answer must make sense grammatically with the stem. Options which fail this exam can be ruled out.

4. Cross off any options you know are incorrect: As you rule out options cross them off with your pencil. This will help you focus on the remaining choices and eliminates the chance of returning to an item and selecting an option you had already eliminated.

5. Come back to items you were unsure of: Put a mark next to any questions you are unsure of. If you complete the entire exam with time to spare, review these questions – you will often get clues (or even answers) from other questions.

Take a look at some additional information on difficult “ Multiple Choice Tests ” (opens a PDF).

How to Tackle: Essay Questions

The best way to  prepare  for essay tests is to practice writing essays.

• Anticipate questions : Make outlines of possible essay topics using your course materials so you know you’ve got a good grasp of what might be on the test. Then recreate your outlines from memory (unless it’s an open-notes test).
• Practice writing  at least one full essay; be mindful of the time you spend practicing and think about how much time you will have during the exam. It is also important to think about  how  you are organizing the information you are including in your essay — for example, if you are asked to compare and contrast two theories as they relate to an issue, you might want to define each of them, describe the issue, and then compare and contrast them.
• If your exam is closed book,  memorize key events, facts, and names  that you will need to support your argument. If it is open-notes, then make sure you develop good outlines.

When you are  taking  essay tests:

• Manage your time  well. As with all exams, if there are multiple essay questions, be sure to look at them all at the beginning (taking note of the points each is worth), and prioritize the order you answer the questions.
• Read the directions  carefully. Ask yourself honestly: are you answering the  actual  question on the test, or the question you  want  to be on the test?  (tip: instructors know when you aren’t really answering the exact question, so make sure you are addressing the actual question and don’t just write random information that is unrelated to the question.)
• Before you write the essay,  decide on your argument  and  quickly list your supporting evidence  (it is ok to do a brain dump of all the important information that you want to include so that you have it handy when you begin writing).
• Make a quick outline  of what you are going to write to organize your thoughts and arguments.
• Write! And, make your point right away – you don’t want to get to the end of a timed essay test with your amazing argument still unmade!
• If you have time, go back and quickly  proof-read  your essay for errors.

You might want to take a look at some “ Words to Watch for in an Essay ” (opens a PDF).

References:

1 Taffy E. Raphael, Teaching Question Answer Relationships, Revisited, The Reading Teacher, Vol. 39, No. 6 (Feb., 1986), pp. 516-522.

Ellis, D. (1998). Becoming a Master Student. Houghton Mifflin: Boston

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8 Questions Your College Essay Should Answer

Your college essay should reflect your opinions and experiences and display clear and critical thinking. It’s more than a list of facts or a highlight reel of successes; it helps college admissions officers understand your character. So show them who you are. Set yourself apart from other candidates by painting a vivid picture of yourself.

Colleges may provide writing prompts or leave the topic up to you. Whether requirements are specific or vague, your college essay should answer important questions to grab the attention of each college admissions officer who reads it.

How Important Is the College Essay?

It depends . If you have a high GPA, competitive test scores, and stand-out extracurricular activities, acceptance is less likely to hinge on your essay. If you’re on the borderline, an essay can’t make up for inadequate scores or stats, but a good essay might give you the edge over another student.

Even at top schools, college essays can make a difference by allowing your personality, passions, and determination to show through. Schools like students with a track record of success. Your essay can show them where you shine and what benefits you’d bring to their community.

According to the College Board, “a majority of colleges and universities believe the essay to be of considerable or moderate importance in determining which academically qualified students they would choose.” Since colleges take essays seriously, you should, too.

Questions to Answer

Including all the facts, feelings, and impressions necessary to set you apart in 600 words is a tall order, but you can do it. Below are questions your college essay might address to get the right kind of attention. Consider these common prompts before you write. Then write to the supplied prompt or choose your own focus. First create an outline and estimate how long each section should be before you start writing. Some schools put no upper limit on size, but if you write more than 700 words, overworked admissions officers become frustrated. Aim for about 550 to 600 words.

1. How can you foster your passion and love of learning at this school?

If you mention specific things about a college, get the facts straight. Mention courses, programs, or opportunities that show you’ve done research. Don’t feel you need to praise the school too much. This isn’t about buttering people up; it’s about showing how you’d fit into the college environment. Share something specific to emphasize what makes you a good fit. Describe how the school would benefit from your presence. Mention planned majors or extracurriculars that show how you’d take advantage of their resources. Demonstrate that you’re ready to be active in classes, leadership opportunities, or other activities.

2. What are your long-term goals?

Show that you’re self-aware. Share your plans. Don’t know what you’ll major in? Focus on your most likely general field of study. Discuss what drew you to it and what you’ll do in future. How is the college the best place for you to meet those goals? Focus on one or two; don’t mention too many things without addressing any in depth.

3. Do you intend to go to graduate school?

This question assesses planning abilities and awareness of strengths. If you see yourself going on to graduate school, describe what you’ll study. Express how you’ll use undergraduate time to prepare for that future. Describe resources that will help you achieve your goals.

Show that you’re open to considering further study once you see how you develop during college. Even if you don’t intend to go to grad school, demonstrate that you’re a devoted student. Focus on how you’ll benefit from undergraduate work. Describe how much it matters to have a first-rate undergrad education.

4. Do you take initiative? Are you self-motivated?

A cardinal rule of good writing is: Show, don’t tell. Don’t tell colleges how important something is— show them what you’ve done. Describe times when you’ve taken action. Write about instances when discipline and persistence helped you. Show evidence of initiative and determination. Describe examples of self-starting behavior so readers imagine you in action.

5. How involved are you in extracurriculars? What have you learned from them?

Extracurriculars show evidence of determination, creativity, teamwork, passion, or civic-mindedness. They clarify what you value, what motivates you, what sets you apart. Give examples of ways you’ve pushed yourself outside of school. Which challenges did you overcome? Focus on one or two and make an impression with personal details.

6. Have you gone beyond the high school curriculum to challenge yourself?

Describing extracurriculars that show talents and interests is valuable. Consider also showing concern for others. Have you volunteered, tutored, been a counselor, helped parents with their business, or worked after school? How do you challenge yourself as part of a team? Help readers see how well you’d integrate into their community.

7. How do you overcome obstacles and problems?

Don’t talk about lofty principles; give examples of problems you’ve solved. Write about ways in which you’ve overcome obstacles. Willingness to get help is good—knowing limits is healthy. Being willing to get assistance and learn from others is impressive. If you show how you’ve improved after getting help, you show willingness to stick to difficult tasks.

8. What sets you apart from other applicants?

Don’t list characteristics; focus on behaviors. Enthusiasm, attitude, and drive are easier to see if you explain that you used them to start a club, work at a dog shelter, or build a boat. Let readers imagine you doing and succeeding. Share times you did something you’re proud of. Let that behavior illuminate who you are.

Once you’ve written your college essay, set it aside, then  re-read it with fresh eyes. Get at least one person (a teacher or counselor is ideal) to proofread i it. Show what you care about and what makes you different. Then you’ll really shine!

Things to Keep in Mind Before You Write

If you’re supplied with a writing prompt, read it carefully. Your essay shows how well you follow directions. Some schools don’t ask a question or suggest a topic; those that do want to see that you address it directly. Don’t let your essay feel generic or written to answer a different prompt.

What’s the reason for the prompt? What does the college hope to learn? Sarah Myers McGinty , author of The College Application Essay , says essays often uncover how well a student might fit at the school, or show whether a student can do the work. She says colleges tend to ask three kinds of questions:

• You questions about who are you and what you’d offer to the college community
• Why us questions about why you think the college would be a good fit
• Creative questions that give you chances to share inventive, original thoughts

Before writing to a prompt, take time to consider what kind of question it asks. What is the college really interested in learning about you? Write to address that interest.

Make answers specific and personal. Don’t write too broadly. Don’t tell your life story or echo the rest of your application. Focus on one thing in detail. Make your story something readers won’t find elsewhere. It should be less about experiences than about how you respond to them. Differentiate yourself from others.

Don’t just describe what happened—reflect on it. Just telling a story isn’t the point. Giving a glimpse into how you think is more important. Show what insights you’ve gained from experiences.

Creative doesn’t mean unfocused. If a college essay prompt is meant to show creativity, you must still write a detailed, logical essay with a point. Avoid meandering or pretention. Even off-the-wall prompts require well-written responses. Don’t let parents or teachers influence your style so much that you sound like they do. Write in your own voice. Also, stick to the truth; don’t embellish your history.

Be careful with humor. Writing vividly without trying to be funny usually works best. Show enthusiasm but avoid jokes or humor that might offend or confuse admissions officers or professors who read what you write.

Don’t write a sob story. Students often write about unusual challenges. Stories about adversity have built-in drama and evoke sympathy. But sympathy alone won’t get you admitted. Don’t rely too heavily on emotions; include important facts. If you focus on challenges, describe how you overcame them.

For more ideas about writing a college essay, check out these articles in the CollegeVine blog:

How to Prepare for College Level Writing in High School

What Is a College Personal Statement?

4 Ways Parents Can Help Their Teen with College Essays

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Essay writing: Analysing questions

• Introductions
• Conclusions
• Analysing questions
• Planning & drafting
• Revising & editing
• Proofreading
• Essay writing videos

Jump to content on this page:

“It is well worth the time to break down the question into its different elements.” Kathleen McMillan & Jonathan Weyers,  How to Write Essays & Assignments

When you get an essay question, how do you make sure you are answering it how your tutor wants? There is a hidden code in most questions that gives you a clue about the approach you should be taking...

Decoding the question

Here is a typical essay question:

Analyse the impact of the employability agenda on the undergraduate student experience.

Let's decode it...

Understanding the instruction words

Did you know that analyse  means something different to discuss  or evaluate ?  In academic writing these have very specific and unique meanings - which you need to make sure you are aware of before you start your essay planning. For example:

Examine critically so as to bring out the essential elements; describe in detail; describe the various parts of something and explain how they work together, or whether they work together.

It is almost impossible to remember the different meanings, so download our Glossary of Instruction Words for Essay Questions to keep your own reminder of the most common ones.

Redundant phrases

Don't get thrown by other regularly used phrases such as "with reference to relevant literature" or "critically evaluate" and "critically analyse" (rather than simply "evaluate" or "analyse").   All  your writing should refer to relevant literature and all  writing should have an element of criticality at university level. These are just redundant phrases/words and only there as a gentle reminder.

Recognise the subject of the question

Many students think this is the easy bit - but you can easily mistake the focus for the subject and vice versa.  The subject is the general topic of the essay and the instruction word is usually referring to something you must do to that topic .

Usually, the subject is something you have had a lecture about or there are chapters about in your key texts.

There will be many aspects of the subject/topic that you will not need to include in your essay, which is why it is important to recognise and stick to the focus as shown in the next box.

Identify the focus/constraint

Every essay has and needs a  focus .  If you were to write everything about a topic, even about a particular aspect of a topic, you could write a book and not an essay!  The focus gives you direction about the scope of the essay.  It usually does one of two things:

• Gives context (focus on the topic within a particular situation, time frame etc).

This could be something there were a few slides about in your lecture or a subheading in your key text.

I don't have an essay question - what do I do?

I have to make up my own title.

If you have been asked to come up with your own title, write one like the ones described here. Include at least an instruction, a subject and a focus and it will make planning and writing the essay so much easier. The main difference would be that you write it as a description rather than a question i.e.:

An analysis of the impact of the employability agenda on the undergraduate student experience.

I have only been given assignment criteria

If you have been given assignment criteria, the question often still contains the information you need to break it down into the components on this page. For example, look at the criteria below. There are still instruction words, subjects and focus/constraints.

Aims of the assignment (3000 words):

An understanding of learning theories is important to being an effective teacher. In this assignment you will select two learning theories and explain why they would help you in your own teaching context. You will then reflect on an experience from your teaching practice when this was, or could have been, put into practice.

Assignment criteria

Select two learning theories , referring to published literature, explain why they are relevant to your own teaching context.

Reflect on an experience from your teaching practice .

Explain why a knowledge of a learning theory was or would have been useful in the circumstances .

• Instructions words = explain (twice); reflect on.
• Subjects = two learning theories; an experience from your teaching practice; knowledge of a learning theory.
• Focus/constraints = your own teaching context; in the circumstances

Think of each criterion therefore as a mini essay. 

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Essays and Short Answer Prompts

The Penn application process includes a personal essay —which is sent to most schools you apply to—as well as a few short answer prompts . We read your words carefully, as they are yet another window into how you think, what you value, and how you see the world. Through your writing, we get a glimpse of what you might bring to our community—including your voice and creativity. 

Remember, you are the expert on your story. This is an opportunity for you to reflect and understand who you are now, and who you want to be in the future. You have the agency to choose the information you want to share. This is your story: your experiences, your ideas, your perspective.   

A Few Writing Tips

• Review the prompts thoroughly.  Be sure you’re answering the question or prompt being asked. Topics are chosen because the Admissions Committee wants to know specific things about you. If you don’t address them directly, we are left to make decisions regarding your application with incomplete information. 
• Consider your response carefully.  We understand that you may be writing responses for different schools and you may want to reuse material, but be sure to read through your response to make sure it is relevant to the prompt. 
• Double-check your writing.  Give yourself time to revisit your response. Try to avoid rushing your writing process so you have time to revise your work. Ultimately, it is up to you to polish and proofread your writing before you submit. 
• Do your research. Are there classes you’re eager to take? Research opportunities you’d love to pursue? A group or club you want to be a part of? This kind of specificity shows us you’re serious about Penn and have thought about how you’d spend your time here. 

2023-24 Short Answer and Essay Prompts

When answering these prompts, be precise when explaining both why you are applying to Penn and why you have chosen to apply to that specific undergraduate school. Some of our specialized programs will have additional essays to complete, but the  Penn short answer prompts should address your single-degree or single-school choice.  

• Write a short thank-you note to someone you have not yet thanked and would like to acknowledge. (We encourage you to share this note with that person, if possible, and reflect on the experience!) (150-200 words, not required for transfer applicants) 
• How will you explore community at Penn? Consider how Penn will help shape your perspective, and how your experiences and perspective will help shape Penn. (150-200 words) 
• The school-specific prompt is unique to the school to which you are applying. (For example, all applicants applying to the College of Arts and Sciences will respond to the prompt under the “College of Arts and Sciences” section). Considering the undergraduate school you have selected for your single-degree option, please respond to your school-specific prompt below.  

Transfer Essay (required for all transfer applicants): Please explain your reasons for transferring from your current institution and what you hope to gain by transferring to another institution. (4150 characters) 

Undergraduate School-Specific Short Answer Prompts

For students applying to coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer this question about your single-degree school choice; your interest in the coordinated dual-degree or specialized program may be addressed through the program-specific essay.  

Penn Nursing intends to meet the health needs of society in a global and multicultural world by preparing its students to impact healthcare by advancing science and promoting equity. What do you think this means for the future of nursing, and how do you see yourself contributing to our mission of promoting equity in healthcare? (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  Penn Nursing’s mission and how we promote equity in healthcare . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of our values and how they align with your own goals and aspirations. 

The flexible structure of The College of Arts and Sciences’ curriculum is designed to inspire exploration, foster connections, and help you create a path of study through general education courses and a major. What are you curious about and how would you take advantage of opportunities in the arts and sciences? (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about the  academic offerings within the College of Arts and Sciences .  This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of how the study of the liberal arts aligns with your own goals and aspirations. 

Wharton prepares its students to make an impact by applying business methods and economic theory to real-world problems, including economic, political, and social issues.  Please reflect on a current issue of importance to you and share how you hope a Wharton education would help you to explore it.  (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  the foundations of a Wharton education . This information will help you better understand what you could learn by studying at Wharton and what you could do afterward. 

Penn Engineering prepares its students to become leaders in technology, by combining a strong foundation in the natural sciences and mathematics, exploration in the liberal arts, and depth of study in focused disciplinary majors. Please share how you hope to explore your engineering interests at Penn. (150-200 words) 

To help inform your response, applicants are encouraged to learn more about  Penn Engineering and its mission to prepare students for global leadership in technology . This information will help you develop a stronger understanding of academic pathways within Penn Engineering and how they align with your goals and interests. 

Coordinated Dual Degree and Specialized Program Essay Prompts

For students applying to coordinated dual-degree and specialized programs, please answer the program-specific essay below. 

** Numbers marked with double asterisks indicate a character count that only applies to transfer students applying through Common App.  

Why are you interested in the Digital Media Design (DMD) program at the University of Pennsylvania? (400-650 words / 3575 characters**) 

We encourage you to learn more about the DMD: Digital Media Design Program . 

The Huntsman Program supports the development of globally minded scholars who become engaged citizens, creative innovators, and ethical leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors in the United States and internationally. What draws you to a dual-degree program in business and international studies, and how would you use what you learn to contribute to a global issue where business and international affairs intersect? (400-650 words) 

The LSM program aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the life sciences and their management with an eye to identifying, advancing, and implementing innovations. What issues would you want to address using the understanding gained from such a program? Note that this essay should be distinct from your single degree essay. (400-650 words) 

• Explain how you will use the M&T program to explore your interest in business, engineering, and the intersection of the two. (400-650 words) 
• Describe a problem that you solved that showed leadership and creativity. (250 words) 

Describe your interests in modern networked information systems and technologies, such as the internet, and their impact on society, whether in terms of economics, communication, or the creation of beneficial content for society. Feel free to draw on examples from your own experiences as a user, developer, or student of technology. (400-650 words / 3575 characters**) 

Discuss your interest in nursing and health care management. How might Penn's coordinated dual-degree program in nursing and business help you meet your goals? (400-650 words) 

How do you envision your participation in the Vagelos Integrated Program in Energy Research (VIPER) furthering your interests in energy science and technology? Please include any past experiences (ex. academic, research, or extracurricular) that have led to your interest in the program. Additionally, please indicate why you are interested in pursuing dual degrees in science and engineering and which VIPER majors are most interesting to you at this time. (400-650 words) 

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Our answers to the top 25 essay writing questions

(Last updated: 13 May 2021)

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We get asked similar questions about essay writing time and time again. From ‘basic’ questions like “How many types of essay are there?” through to more complex questions on structure and language. So, we thought it was high time we gathered all the answers together into one place, where every curious student can turn to when in need.

Below are the top 25 questions students ask us about essay writing and our answers, plus plenty of links to other useful articles on our blog and on the web. Hopefully, this material will help get your essay writing off to a great start!

1. How do you write an academic essay?

You read widely, take copious notes, and develop a sound knowledge both of the broader field and of the debate into which your essay will intervene. You develop an outline and a plan, both to test the feasibility of your thesis and to structure your arguments optimally. You come up with an argument. You support the hell out of it. You structure it impeccably, with appropriate introduction, body, and conclusion. You use all that reading you’ve done to anticipate counter-arguments to your position, and you rebut them. You use all the academic turns of phrase you’ve learned, and above all else, you answer the question!

Want to know more? We’ve got lots of articles on our website to help you through every step of this process. But reading the tips on this page isn’t a bad start…

2. Can you start an essay with a quote?

This really depends on how well you pull it off. A quotation that perfectly encapsulates the essence of your essay topic can be a very effective way of leading your reader into it. On the other hand, it’s common for students to use quotations as a kind of “cop-out”, or a way of avoiding constructing the kind of well-crafted introduction a top-quality essay demands. If you’re writing about an artistic work – like a literary text or a movie – your title might be the best place for a resonant quote that encapsulates the essay question.

You should avoid starting your essay with a quote from a dictionary definition. If you’re asked to discuss a specific term, it’s very likely that term has a specific meaning in your field of study that extends far beyond what any dictionary definition covers, and falling back to the dictionary may simply make your work look ill-researched.

3. How do you reference an essay?

Whenever you reproduce other people’s work – whether through direct quotation or paraphrase – you need to cite it using a referencing system. Familiarity with the referencing systems used by your department is one of the fundamental skills you need to learn as an undergraduate. There are three basic types:

• Footnotes (e.g. MHRA, Oxford): Citation information for each quote is referenced by a numbered superscript note in the text, and appears in a separate section at the bottom of the page.
• Parenthetical (e.g. Harvard, Chicago, MLA): The author’s name, publication date, and page number of the quotation are given in parentheses in-text.
• Numbered (e.g. Vancouver): Each source is assigned a number the first time it is cited, and thereafter each subsequent citation of this source is referenced using the same number.

Keep reading below for more questions and answers on Oxford and Harvard referencing,

4. What is Oxford referencing?

Oxford referencing is a form of academic referencing that provides citation information for sources you’ve used in your essay in footnote form. Whenever you quote or paraphrase a source in the body of your text, you insert a footnote, which has two parts:

• A superscript number in the body of your essay, indicating the note the reader should seek out.
• A detailed note in a ruled-off section at the bottom of the page, which provides bibliographic details of the work, or works, you’ve referenced.

Footnote referencing systems are used extensively in the arts and humanities, where it’s common not only to provide a reference for the source but also to provide some expanded parenthetical remarks on the context of their arguments, and their relationship to the field as a whole, which are important but would disrupt the flow of the essay if included in the body.

5. What is Harvard referencing?

Harvard referencing is a form of academic referencing that provides brief bibliographic data for citations (author’s name, date, page number if applicable) in parentheses in the body of the essay, allowing your reader to cross-reference to a list of references at the end of your essay. Harvard is a type of parenthetical referencing system, which are most common in social sciences disciplines. They allow you to cite three or four sources at a time with relatively little disruption to the text (since if you’re summarising a particular trend or position in a field your parenthetical reference will look something like “see Smith 1999; Jones 2002; Thomas 2010”) but you’re unlikely to be referencing ten or more sources at a time (as is common in some scientific disciplines, which are therefore better suited to numbered systems).

Want more advice on referencing systems? See How to reference an essay or dissertation using Oxford or Harvard referencing and How to correctly reference a dissertation .

6. How do you structure an essay?

All essays require an introduction, a body, and a conclusion, but good structure requires more than just assembling these basic building blocks. It’s accomplished by establishing a clear sense of purpose in the introduction, and carrying through on your promises. Here are a few quick tips:

• Signpost your essay. Set out each item you’ll discuss in your introduction, and gesture back and forth in your body paragraphs so that your reader gets a sense that your arguments are building towards your conclusion.
• Transition appropriately between arguments. Make sure your reader is aware that your arguments relate to one another; refer back to principles you’ve previously established and indicate ahead to where you’re going next.
• Address counter-arguments. If there are obvious objections a reader might raise to your arguments, address them yourself, and explain why you’re still right! Thinking about possible counter-arguments can help you put your points in the best possible order.

7. What do you include in an introduction?

An introduction to an academic essay should present the context for the argument you’re about to make, clearly outlining the debates in which you’re trying to intervene, and positioning your intervention in relation to the positions of other scholars. You should start out with a broad pitch that captures the wider significance of the argument you’re about to make, before zeroing in on a clear thesis statement (a brief precis of your argument and the evidence you’ll use to support it).

Your broad pitch should be relevant to the topic you’re about to discuss, should base its claims to significance on scholarly/critical debates and conversations. Like all other statements you make in your essay it should be supportable with evidence. Avoid unsupportable generalisations containing phrases like “Throughout history…”. And don’t try to avoid phrases like “in this essay” – your introduction is all about signposting your ideas, and such phrases are perfectly fine for this purpose.

For more on this, see How to craft the perfect introduction to your essay .

8. How many types of essays are there?

There are three broad types of academic essay that you might be asked to write at university:

• Expository essays ask you to explain an idea or issue, and are common in first-year modules. You don’t generally need to do much in the way of argument in these essays; the emphasis is on thorough research, and on demonstrating you have a grasp of the material.
• Persuasive/argumentative essays are common in exams and in intermediate undergraduate modules. They’ll ask you to consider a point of debate between scholars – and ask you to demonstrate knowledge of both sides of the argument by arguing for one side.
• Research essays are common in upper-level undergraduate and postgraduate courses. They require you to synthesise a large amount of existing research and to position an intervention of your own within the context of the research you’ve read.

For more on the different types of essay and what's required for each, see What even is an essay?

9. How do you write an essay plan?

An essay plan is a crucial step on the path to writing a successful essay. It’s where you outline and briefly summarise each of your body paragraphs and arguments, and crucially, the approximate number of words you’ll devote to each argument. It’s more detailed than an essay outline (see question 11 below), and when you draw one up, you need to make sure your essay plan…

• Addresses the question posed through an outline of the introduction and conclusion
• Draws on the relevant reading you have already gathered
• Sets out an argument with different points in each paragraph

What’s particularly useful about drawing up an essay plan before you start writing , is that it acts as a kind of feasibility study for the argument you’re proposing to make. If the various strands of argument you’ll need to prove your thesis add up to 2500 words, you’ll need to seriously refine and narrow your thesis! Similarly, if you’re planning a 4000-word essay but can only think of two or three main arguments, it’s possible you need to broaden out your focus.

A plan is also a great summary document that you can submit to your instructor to ask for feedback and direction whilst working on your essay.

10. How do you write a persuasive essay?

Persuasive essays are most often set as a means of testing that you’ve understood the terms of a particular debate or point of contention in your field, and can argue for one side or the other. The key to writing a persuasive essay is to demonstrate mastery of both sides of the argument, debate, or proposition.

You persuade your audience both by making a convincing case for your side of the argument and by providing convincing rebuttals to counter-arguments from the other side. By giving a fair hearing to both sides of the argument, you demonstrate both the depth of your understanding and an ability to evaluate the merits of both sides of a debate and draw a conclusion based on the weight of evidence.

11. How do you write an essay outline?

An essay outline gives a sense not only of what your main arguments are, but how they fit together. You can move around items in your outline, and nest one beneath the other, until you’re confident you’ve planned the optimal structure. The outline itself is essentially a set of headings and subheadings under which you categorise the main ideas and arguments you want to explore in an essay. It’s best to use a numbered list in your word processing program to create your outline, and use the tab key to indent items appropriately (the application will automatically number first-level points 1, 2, 3…, second-level points a, b, c…, and so on). Once you’ve formulated your initial thesis, you should attempt to distil each argument and sub-argument into a short heading (maximum five words) and assign it a place in the structure.

For further advice, we like this useful guide to creating essay outlines .

12. How do you create a research proposal?

A research proposal serves two main functions: it provides your supervisors/funders/stakeholders with a concise summary of what you plan to do, so that they can evaluate its merits and feasibility, and it provides you with a plan that you can regularly refer back to and, if necessary, modify. Your proposal isn’t set in stone; your research questions and the precise means you use to explore them can and will change as you write, but your research proposal should give a good overview of the following:

• Your main research question, and preliminary thesis/ hypothesis
• An outline literature review, noting the major influences on your thinking and the major debates with which your project engages
• An outline methodology, indicating the theoretical or experimental frameworks and protocols you’ll follow in discussing your thesis
• A discussion of the project’s limitations and ethical considerations.

For more on dissertation proposals, this in-depth guide is packed full of advice and information.

13. Can I publish my essay in a journal?

You should discuss this question with your instructor or supervisor. They will often, through the feedback they give you on your essay(s), be the first person to suggest publishing your work if it’s of a high enough quality.

You’ll probably be a Master’s student by the time this suggestion happens, though there are undergraduate student journals – run within universities exclusively for their students, and some that are open – that may be suitable for outstanding undergraduate work.

If you’re a postgraduate student, you’ll be submitting your work to journals that don’t just cater to students but to seasoned academics as well, and it can be a daunting experience to submit work for publication for the first time. But again, ask your instructor or supervisor for suggestions of journals to submit to, and be prepared to take reviewer feedback constructively, and to revise your paper numerous times before it ends up in print.

Find out more about getting your work published in our article Dissertation writing: publishing a dissertation .

14. How do you write a paragraph?

A paragraph should contain one single idea or strand of your argument, and function as a self-contained “building block” within your essay. The structure of a body paragraph should mirror the structure of your essay as a whole. The first sentence or two should introduce the topic you’re going to discuss, the bulk of the paragraph should be given over to the detailed discussion of the topic, and the final sentence or two should work as a mini-conclusion, summing up the ideas you’ve been discussing.

It’s important to use your “mini-introduction” and “mini-conclusion” sentences to effectively transition between ideas – that is, to refer back to your previous paragraph(s) and signpost where your essay is going next, respectively. A well-constructed essay transitions almost seamlessly between paragraphs, with transition sentences used as a rhetorical device to help convince your reader that your arguments relate strongly and coherently to each other.

15. How do you write a five-paragraph essay?

The five-paragraph essay is a standard format of essay often required of first-year undergraduate students. It’s designed to get you accustomed to the rudiments of the introduction-body-conclusion structure, and requires an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, to prove a single thesis statement.

Because it’s so formulaic, the biggest danger with a five-paragraph essay is that you focus too much on the need for your thesis to contain three main body parts, and not enough on ensuring that these three elements cohere into a single thesis statement.

But know this: the principles on introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions discussed in this post and elsewhere on our blog apply just as well to five-paragraph essays as to longer-form pieces. Don’t scrimp on the quality of your structure , or the flow of your argument , because you are focused too much on achieving five paragraphs. The general rules of good essay writing still apply.

16. Introductions and conclusions: how are they different?

Introductions and conclusions are the two most difficult parts of your essay to write, and they fulfil related but distinct functions: your introduction states your thesis and establishes the context for your argument; your conclusion is your last opportunity to make the case that you’ve proved your argument, and also to gesture towards the broader significance of that argument, and as such it fulfils a powerful rhetorical function.

It can be helpful to think of the “shape” of introductions and conclusions as the two halves of an egg timer. Your introduction starts out with broad statements about the field before narrowing its focus to your specific argument. Your conclusion starts narrow, recapping the arguments you’ve made and how they prove your thesis, but then broadens out, considering what your intervention might mean to the study of your specific topic and even to the field as a whole.

Our guide How to structure an essay has lots more advice and information on introductions and conclusions.

17. What does 'to what extent' mean?

Whenever you see this phrase, you should approach it as if it’s written in red, flashing, neon lights! It catches a lot of people out, and for good reason.

Simply put, “to what extent” means, how much do you agree with the idea being posed in the essay question. You must always agree – at least a little bit – with the idea and have reasons for it, and be able to say why you disagree with it too (if you do). “To what extent…” questions always involve a statement that offers a partial explanation for a phenomenon, or that is partially true, or is a simplification of some kind. Your answer should therefore always be balanced, exploring both the strengths and weaknesses of the proposition you’re asked to discuss.

“To what extent…” questions test many of the same skills as persuasive essays: you need to show breadth of understanding, balance, and a mastery of exploring competing viewpoints.

If you want to learn more, our article Focus on directive essay words: “to what extent…” offers a deeper insight into how to answer “to what extent” essay questions.

18. Does punctuation really matter?

Yes. Absolutely. The correct use of punctuation demonstrates a mastery of grammar in English (or whatever language you happen to be writing in) and to anyone who cares about language and is invested in its proper use (spoiler alert: this includes anyone who is likely to be grading your essays!), poorly implemented apostrophes, commas, semicolons and full-stops (periods) are likely to be jarring in the extreme. Good grammar – including the appropriate use of punctuation – is about more than just getting the “technical stuff” right: punctuation gives us important cues about how we should read long or complex sentences and, especially if we’re reading quite quickly (which – spoiler alert #2 – the instructors marking your essay are very likely to be doing) give us the information we need to parse out the logic of a sentence.

19. What's a reflective essay?

A reflective essay is a tricky feat to pull off. It requires that you synthesise academic research and personal experience, usually by asking you to comment on how one has impacted the other – and sometimes both at once! Reflective essays deploy many of the formal conventions of normal academic writing, but emphasise use of the first-person (“I”) voice.

Reflective writing is very common in practice-based disciplines like nursing or teacher training, where you’ll be asked to reflect on how theory has informed your practice, and how practice has modified or enhanced your understanding of theory. The trickiest aspect of reflective writing is managing a balance between the formal academic register and the personal narrative voice; it’s easy to become too personal and informal, and forget the need for scholarly rigour in your essay.

Want to know more? See The complete guide to writing a reflective essay .

20. How can I make my writing better?

One goal you should be aiming towards in higher education is to make your writing move beyond reading like that of a new and inexperienced student, and towards that of a seasoned academic. One way you can do this is through better use of vocabulary.

But how does one improve their academic vocab? In a word: read. The best way to learn the phrases, habits and devices that are common in academic writing is to read widely and deeply, but also with discipline. However tempting it may be to gloss over words you don’t understand, you’ll do your writing a big favour if you actively look up any unfamiliar words, either in a general dictionary or (preferably) in a dictionary of terms dedicated to your own discipline. And do pay close attention to turns of phrase and ways of positioning arguments that regularly crop up in academic writing. Chances are that adopting some of these will help you sound like a “real” scholar in no time.

This guide: Essay writing skills: how to build your vocabulary has some great advice if you would like to learn more.

21. How can I avoid plagiarising?

Plagiarism is a cause of great anxiety among undergraduate students, largely because university instructors and departments are much better at issuing threats and dire warnings than they are at actually defining what plagiarism is.

Simply, plagiarism is the act of presenting others’ ideas as your own, whether or not that’s intentional. You should scrupulously cite others when you incorporate their words and ideas into your work, whether that’s through direct quotation or paraphrase.

One of the most important ways to avoid plagiarism is to be a disciplined note-taker. If you’ve noted down someone else’s words and ideas, and failed to attribute them properly or at least clearly note that they don’t belong to you, these could easily find their way into your essays later. And remember: just because it was accidental doesn’t mean it’s not plagiarism!

Take a look at our guide, Playing by the rules: avoiding plagiarism in essay writing , if you want to ensure you steer clear of plagiarism in your work.

22. How do you create a strong argument?

Essays live and die by the strengths of their arguments. The perfect argument is one that is original enough to sustain interest, but robust enough to be supported by evidence. Ask these questions about your argument:

• Is it supportable? Be honest with yourself: do the facts actually support the argument you’re trying to make? It doesn’t matter how original or clever your idea; if you can’t support it you’re in trouble.
• Is it original? Are you offering a genuinely new take on the topic, or just synthesising what’s gone before?
• Can you rebut the counter-arguments? Even if you can find a couple of bits of evidence that support your thesis, that’s still likely to be insufficient if there are several obvious counter-arguments that sweep your interpretation away entirely! If you’re going out on a limb, make sure you can and do address the obvious objections to your stance.

Want to know more? See Essay writing tips: a strong argument .

23. Masters and undergraduate essays – what's the difference?

If you pursue postgraduate studies after you’ve completed your first degree, it can be quite a culture shock. The leap in expectations is quite considerable, as you go from demonstrating you have a good grasp of the core concepts of your discipline to being expected to produce writing of a standard matching that of seasoned academics, or not too far below. Distinction-level Master’s writing is very often publishable in academic journals, and requires you to show mastery of all academic conventions – from referencing to stylistics – and to demonstrate depth of reading, sophisticated understanding of current issues in your field, and original, independent thought.

A more in-depth and insightful answer can be read in our guide: How to write a Masters essay: Masters essay writing tips .

24. How formal does my writing need to be?

“Formal” writing is a highly subjective construct, and everybody you ask has a different idea what it looks like. For example, there are some people – especially in the sciences – who think you should never refer to yourself in an essay (using I, me or my, etc.) or that you should exclusively use the passive voice when reporting the methodology of a study or experiment. For others, navigating around these rules is wholly unnecessary and produces awkward, cumbersome prose.

To some extent, therefore, the correct answer to “what does formal academic writing look like?” is: whatever your instructor thinks formal academic writing looks like. There are some pretty solid dos and don’ts, though. You should avoid using abbreviations and colloquialisms unless they’re in quotations. Examples of this are, “my results were totally unexpected” (the word “totally” is too colloquial and not quantifiable enough) and, “the battle took place on 1st Feb 1892” (“February” should not be abbreviated).

You should do your best to master academic diction: a set of transitional and framing phrases that allow you to, for want of a better expression, sound like a “proper” academic.

Want to know more? For extra guidance, see 10 academic phrases to use in your essay .

25. How do you write a conclusion for an essay?

The conclusion is where you both recap succinctly on the arguments you’ve made and gesture towards the broader significance of your argument, with the rhetorical goal of convincing your reader of both the importance of the question you’ve been answering and the validity of your particular approach to this question! By briefly recapping on your body paragraph arguments and highlighting the ways they support your thesis, you can help to convince a sceptical reader of the validity of your position.

Avoid simply repeating phrases you’ve used elsewhere in your body paragraphs; instead generalise about how the common threads between your points lead unavoidably to your interpretation. You should also discuss the broader implications of the argument you’ve made. Don’t make any unsupportable statements, but if your argument has implications for the field as a whole, don’t shy away from them.

For more helpful advice on writing a great conclusion for your essay, read Your essay conclusion: how to conclude an essay well .

It is always beneficial to have a second set of eyes assess your work for any errors or omissions and many students choose to contact editors to help with the final editing and proofreading of their work . Professional editors hold the relevant expertise to guide you on the correct path to creating a discussion section that is perfectly structured, formatted and ready for submission, helping you to achieve a high result.

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Answers to Questions From Morning Readers

Times journalists from around the newsroom talk about their beats and our work.

By the staff of The Morning

The Morning recently invited its readers to submit questions. Below, we’re publishing a selection of them, along with answers from Times staff members. (We also published some answers in today’s edition of The Morning .)

We edited some questions for brevity.

The English language

Do you have any data about the evolution of the English language? I know right now that language is evolving rapidly because of TikTok and the younger generations’ apprehension toward using millennial lingo. The change seems more exponential from 1900 to 2024 than from 1300 to 1500. — Divya Thomas

John McWhorter, an Opinion writer (and linguist): It can certainly seem as if English is changing faster than in the past, but mainly because of the blizzard of new terms and new slang. In terms of the actual heart of language — sounds, structures and basic words — English changed much faster from 1300 to 1500.

From 1300 to 1600, for example, Middle English became Modern English, which was different enough that Shakespeare and Chaucer would have found it dicey to converse beyond an elementary level. Vowels transformed so vastly that a word once pronounced “MAH-day” became our “made.”

For all our neologisms like “diss,” “because X,” “X-adjacent” and “I’m good,” no transformation like that has happened in English for a very long time. Time traveling back to 1900, we would find that people used some words in different ways, and people would often sound a little funny in terms of accent. But they were speaking the language we speak.

Why is it that so many children and adults end a normal sentence with an inflection that makes it sound like a question? Where are the teachers and parents who should be correcting them? — Joan Kool

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What Admission Counselors Don't Tell You

We get it. College applications are stressful. From whether to submit test scores to what to write about the in essay, the process is complicated. We spoke to an admissions expert about some of the most frequently asked (and agonized over) questions about applying to college.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Town & Country editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

SV: Is there an essay topic that makes an admissions counselor immediately roll their eyes?

KC: So many! Writing about the extracurricular activities you have already listed elsewhere in your application will certainly get an eye roll. “It’s their résumé again.” Be careful with topics that affect everyone. After 9/11, for example, there were hundreds of thousands of essays about 9/11. Unless your family was in the building at that time, that wasn't a great essay topic, right? Think twice about writing about things that you might only tell your therapist. If you can make that admissions officer smile, that's great. But I also always say, "If you're not funny, don't try to be funny, because it's not going to work." Hopefully, you're telling a story only you can tell that really captures who you are in that little story.

Do colleges look at the social media accounts of applicants?

On average, about 27 percent of admissions officers look at a student's online identity. So we counsel students as early as ninth grade to be careful what they post. My advice is, everything you post should pass the Grandma test. If you wouldn’t want her to see it, don't post it. Be very careful about posting photos of you with a red Solo cup in your hand. If you can't see the liquid in that cup, an admissions officer might assume it's alcohol, right? If you're posting photos of yourself partying all the time, you're not going to come off as a scholarly student or someone who's really engaged in other activities.

Is it safer to just not have social media at all?

I don't think so, because there is a positive way to use your social media to showcase who you are, your talents, your interests, what you're doing productively with your time, and what matters to you. And you can use it to follow schools, which is where you're going to learn a lot about what's happening on campuses. I think you can be authentic to yourself, but use your social media wisely.

Another topic of much discussion is extracurriculars. What works, when is it too much, and are there any extracurriculars that just don't matter?

You don't want to be a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. We see this a lot, students just piling activities onto their list and not diving into any one thing. It's very hard to get a sense of who that student is and what matters to them. On the other end, we also see students who aren't involved in any activities at school, and that’s not good either.

The idea is that you want to pursue a few things over four years that you're truly interested in that relate to your core interests. Admissions offers are going to be looking for commitment, responsibility, leadership, how you collaborate with others, what is your impact on a day-in, day-out basis. I ask students, “What's the legacy you're leaving behind at your school because you've done this thing?" And if the school doesn't have an activity that they’re looking for, I tell students, “If you can't find it, found it, start it. Be entrepreneurial with this.”

Two words that bring up so many questions: standardized tests. What do you do if you are just not a good test taker?

Since Covid, the majority of colleges and universities in this country have gone test-optional. And if you look at this past admission cycle, about 90% of colleges were either test-optional or test-blind. The good news is that there are still many, many schools that are test-optional if you're truly not a great test taker.

That said, we are seeing a movement back to standardized testing. And the SAT and ACT are very coachable tests. However you decide to approach a test, whether it’s reading a book, taking lots of practice tests, signing up for an online class or a group class, or a one-on-one tutor, I do think it is very important to start early—we recommend 10th grade.

Another thing is to understand which is the right test for you first, the SAT or ACT. We tell students to not take both. There's probably one test that's going to be better than the other for you. And from the college's perspective, it doesn't matter which one you submit.

Do a diagnostic of each—I would say do it in 10th grade—figure out which is the best test for you, and do some preparation.

If a school is test-optional, should you send in your score anyway?

You should send in your score only if it matches your grades. If your score is aligned with your grades and it makes sense, or it's above what your grades show, then you want to send it in. But if it's below that, it's not going to help you. So we advise students not to send it in that case.

Click above to watch the video, and see below for additional resources—and specific programs—recommended by IvyWise . A good place to start is IvyWise's Knowledge Base , which has articles on many college application questions.

• Black Book by Mike Barrett and Patrick Barrett: Available in two separate versions for both the ACT and SAT. • The College Board has released four official practice tests for the Digital SAT, which you can find on the Bluebook testing application . Since there are only four of these, students should be using these sparingly and only when they are ready to take a full diagnostic. •The College Board is partnering with Khan Academy for Digital SAT prep materials, including a Digital SAT prep course. Khan Academy has added practice tests for the math and reading and writing sections of Digital SAT.

Books on Writing Technique

• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott • The Writing Life by Annie Dillard • On Writing by Stephen King • The Best American Essays Anthology

Extracurriculars/Volunteering

•Some national organizations to research for volunteer opportunities include the American Red Cross , Best Buddies , Big Brothers Big Sisters of America , Boys & Girls Clubs of America , DoSomething.org , Key Club , Meals on Wheels America , Teen Listeners/Teen Line , and 4-H . •Students can also ask contacts in their local community for suggestions of other organizations to volunteer with, as options will vary widely by state and town/city.

Social Media

• Brand Up: The Ultimate Playbook for College & Career Success in the Digital World by Stacey Ross Cohen. •The American Psychological Association (APA) also has guidelines for how teens can develop healthy social media practices.

Editor-in-Chief Stellene Volandes is a jewelry expert, and the author of Jeweler: Masters and Mavericks of Modern Design (Rizzoli).

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Roger Federer's Graduation Speech at Dartmouth

Colleges Want to Know What You Did Last Summer

College Donors Revolt Against Ivy League Schools

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium Is Going to Harvard

What Does a Canceled Commencement Look Like?

The Jock's Guide to Getting Into College

Why Ivy Leaguers Still Join Secret Societies

Reclassifying: Why Students Are Repeating Years

Have College Admissions Returned to Normal Crazy?

Bronx Med School Receives $1 Billion Donation

Are Elite Colleges Really Done with the SATs?

Write 2 of your a paragraphs and incorporate them into an essay. ( "essay "about how do we use algebra in everyday life? , and how are phones a great tool for marketing?)​

Mathematics is the key to opportunity. No longer just the language of science, mathematics now contributes in direct and fundamental ways to business, finance, health, and defense. For students, it opens doors to careers. For citizens, it enables informed decisions. For nations, it provides knowledge to compete in a technological community. To participate fully in the world of the future, America must tap the power of mathematics. (NRC, 1989, p. 1)

The above statement remains true today, although it was written almost ten years ago in the Mathematical Sciences Education Board's (MSEB) report Everybody Counts (NRC, 1989). In envisioning a future in which all students will be afforded such opportunities, the MSEB acknowledges the crucial role played by formulae and algorithms, and suggests that algorithmic skills are more flexible, powerful, and enduring when they come from a place of meaning and understanding. This volume takes as a premise that all students can develop mathematical understanding by working with mathematical tasks from workplace and everyday contexts. The essays in this report provide some rationale for this premise and discuss some of the issues and questions that follow. The tasks in this report illuminate some of the possibilities provided by the workplace and everyday life.

Suggested Citation:"Part One: Connecting Mathematics with Work and Life." National Research Council. 1998. High School Mathematics at Work: Essays and Examples for the Education of All Students. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/5777.×

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Contexts from within mathematics also can be powerful sites for the development of mathematical understanding, as professional and amateur mathematicians will attest. There are many good sources of compelling problems from within mathematics, and a broad mathematics education will include experience with problems from contexts both within and outside mathematics. The inclusion of tasks in this volume is intended to highlight particularly compelling problems whose context lies outside of mathematics, not to suggest a curriculum.

The operative word in the above premise is "can." The understandings that students develop from any encounter with mathematics depend not only on the context, but also on the students' prior experience and skills, their ways of thinking, their engagement with the task, the environment in which they explore the task—including the teacher, the students, and the tools—the kinds of interactions that occur in that environment, and the system of internal and external incentives that might be associated with the activity. Teaching and learning are complex activities that depend upon evolving and rarely articulated interrelationships among teachers, students, materials, and ideas. No prescription for their improvement can be simple.

This volume may be beneficially seen as a rearticulation and elaboration of a principle put forward in Reshaping School Mathematics:

Explanation:

Related Questions

How do authors use tone and mood to add interest to their stories?

Mood and tone are two literary elements that help create the main idea of a story. The mood is the atmosphere of the story, and the tone is the author's attitude towards the topic. By doing so, it will help us find meaning in the story or passage and help us feel more connected to the writing.

Answer: Authors use tone to differentiate scenes between viewpoint characters. So while Irving's attitude is whiney, Pete's can be overbearing. Use word choices and the unique events and story elements that each character focuses on to play up the different tones. Mood is what the reader feels while reading a scene or story.

What is one major advantage of studying with others? Which best describes a glossary? a tool for memorizing words a list of topics in a book a translation dictionary a short, topical dictionary

When studying with others you have the advantage of someone explaining something to you and you to them. This way you can remember something better, as you have to comprehend it all in order to explain it to someone. Likewise, if you have some doubts about the topics, you have someone to ask to. This way there are better chances of you and your partner grasping everything.

a tool for memorizing words – this is not the right answer. This is not what a glossary is.

a list of topics in a book – this is the right answer. Glossary accompanies a book, and lists, in alphabetical order, the subjects and topics. It defines and explains them, focusing on those that are unknown or uncommon, and tied directly to the topics of the book. It can be found at the end of the book.

a translation dictionary – this is not the right answer. Foreign language dictionaries are used for this, not glossaries.

a short, topical dictionary – this is not the correct answer. A glossary is not a topical dictionary.

Answer:d) a short topical dictionary

Read the excerpt from Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza. Hanging from a cord attached to the middle of the ceiling there was an electric bulb, low enough for an adult to reach and turn the black switch. I realized that this was our own electric light for us to turn on and off as we pleased. I pushed a chair under it and after some instruction from my mother proceeded to create lightning in the room by turning the switch as fast as I could. Which effective technique does the author mainly use to write this excerpt?

Read the excerpt from Barrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza.

Hanging from a cord attached to the middle of the ceiling there was an electric bulb, low enough for an adult to reach and turn the black switch. I realized that this was our own electric light for us to turn on and off as we pleased. I pushed a chair under it and after some instruction from my mother proceeded to create lightning in the room by turning the switch as fast as I could. Which effective technique does the author mainly use to write this excerpt?

A) clear point of view

B) interesting dialogue

C) detailed action

D) logical sequencing

According to the excerpt from Barrio Boy, the author uses a clear first person point of view to describe the room, the switch and the sudden realization of the narrator to switch on the light in the room.

The author uses the first person point of view to describe the actions of the narrator, his thoughts and feelings.

SPENCER, North Carolina (Achieve3000, May 17, 2019). Don't ever let anyone tell you that young people can't do great things. Take it from Mrs. Fleming's 7th-grade class at North Rowan Middle School in North Carolina. This compassionate classroom crew is proof-positive that young people can make a difference in the lives of others. And activism can begin with four little words: How can we help? So how do you go from sitting in a classroom to tackling the problems of the world? For Mrs. Fleming's class, it all started with learning about horrible global events that devastate individuals, families, and communities. "We planned a trip to Washington, D.C., so that we could immerse ourselves in learning about the Holocaust and refugees," said Mrs. Fleming. "We [also] had the opportunity to participate in a Doctors Without Borders interactive refugee exhibit. We read Achieve3000 articles and novels about refugees, and we watched documentaries and news clips." Then, the students had yet another extraordinary experience: the chance to speak via video teleconference to a refugee named Lubo, one of the estimated 20,000 Lost Boys who found themselves displaced or orphaned during a deadly civil war that began in Sudan in the 1980s. The students were very moved by Lubo's story as he told them about what he witnessed before he fled Sudan. "The enemy from the North attacked, people were caught, houses burned, nothing [was] left," student Katie P. remembered him saying. "[It was] really sad because all he had and everything he lived for was no longer there, no one to count on, nothing." "[We realized that] we usually took everything for granted," said Katie's classmate, Jennifer G. "We never appreciated what we had." It's one thing to read about history, and quite another to hear from someone who lived it, and who made it clear that Sudan is still affected by life-threatening issues like poverty and lack of access to clean water. The students knew they had to do something, and that's when they asked: "How can we help?" Soon, they found their answer. The class was invited by the nonprofit group Mothering Across Continents to host a Walk for Wisdom walkathon to raise money and awareness for impoverished schools in South Sudan. It was a great idea—but the students wanted to take it further. "We said 'yes,' but asked if we could involve our whole community," Mrs. Fleming said. She joined forces with Karen Puckett, a media specialist at Isenberg Elementary School in Salisbury, North Carolina, which had participated in a school-based Walk for Wisdom for several years. Meanwhile, the students in Mrs. Fleming's class leaped into action, working in teams to design t-shirts and flyers for the April 2019 walkathon. They also created an iMovie, a website, and a GoFundMe page to help raise money. Even after all that, the students were just getting started! They planned a Refugee Awareness Community Night at their local bookstore, where they spoke to Ngor Kur Mayol—another Sudanese refugee. The event featured their presentations, art, and writing, as well as a marketplace to raise money for a source of clean water for the students at Nyarweng Primary School in South Sudan. Mrs. Fleming and her students hope they will eventually be able to exchange messages and photos with the Nyarweng Primary School pupils. All this might be just the beginning of an ongoing effort. "Our hope is that these events will turn into yearly global events for our county, and that our community will unite for a global cause to help youth in another country," Mrs. Fleming explained. Needless to say, Mrs. Fleming is extremely proud of how her class has stepped up to help—not that she's surprised. "Our students have incredible ideas," she said. "All we need to do is listen and encourage. I love seeing where my students' voices and actions can lead us." And if you want to make a difference in the lives of others, student Kimberly F. has some advice. "You may think that starting a project to change the world would be difficult," she said. "But if you really put your mind into it, you can achieve amazing things. It can start with a simple act in your community, but you'll see that it will grow and grow." Most importantly, the students say, don't ever feel like you're too young to make a mark on the world. "There are many things we are limited to do because we are kids," Katie said. "A lot of people may underestimate [us], but that is what drives us to stand out and help other people." The best alternate headline for this Article would be __________. A.Mothering Across Continents Arranges Walk for Wisdom Walkathons B.Middle School Class Creates GoFundMe Page To Raise Money C.Students Use Achieve3000 Articles To Learn About Tragic World Events D.Students Tackle Global Problems One "Step" at a Time

uh what is this basically asking

Write the qualities belongs to children’s who are lazy,cruel,foolish and brave? Ok

I am not sure what you are asking, but I will still try . The children will probably behave like wild animals, because nobody ever taught them how to act normally because nobody wanted to be around the ruthless children.

Lol, I hope this helps because I dont really understand the question

In Chapter 5, Ponyboy recites the Robert Frost poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay." What is the meaning behind the use gold and what does Frost mean when he says "nothing gold can stay?" Consider the value of something that is gold.

The meaning of "Nothing Gold Can Stay" Nothing good can stay, so enjoy it while you can.  

The author means that like the sunset that ponyboy is seeing. it is "Gold"

Stay Golden Pony Boy

Gold is a precious metal. When something is precious you want to hold onto it forever. I think that the meaning of the quote is to value every good moment because you don't know when the good opportunities will be there again. Nothing lasts forever, even the best moments. (Don't take things for granted).

My thoughts :) hope it helps

What is the usual way for a narrative to progress

Narratives usually progress chronologically, and must have a clear beginning, middle and end. Short stories, novels, personal narratives, anecdotes, and biographies are all examples of narrative writing.

hope this helps

What is the author's purpose in writing the article ten languages die out every year

The author's purpose was to show a result of the global dominance of some cultures and their respective languages.

In the article, the author manages to show how many languages have become extinct each year, due to the cultural dominance of some countries around the world.

This is because some countries, like the USA, for example; they have a cultural domain so extensive around the world that it has influenced the abandonment of customs from other cultures and the abandonment of even the local language in exchange for English, for example.

Some people believe that this extinction is beneficial because it will improve world communication, but many believe that it is disrespectful and a way to suppress cultures considered unimportant by dominant countries.

what is the topic of this essay?

Could you please specifiy and paste the essay in the comments?

I wish that I could help, but I need you the paste the essay on the comments of this "answer". And then I'll get back to you.

Look at the graphic, which describes the steps of analyzing a writing prompt. Format Essay Topic Cafeteria food Audience School administrators To convince school administrators to provide healthy options in the cafeteria Which word best completes the graphic?

Just took the test

3 Words that rhyme with ‘ lullaby’

Pumpkin Pie, Mummify, Clarify

What first struck the narrator in regards to Usher's appearance?

The protagonist is shocked at how much Usher's appearance has changed since childhood. These features include sickly pale skin, matted hair that has been allowed to grow wildly, and eyes that are large and luminous.

Dear companion of our youth when we were immortal 1 and our happy shouts swung up through the gumtrees, when we raced go-carts in order to destroy our knees, when there were always eight of us at home for tea and eight of us learning to count and read 5 and eight of us crammed into the Fiat for Mass and eight of us slashing through the long dry grass and four of you dive-bombing four of us and all of us playing ‘Red rover, red rover, come over!’

Hello. This question is incomplete. The full question is:

Stanza one is one long sentence and contains many instances of enjambment. What is the effect of this on the rhythm? How does this contribute to the meaning of the poem?

Dear companion of our youth when we were immortal 1

and our happy shouts swung up through the gumtrees,

when we raced go-carts in order to destroy our knees,

when there were always eight of us at home for tea

and eight of us learning to count and read 5

and eight of us crammed into the Fiat for Mass

and eight of us slashing through the long dry grass

and four of you dive-bombing four of us

and all of us playing ‘Red rover, red rover, come over!’

Enjambment slows down the pace as if it were being interrupted and paused briefly. This contributes to the meaning of the poem because it emphasizes the most important terms within the poem, constructing the phrases in such a way that these terms stand out.

The verse of the poem, shown above, presents several enjambement, which is a literary resource, widely used in poetry, which aims to end a verse of the poem in disagreement with the syntax that that verse should have, that is, the verse ends in disagreement with what the grammar establishes for the construction of the sentence. When a poet does this, it means that he is trying to highlight terms that would not be highlighted with grammatically correct writing.

In the poem above, we can see an example of this in the verses "Dear companion of our youth when we were immortal / and our happy shouts swung up through the gumtrees" where the author makes two lines of a sentence that should be a single line. The author did this to highlight the "happy shouts" that would not be highlighted if written with the correct syntax.

Reading Informational Text Unit Test In one to two sentences, identify a text that you have read recently that falls into the category of narrative nonfiction. Which characteristics of the text tell you that it is an example of narrative nonfiction? FIRST ANSWER GETS A BRANILY

One text which falls neatly into the category of narrative nonfiction genre is

Thirteen Days  by Robert F. Kennedy.

"Now, as the representatives of the CIA explained the U-2 photographs that morning, . . . we  realized that it had all been lies, one gigantic fabric of lies ."

Match the term to its abbreviation. 1 . e.g. about, around (used with dates) 2 . et al. and the others 3 . c., ca. for example 4 . i.e. that is, in other words 5 . etc. and so on

c., ca.       about, around (used with dates

et al.       and the others

e.g.       for example

i.e.       that is, in other words

etc.       and so on

i hope this is what you mean.

Match the term to its abbreviation .

Abbreviation is the process of shortening something , usually a word or phrase, or the shorter form itself. An abbreviation is a word or phrase that has been shortened in any way. They aid in making manuscripts easier to read and understand . When using an abbreviation, spell out the full term first, then use the abbreviation.

According to the lines are the used in the abbreviation on the based on the sentence are the used on the shortly to the inform on the long message.

Therefore, the significance of the abbreviation , are the aforementioned.

Learn more about on abbreviation , here:

https://brainly.com/question/17353851

I'll give the most Pleating on already ​

6. Suprised

you feel happy when you're around someone you enjoy talking to, you feel tired after a long day of work, you feel sad when you lose your favorite pair of socks, you feel angry when your sister steals your favorite shirt, you feel scared when you think you see a shadow at the corner of your eye, you feel surprised when someone surprises you on your birthday.

Hope this helps :)

6 surprised

"I feel really happy when I get to play outside!"

Read the passage below. Using your reading strategies, identify the digraph in the underlined word. I tried to predict what the weather would be like by looking out the window, but I just couldn't tell. a. we c. ea b. th d. none of the above

bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

What were 2 goals Gandhi’s had

Gandhi's purpose was to fight for the freedom of India from Great Britain using non-violence. He also wanted to advance the idea of satyagraha, or passive resistance, to help oppressed people.

Answer: Gandhi's purpose was to fight for the freedom of India from Great Britain using non-violence. He also wanted to advance the idea of satyagraha, or passive resistance, to help oppressed people.

Explanation: I hope this helps!

Read the quotation from "To My Dear Loving Husband." "I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold, Or all the riches that the East doth hold." These lines contain an example of simile. metaphor. hyperbole. synecdoche.

Choose C, but be prepared to see the answer as B. I'd argue a bit, but not much. It is pretty exaggerated, but it is also compared to something.

There is no part standing for the whole or no whole standing for a part. Not synecdoche.

Not a simile. No like or as.

Maybe a metaphor if you stretch it. Love is compared to a gold mine or the riches of the East.

I think the best answer is a hyperbole. It is an exaggerated comparison.

But don't be surprised if the answer turns out to be B.

It is hyperbole.

what is 1.000000000+90.0000000000=

91.0000000000

because math

Answer: 91.0000000000

1 + 90 = 91

Which sentence demonstrates the use of hyperbole? People tend to exaggerate when they describe an exciting experience. I was so hungry that I made myself the biggest sandwich in the world. Uncle Al has told stories about his boyhood every Thanksgiving that I can recall. I heard a story about a scientist who accidentally chopped down the oldest tree on Earth.

The second one, "I was so hungry that I made myself the biggest sandwich in the world."

What do Sodapop’s eyes symbolize in the outsiders

What word is the best synonym for the word Billeted?

accommodate

He had to feel pity for the lion. (Negative)

He hadn't had to fell pity for the lion.

What is the theme of the poem Underface

In this poem, being yourself enough to make your own decisions is the best way to live. "Underface" (5th-6th Grade) The speaker explains that he acts happier and more self-assured than he really is.

Sad to happy

Starts in a little sorrow ends with happiness

Do you think Loisel is a selfess character? Provide examples to back up your claim.

Loisel is not a selfless character.

Loisel was upset when her husband gave her the invitation to the part all because she didn't have the perfect dress. When she got the dress she was still upset that she didn't have any jewelry to go with it. Then when she got the jewelry she lost it and her husband had to work very hard and spend the money his father gave him, to buy a new one for his wife.

Ending of the story map of two friends

In order to be versatile through reflection one should

Answer: focus on past behavior to figure out how to improve in the future

You present your speech while using a prepared outline. This is an example of a. speaking from a manuscript b. impromptu speaking c. extemporaneous speaking d. none of the above

a. speaking from a manuscript

A speech that is presented using a prepared outline is an example of a speaker speaking from a manuscript.

The other options are incorrect because impromptu speech is a speech that is done on the spot or done without prior preparation.

A set of step-by-step Instructions, how-to manual or other technlcal directlons should NOT Include graphics that______. A. are purely functional B. make the text more visually stimulating C. do not aid in the reader's understanding of the text​