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Direction Words In Essay Test Items

Here are the direction words that are most frequently used by teachers when they write essay test items. The meaning of each direction word is provided and is followed by an example of an essay test item using that direction word. Get to know what each of these direction words tells you to do.

• Analyze – Analyze tells you to break something down into its parts and show how the parts relate to each other to make the whole. Analyze the factors that contribute to good health.
• Compare – Compare tells you to show how two or more things are BOTH similar and different. Compare the forms of government found in the United States and in China.
• Contrast – Contrast tells you to show how two or more things are different. Contrast the Republican and Democratic political platforms.
• Define – Define tells you to explain the meaning of something in a brief, specific manner. Define what is meant by “living life to the fullest.”
• Describe – Describe tells you to present a full and detailed picture of something in words to include important characteristics and qualities. Describe what it was like to live in ancient Rome.
• Diagram – Diagram tells you to illustrate something by drawing a picture of it and labeling its parts. Diagram a modern commercial jet airplane.
• Evaluate – Evaluate tells you to present both the positive and negative characteristics of something. Evaluate the impact of rap music on American youth.
• Justify – Justify tells you to provide reasons and facts in support of something. Justify the need for the federal income tax.
• List – List tells you to present information about something as a series of brief numbered points. List the ingredients needed to bake bread.
• Outline – Outline tells you to present the most important information about something in a carefully organized manner. Outline what it takes to be successful in school.
• Summarize – Summarize tells you to present the main points about something in a brief form. Summarize how Thomas Edison’s inventions have made our lives better.
• Trace – Trace tells you to present the order in which something occurred. Trace the major events that led to America’s Declaration of Independence.

Recognizing these direction words and knowing what they tell you to do will help you do well when taking an essay test.

Essay Exams

What this handout is about.

At some time in your undergraduate career, you’re going to have to write an essay exam. This thought can inspire a fair amount of fear: we struggle enough with essays when they aren’t timed events based on unknown questions. The goal of this handout is to give you some easy and effective strategies that will help you take control of the situation and do your best.

Why do instructors give essay exams?

Essay exams are a useful tool for finding out if you can sort through a large body of information, figure out what is important, and explain why it is important. Essay exams challenge you to come up with key course ideas and put them in your own words and to use the interpretive or analytical skills you’ve practiced in the course. Instructors want to see whether:

• You understand concepts that provide the basis for the course
• You can use those concepts to interpret specific materials
• You can make connections, see relationships, draw comparisons and contrasts
• You can synthesize diverse information in support of an original assertion
• You can justify your own evaluations based on appropriate criteria
• You can argue your own opinions with convincing evidence
• You can think critically and analytically about a subject

What essay questions require

Exam questions can reach pretty far into the course materials, so you cannot hope to do well on them if you do not keep up with the readings and assignments from the beginning of the course. The most successful essay exam takers are prepared for anything reasonable, and they probably have some intelligent guesses about the content of the exam before they take it. How can you be a prepared exam taker? Try some of the following suggestions during the semester:

• Do the reading as the syllabus dictates; keeping up with the reading while the related concepts are being discussed in class saves you double the effort later.
• Go to lectures (and put away your phone, the newspaper, and that crossword puzzle!).
• Take careful notes that you’ll understand months later. If this is not your strong suit or the conventions for a particular discipline are different from what you are used to, ask your TA or the Learning Center for advice.
• Participate in your discussion sections; this will help you absorb the material better so you don’t have to study as hard.
• Organize small study groups with classmates to explore and review course materials throughout the semester. Others will catch things you might miss even when paying attention. This is not cheating. As long as what you write on the essay is your own work, formulating ideas and sharing notes is okay. In fact, it is a big part of the learning process.
• As an exam approaches, find out what you can about the form it will take. This will help you forecast the questions that will be on the exam, and prepare for them.

These suggestions will save you lots of time and misery later. Remember that you can’t cram weeks of information into a single day or night of study. So why put yourself in that position?

Now let’s focus on studying for the exam. You’ll notice the following suggestions are all based on organizing your study materials into manageable chunks of related material. If you have a plan of attack, you’ll feel more confident and your answers will be more clear. Here are some tips: 

• Don’t just memorize aimlessly; clarify the important issues of the course and use these issues to focus your understanding of specific facts and particular readings.
• Try to organize and prioritize the information into a thematic pattern. Look at what you’ve studied and find a way to put things into related groups. Find the fundamental ideas that have been emphasized throughout the course and organize your notes into broad categories. Think about how different categories relate to each other.
• Find out what you don’t know, but need to know, by making up test questions and trying to answer them. Studying in groups helps as well.

Taking the exam

Read the exam carefully.

• If you are given the entire exam at once and can determine your approach on your own, read the entire exam before you get started.
• Look at how many points each part earns you, and find hints for how long your answers should be.
• Figure out how much time you have and how best to use it. Write down the actual clock time that you expect to take in each section, and stick to it. This will help you avoid spending all your time on only one section. One strategy is to divide the available time according to percentage worth of the question. You don’t want to spend half of your time on something that is only worth one tenth of the total points.
• As you read, make tentative choices of the questions you will answer (if you have a choice). Don’t just answer the first essay question you encounter. Instead, read through all of the options. Jot down really brief ideas for each question before deciding.
• Remember that the easiest-looking question is not always as easy as it looks. Focus your attention on questions for which you can explain your answer most thoroughly, rather than settle on questions where you know the answer but can’t say why.

Analyze the questions

• Decide what you are being asked to do. If you skim the question to find the main “topic” and then rush to grasp any related ideas you can recall, you may become flustered, lose concentration, and even go blank. Try looking closely at what the question is directing you to do, and try to understand the sort of writing that will be required.
• Focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.
• Look at the active verbs in the assignment—they tell you what you should be doing. We’ve included some of these below, with some suggestions on what they might mean. (For help with this sort of detective work, see the Writing Center handout titled Reading Assignments.)

Information words, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject. Information words may include:

• define—give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning.
• explain why/how—give reasons why or examples of how something happened.
• illustrate—give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject.
• summarize—briefly cover the important ideas you learned about the subject.
• trace—outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form.
• research—gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you’ve found.

Relation words ask you to demonstrate how things are connected. Relation words may include:

• compare—show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different).
• contrast—show how two or more things are dissimilar.
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation.
• cause—show how one event or series of events made something else happen.
• relate—show or describe the connections between things.

Interpretation words ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Don’t see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation. Interpretation words may include:

• prove, justify—give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth.
• evaluate, respond, assess—state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons (you may want to compare your subject to something else).
• support—give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe).
• synthesize—put two or more things together that haven’t been put together before; don’t just summarize one and then the other, and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together (as opposed to compare and contrast—see above).
• analyze—look closely at the components of something to figure out how it works, what it might mean, or why it is important.
• argue—take a side and defend it (with proof) against the other side.

Plan your answers

Think about your time again. How much planning time you should take depends on how much time you have for each question and how many points each question is worth. Here are some general guidelines: 

• For short-answer definitions and identifications, just take a few seconds. Skip over any you don’t recognize fairly quickly, and come back to them when another question jogs your memory.
• For answers that require a paragraph or two, jot down several important ideas or specific examples that help to focus your thoughts.
• For longer answers, you will need to develop a much more definite strategy of organization. You only have time for one draft, so allow a reasonable amount of time—as much as a quarter of the time you’ve allotted for the question—for making notes, determining a thesis, and developing an outline.
• For questions with several parts (different requests or directions, a sequence of questions), make a list of the parts so that you do not miss or minimize one part. One way to be sure you answer them all is to number them in the question and in your outline.
• You may have to try two or three outlines or clusters before you hit on a workable plan. But be realistic—you want a plan you can develop within the limited time allotted for your answer. Your outline will have to be selective—not everything you know, but what you know that you can state clearly and keep to the point in the time available.

Again, focus on what you do know about the question, not on what you don’t.

Writing your answers

As with planning, your strategy for writing depends on the length of your answer:

• For short identifications and definitions, it is usually best to start with a general identifying statement and then move on to describe specific applications or explanations. Two sentences will almost always suffice, but make sure they are complete sentences. Find out whether the instructor wants definition alone, or definition and significance. Why is the identification term or object important?
• For longer answers, begin by stating your forecasting statement or thesis clearly and explicitly. Strive for focus, simplicity, and clarity. In stating your point and developing your answers, you may want to use important course vocabulary words from the question. For example, if the question is, “How does wisteria function as a representation of memory in Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom?” you may want to use the words wisteria, representation, memory, and Faulkner) in your thesis statement and answer. Use these important words or concepts throughout the answer.
• If you have devised a promising outline for your answer, then you will be able to forecast your overall plan and its subpoints in your opening sentence. Forecasting impresses readers and has the very practical advantage of making your answer easier to read. Also, if you don’t finish writing, it tells your reader what you would have said if you had finished (and may get you partial points).
• You might want to use briefer paragraphs than you ordinarily do and signal clear relations between paragraphs with transition phrases or sentences.
• As you move ahead with the writing, you may think of new subpoints or ideas to include in the essay. Stop briefly to make a note of these on your original outline. If they are most appropriately inserted in a section you’ve already written, write them neatly in the margin, at the top of the page, or on the last page, with arrows or marks to alert the reader to where they fit in your answer. Be as neat and clear as possible.
• Don’t pad your answer with irrelevancies and repetitions just to fill up space. Within the time available, write a comprehensive, specific answer.
• Watch the clock carefully to ensure that you do not spend too much time on one answer. You must be realistic about the time constraints of an essay exam. If you write one dazzling answer on an exam with three equally-weighted required questions, you earn only 33 points—not enough to pass at most colleges. This may seem unfair, but keep in mind that instructors plan exams to be reasonably comprehensive. They want you to write about the course materials in two or three or more ways, not just one way. Hint: if you finish a half-hour essay in 10 minutes, you may need to develop some of your ideas more fully.
• If you run out of time when you are writing an answer, jot down the remaining main ideas from your outline, just to show that you know the material and with more time could have continued your exposition.
• Double-space to leave room for additions, and strike through errors or changes with one straight line (avoid erasing or scribbling over). Keep things as clean as possible. You never know what will earn you partial credit.
• Write legibly and proofread. Remember that your instructor will likely be reading a large pile of exams. The more difficult they are to read, the more exasperated the instructor might become. Your instructor also cannot give you credit for what they cannot understand. A few minutes of careful proofreading can improve your grade.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind in writing essay exams is that you have a limited amount of time and space in which to get across the knowledge you have acquired and your ability to use it. Essay exams are not the place to be subtle or vague. It’s okay to have an obvious structure, even the five-paragraph essay format you may have been taught in high school. Introduce your main idea, have several paragraphs of support—each with a single point defended by specific examples, and conclude with a restatement of your main point and its significance.

Some physiological tips

Just think—we expect athletes to practice constantly and use everything in their abilities and situations in order to achieve success. Yet, somehow many students are convinced that one day’s worth of studying, no sleep, and some well-placed compliments (“Gee, Dr. So-and-so, I really enjoyed your last lecture”) are good preparation for a test. Essay exams are like any other testing situation in life: you’ll do best if you are prepared for what is expected of you, have practiced doing it before, and have arrived in the best shape to do it. You may not want to believe this, but it’s true: a good night’s sleep and a relaxed mind and body can do as much or more for you as any last-minute cram session. Colleges abound with tales of woe about students who slept through exams because they stayed up all night, wrote an essay on the wrong topic, forgot everything they studied, or freaked out in the exam and hyperventilated. If you are rested, breathing normally, and have brought along some healthy, energy-boosting snacks that you can eat or drink quietly, you are in a much better position to do a good job on the test. You aren’t going to write a good essay on something you figured out at 4 a.m. that morning. If you prepare yourself well throughout the semester, you don’t risk your whole grade on an overloaded, undernourished brain.

If for some reason you get yourself into this situation, take a minute every once in a while during the test to breathe deeply, stretch, and clear your brain. You need to be especially aware of the likelihood of errors, so check your essays thoroughly before you hand them in to make sure they answer the right questions and don’t have big oversights or mistakes (like saying “Hitler” when you really mean “Churchill”).

If you tend to go blank during exams, try studying in the same classroom in which the test will be given. Some research suggests that people attach ideas to their surroundings, so it might jog your memory to see the same things you were looking at while you studied.

Try good luck charms. Bring in something you associate with success or the support of your loved ones, and use it as a psychological boost.

Take all of the time you’ve been allotted. Reread, rework, and rethink your answers if you have extra time at the end, rather than giving up and handing the exam in the minute you’ve written your last sentence. Use every advantage you are given.

Remember that instructors do not want to see you trip up—they want to see you do well. With this in mind, try to relax and just do the best you can. The more you panic, the more mistakes you are liable to make. Put the test in perspective: will you die from a poor performance? Will you lose all of your friends? Will your entire future be destroyed? Remember: it’s just a test.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Axelrod, Rise B., and Charles R. Cooper. 2016. The St. Martin’s Guide to Writing , 11th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Fowler, Ramsay H., and Jane E. Aaron. 2016. The Little, Brown Handbook , 13th ed. Boston: Pearson.

Gefvert, Constance J. 1988. The Confident Writer: A Norton Handbook , 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton and Company.

Kirszner, Laurie G. 1988. Writing: A College Rhetoric , 2nd ed. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Woodman, Leonara, and Thomas P. Adler. 1988. The Writer’s Choices , 2nd ed. Northbrook, Illinois: Scott Foresman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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TIP Sheet HOW TO TAKE ESSAY TESTS

There are basically two types of exams:

Objective - requires answers of a word or short phrase, or the selection of an answer from several available choices that are provided on the test . Essay - requires answers to be written out at some length. The student functions as the source of information.

An essay exam requires you to see the significance and meaning of what you know. It tests your knowledge and understanding of the subject and your skill in reading and writing. To be successful on an essay exam, you must:

• Prove immediately that you know the material.
• Make your meaning unmistakably clear.
• Employ a reasonable organization and show sufficient thought development.
• Make every word count.
• Be specific.
• Use your own voice and style.

When you are writing an essay as part of an exam, all this must be done within what amounts to a first draft written in a very limited amount of time. As with all writing, if you think of your essay as being produced in three stages, you can tackle the test in an organized fashion. The three stages are pre-writing, writing, and revision. Suggestions for each of these stages follow.

The last section addresses preparation for essay exams. PRE-WRITING

Your first impulse in a writing exam is probably to read the question and start writing immediately, especially when you see those seconds ticking away on the clock. RESIST THAT IMPULSE! You can't successfully address the subject until you know precisely what you're required to do, you understand and have thought about the subject, and you are organized in how you approach the specific points you wish to make in your answer. 1.  Understanding what to do:

• When you get your copy of the exam, read through to make sure you understand what is expected of you. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS EXACTLY!
• Underline or circle key words that direct the approach your answer should take. Some of the most common key words are:

Agree/Disagree : State your position and support it with facts Comment or Evaluate: State your position and support it with facts, discussing the issue and its merits. Analyze : Break down into all the parts or divisions looking at the relationships between them. Compare/Contrast : Show differences and similarities. Describe/Discuss : Examine in detail. Explain : Tell why something is as it is. Illustrate : Give examples and relate them to the statement in question. Prove/Defend : Demonstrate why something is true. Interpret : Explain the significance or meaning of something. List/State : Make a list of points or facts. Summarize : Hit the high points.

2.  Understanding the subject

• When you are confident that you understand the instructions, direct your attention to the topic.
• Collect your ideas.
• Formulate a thesis. Make sure it is a strong, concise statement that specifically addresses the question.
• Think of as many specific details and facts as you can that support the thesis.

3.  Getting organized

• Jot your ideas down on paper, in very brief format.
• Evaluate your ideas in light of the question. Ask yourself repeatedly: "Does this apply to the question I'm supposed to answer?" Select only those ideas most relevant to your purpose.
• Number your ideas in order of appropriate sequence (first step to last step, most important to least important, etc.)

1.  Remember your thesis. Now stick to it, referring back to it periodically throughout your essay. This gives your essay unity and coherence, and helps insure that you are not digressing. 2.  Write in an orderly fashion. If you suddenly think of a new point, jot it down in a margin or on scratch paper until you find an appropriate place for it. Don't just put it into the middle of what you were writing. 3. Avoid:

• Repeating, in other words, what you have already said.
• Digressing into material that does not answer the question.
• Language that is too broad or general. Be specific.
• Bluffing. This far too common practice of using elegant but empty language to conceal ignorance or lack of effort rarely works, and often irritates the reader(s).
• Write as legibly as you can. If you want, write on every other line so you have room to add later. When you want to cross something off, simply draw a straight line through it. This is much better than scribbling out an entire passage.
• If you run out of time, simply write "Ran out of time" at the close of the essay. This is much better than adding a hurriedly tacked on, and possibly incoherent, conclusion.

Essay examinations are difficult because of the time pressures, yet you should always try to leave a few minutes at the end to proofread your essay. 1.  Ask yourself, before you hand in the essay:

• Did I provide the information requested? That is, did I "explain" or "define" as the directions asked?
• Is the answer simply, clearly, and logically organized?
• Do I stick to my thesis statement? Is there unnecessary information in here?
• Did I proofread to check content and/or mechanical errors?

2.  Proofreading:

• Gives you a chance to catch and correct errors in content.
• Gives you a chance to correct your mechanical errors.
• Allows you to add material that may have occurred to you after writing the essay.

3.  You should proofread for:

• Complete sentences (watch for fragments, comma-splices, and run-ons).
• Words omitted, or one word used when you meant another.
• Logical transitions between sentences and paragraphs.
• Unnecessary repetition of words or ideas.
• Spelling errors.

3.  Essay type tests depend a great deal on your basic writing skills - organization, punctuation, grammar, and spelling. If your answer is not clearly written, your instructor won't be able to find it! Here are some basic guidelines to keep in mind as you take an essay test:

• Read the directions carefully! Read every part of the directions!
• Give yourself time to answer each question. Quickly look over the entire exam and budget your time per question accordingly.
• Above all, stay calm. You are being asked to show competence, not perfection.
• If you are not too sure about one question, leave it and go back.
• When given a choice, answer the questions you know best.
• State your points and support ideas clearly - don't make the instructor have to look for them.
• Go back to check and proofread all of your answers.

PREPARING FOR ESSAY EXAMS

WRITING A SUCCESSFUL ESSAY EXAM BEGINS ON DAY ONE 1.  Study regularly as you go along.

• Take careful lecture notes.
• Read all material when assigned.
• Become familiar with vocabulary.
• Keep a study list of all main ideas.

2.  Final preparation

• Review lecture notes and reading material.
• Find a classmate or friend willing to talk over key ideas and implications.
• Try to anticipate questions . This is very important!  Use your lecture notes to zero in on points that the instructor emphasized.
• Think through the material and write up the best possible essay questions you can.
• Then answer those questions.
• Pinpoint key points that you would like to make when answering each question.
• Put your answer into outline form or write it out completely.
• For each potential test question, use mnemonics or other memory techniques to move the information to your long-term memory for the exam.
• Create a list of the clue words for each point you wish to make.
• Create a mnemonic device to memorize those points.

3.  Come to the exam confident that you have something specific to say on all possible topics. KEY WORDS COMMONLY FOUND ON ESSAY EXAMS

Compare: Look for qualities or characteristics that resemble each other. Emphasize similarities among them, but in some cases also mention differences.

Contrast: Stress the dissimilarities, differences, or unlikenesses of things, qualities, events, or problems.

Criticize: Express your judgement about the merit or truth of the factors or views mentioned. Give the results of your analysis of these factors, discussing their limitations and good points.

Define: Give concise, clear, and authoritative meanings. Don't give details, but make sure to give the limits of the definitions. Show how the thing you are defining differs from things in other classes.

Describe: Recount, characterize, sketch, or relate in sequence or story form.

Diagram: Give a drawing, chart, plan, or graphic answer. Usually you should label a diagram. In some cases, add a brief explanation or description.

Discuss: Examine, analyze carefully, and give reasons pro and con. Be complete, and give details.

Enumerate: Write in list or outline form, giving points concisely one by one.

Evaluate: Carefully appraise the problem, citing both advantages and limitations. Emphasize the appraisal of authorities and, to lesser degree, your personal evaluation.

Explain: Clarify, interpret, and spell out the material you present. Give reasons for differences of opinion or of results, and try to analyze causes.

Illustrate: Use a figure, picture, diagram, or concrete example to explain or clarify a problem.

Interpret: Translate, give examples of, solve, or comment on, a subject, usually giving your judgment about it.

Justify: Prove or give reasons for decisions or conclusions, taking pains to be convincing.

List: As in "enumerate," write an itemized series of concise statements.

Outline: Organize a description under main points and subordinate points, omitting minor details and stressing the arrangement or classification of things.

Prove: Establish that something is true by citing factual evidence or giving clear logical reasons.

Relate: Show how things are related to, or connected with, each other or how one causes another, or is like another.

Review: Examine a subject critically, analyzing and commenting on the important statements to be made about it.

Sketch: means "break down into its component parts."

State: Present the main points in brief, clear sequence, usually omitting details, illustrations, or examples.

Summarize: Give the main points or facts in condensed form, like the summary of a chapter, omitting details and illustrations.

Trace: In narrative form describe progress, development, or historical events from some point of origin.

Identify or characterize: means "distinguish this term, or this person from all others that are similar." Both are clear injunctions to be as specific as possible.

Illustrate or exemplify: means "giving examples," showing thereby, rather than by definition, that you understand the concept. TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES

To achieve unity and coherence, writers use transitional words and phrases. Transitional expressions clarify the relationships between clauses, sentences, and paragraphs, helping guide the readers along. The following is a partial list of transitional expressions.

To Add or Show Sequence: again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreover, next, second, still, too

To Compare: also, in the same way, likewise, similarly

To Contrast: although, and yet, but, but at the same time, despite, even so, even though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, nevertheless, notwithstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, regardless, sill, though, whereas, yet

To Give Examples or Intensify: after all, an illustration of, even, for example, for instance, indeed, in fact, it is true, of course, specifically, that is, to illustrate, truly

To Indicate Place: above, adjacent to, below, elsewhere, farther on, here, near, nearby, on the other side, opposite to, there, to the east, to the left

To Indicate Time: after a while, afterward, as long as, as soon as, at last, at length, at that time, before, earlier, formerly, immediately, in the meantime, in the past, lately, later, meanwhile, now, presently, shortly, simultaneously, since, so far, soon, subsequently, then, thereafter, until, until now, when

To Repeat Summarize or Conclude: all in all, altogether, as has been said, in brief, in conclusion in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole,that is, therefore, to put it differently, to summarize

To Show Cause or Effect: accordingly, as a result, because, consequently, for this purpose, hence, otherwise, since, then, therefore, thereupon, this, to this end, with this object.

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Essay Test Preparation Tips and Strategies

Essay test questions can be very intimidating, but they can also be very rewarding. Unlike other types of exams (i.e., multiple choice, true or false, etc.) essay tests allow you develop an answer based on your understanding or knowledge.

If you’ve studied all semester, understand the course concepts, and have reviewed prior to the test, the following strategies can help you improve your performance on essay tests and exams.

Strategies to Help You Improve Your Performance on Essay Tests and Exams

Read the directions.

Reading the directions seems so obvious. Unfortunately, it’s still one of the biggest test taking mistakes students make. Before answering an essay question, thoroughly read the instructions. Do not jump to the answer without being sure of what exactly the question is asking. In many cases, the teacher is looking for specific types of responses. Never assume you know what is being asked, or what is required, until you’ve read the entire question.

Ask for clarification

Read essay questions in their entirety before preparing an answer. If the instructions are unclear, or you simply don’t understand a question, ask the teacher for clarification. Chances are if you’re confused so is someone else. Never be scared to ask for clarification from your teacher or instructor.

Provide detail

Provide as many details and specific examples when answering an essay question as you can. Teachers are usually looking for very specific responses to see whether or not you’ve learned the material. The more relevant detail you provide, the higher grade is likely to be. However, only include correct, accurate and relevant information. Including irrelevant “filler” that doesn’t support your answer will likely lower your grade.

Budget your time

Manage your time wisely when answering essay questions so you are able answer all the questions, not just the easy or hard ones. If you finish your test before time is up, go back and review your answers and provide additional details.

We recommend answering those essay questions you’re most familiar with first and then tackling more challenging questions after. It’s also not uncommon on essay tests for some questions to be worth more than others. When budgeting your time, make sure to allocate more time to those questions that are worth the most.

Follow the instructions

When a question is only requiring facts, be sure to avoid sharing opinions. Only provide the information the instructions request. It’s important to provide an answer that matches the type of essay question being asked. You’ll find a list of common types of essay questions at the bottom of this page.

In your answers, get to the point and be very clear. It is generally best to be as concise as possible. If you provide numerous facts or details, be sure they’re related to the question. A typical essay answer should be between 200 and 800 words (2-8 paragraphs) but more isn’t necessarily better. Focus on substance over quantity.

Write clearly and legibly

Be sure your essays are legible and easy to understand. If a teacher has a difficult time reading or understanding what you’ve written, you could receive a lower score.

Get organized

Organize your thoughts before answering your essay question. We even recommend developing a short outline before preparing your answer. This strategy will help you save time and keep your essay organized. Organizing your thoughts and preparing a short outline will allow you to write more clearly and concisely.

Get to the point – Focus on substance

Only spend time answering the question and keep your essays focused. An overly long introduction and conclusion can be unnecessary. If your essay does not thoroughly answer the question and provide substance, a well developed introduction or conclusion will do you no good.

Use paragraphs to separate ideas

When developing your essay, keep main ideas and other important details separated with paragraphs. An essay response should have three parts: the introduction; the body; and the conclusion. The introduction is typically one paragraph, as is the conclusion. The body of the essay usually consists of 2 to 6 paragraphs depending on the type of essay and the information being presented.

Go back and review

If time permits, review your answers and make changes if necessary. Make sure you employed correct grammar and that your essays are well written. It’s not uncommon to make silly mistakes your first time through your essay. Reviewing your work is always a good idea.

Approximate

When you are unsure of specific dates, just approximate dates. For example, if you know an event occurred sometime during the 1820’s, then just write, “in the early 1800’s.”

Common Question Types on Essay Exams

Being able to identify and becoming familiar with the most common types of essay test questions is key to improving performance on essay exams. The following are 5 of the most common question types you’ll find on essay exams.

1. Identify

Identify essay questions ask for short, concise answers and typically do not require a fully developed essay.

• Ask yourself: “What is the idea or concept in question?”, “What are the main characteristics?”, “What does this mean?”
• Keywords to look for: Summarize, List, Describe, Define, Enumerate, State
• Example question: “Define what is meant by ‘separation of church and state.'”

Explain essay questions require a full-length essay with a fully developed response that provides ample supporting detail.

• Ask yourself: “What are the main points?”, “Why is this the case?”
• Keywords to look for: Discuss, Explain, Analyze, Illustrate
• Example question: “Discuss the differences between the political views of democrats and republicans. Use specific examples from each party’s 2017 presidential campaign to argue which views are more in line with U.S. national interests.”

Compare essay questions require an analysis in essay form which focuses on similarities, differences, and connections between specific ideas or concepts.

• Ask yourself: “What are the main concepts or ideas?”, “What are the similarities?”, “What are the differences?”
• Keywords to look for: Compare, Contrast, Relate
• Example question: “Compare the value of attending a community college to the value of attending a 4-year university. Which would you rather attend?”

Argue essay questions require you to form an opinion or take a position on an issue and defend your position against alternative positions using arguments backed by analysis and information.

• Ask yourself: “Is this position correct?”, “Why is this issue true?”
• Keywords to look for: Prove, Justify
• Example question: “Argue whether robotics will replace blue collar manufacturing jobs in the next ten years.”

Assess essay questions involve assessing an issue, idea or question by describing acceptable criteria and defending a position/judgment on the issue.

• Ask yourself: “What is the main idea/issue and what does it mean?”, “Why is the issue important?”, “What are its strengths?”, “What are the weaknesses?”
• Keywords to look for: Evaluate, Criticize, Evaluate, Interpret
• Example question: “With respect to U.S. national security, evaluate the benefit of constructing a wall along the southern border of the United States of America.”

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How to Write CLEAR Test Instructions (With 6 Examples)

• Post author: Marie
• Post published: August 18, 2020
• Post category: Classroom Management / Teacher Life / Uncategorized
• Post comments: 42 Comments

Without writing clear instructions on a test, students cannot do their absolute best on that test, regardless of how much they have studied and mastered the material.  But different people process information and instructions in different ways.  So how do we write clear test instructions that everybody can understand, and then, in turn, perform well on the test that they are taking? According to an article in Thoughtco, not following directions on a test is one of the top ten mistakes students make on tests.  While not a cure-all, writing clear instructions on a test will help to prevent that from happening. Over the years I have written many tests and honestly, thought little about how clear the instructions that I wrote were.  My focus was generally on the test questions themselves. While many test instructions, such as for true/false answers, are pretty straight forward, there are others that are not so cut and dry.  And it was for those that I often realized after the fact that I had not communicated my instructions clearly enough for all of the students to adequately answer the questions. So I did some research and looked into how I could better formulate clear instructions for my students’ tests.  While there is little information online for this subject, I did find a wealth of information in other subject areas that directly pertain to writing clear instructions for school tests.

Table of Contents

Here are the 6 biggest factors I found helpful:

• Specifically state the exact information you are seeking from the student.
• Keep in mind what your goal answers were in asking those questions.
• Encourage students to get any needed help by stating directly on the test that if any parts of the instructions are unclear, the student should request help from the teacher.
• Consider writing the instructions on some of the questions in the questions themselves, rather than having a set of instructions for several following  questions.
• Don’t let the instructions become complex.  Keep them simple and specific. Split up complex questions as separate questions with spaces for answers in each step.
• Remember to give context.

Make Your Instructions Specific

One of the primary ways to write clear test instructions is to be specific and concise at the same time in your wording.  Saying “answer the following questions” may work for some questions.  But for others, you may need to be more specific. If you are asking a question based on information your class learned that was extensive or covered a large amount of time, you will most likely need to point to a particular subset of that subject.  This will help their minds to drill in on exactly the part of the concept/subject you are referring to. In addition to this, adding irrelevant items to your test questions or instructions can actually distract your students and cause them to answer the questions incorrectly, or not the way you wanted them to answer it.  Being very concise will help you to avoid this problem with your students.

Note:  For my examples, I will be using literature tests that I have issued in my studies on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Here is an example of how to be specific and concise in  writing clear test instructions:

Based on our classroom discussion on what tactics the White Witch used to trick Edmund into believing her, answer the following questions:

This allows the students to see exactly what part of the text you are testing them on without dragging them down with too many details or being so vague that they don’t know exactly what you are asking for.

Clearly State Your Goals in Your Instructions

I can’t tell you how many times I have been in a study group and the moderator/leader asks a question, but nobody knows exactly where he/she is going with the question or how to answer it. Often we think that we are communicating our points clearly because we know everything that we are thinking.  Others don’t know everything that is in our brain, so the knowledge they bring in reading those instructions could be comprehending something totally different than what we communicated. There are a couple of great solutions to this.  First, read back over your questions as though you are a student, trying to see it as they would.  That can help you determine if you worded it well enough.  Second, you can ask a fellow teacher to quickly read over it to make sure that it is cohesive in thought and written well enough for students to answer correctly.

Here is an example of directly telling the students the goal that I have in the subsequent questions:

For the following questions, think about how Edmund responded to the White Witch after he enjoyed the Turkish Delight and hot drink.  Then answer the questions in light of your notes and classroom discussion.

Provide a Note Encouraging Students to Seek Help for Instructions That Are Unclear to Them

Chances are you are not going to write perfect instructions on every test you write for your students over your whole teaching career.  Actually, you are 100% guaranteed to not be perfect since we are all human. One of the best ways we can solve this human error problem is to have a note on each test that reminds students to seek help if the test instructions are not clear to them. This is a perfect solution because it allows you to dialog with the student until you are both confident that you are on the same page.  And it also helps students to understand even if your instructions weren’t poorly written but student(s) are having a difficult time understanding.

I am just going to show you an example from the top of a test form that I used:

Provide Instructions Within the Test Questions

This is especially effective when your test is comprised of single or multiple sentence answers or essay questions.  By putting the instructions for what you are looking for in their answer within the question, you are allowing them fresh perspective on that particular question. They don’t have to look back for it.  And they won’t be confused because they have all of the tools they need for that question right there. There are several advantages to this technique.  First, they won’t lose their place and become more confused.  Second, they will save time because they don’t have to flip back to another part of the test to make sure they are doing it correctly.  And third, they will understand the instructions and the question better if it is all in the same place with no distractions.

Here is an example of providing the instructions for answering the question within the question:

When you think about the White Witch trying to be nice to Edmund, but yet her evil tendencies emerge several times throughout her attempt to gain his trust, how do you think he was able to trust her without seeming to be affected by the evil that she couldn’t hide? __________________________________________________

Split Up Complex Test Instructions

If you have questions that need several steps to answer, the best way to do this is to split the sections up into digestible pieces for the students.  This is more necessary in the younger grades.  You wouldn’t necessarily need to do this for high school students. If your question has multiple parts to it, go step by step and give your students room to answer the parts you have explained.  This will allow them to see the progression of thought. As they get older and tests no longer do this, they will still retain the knowledge of the thought process in multiple step test questions, even when those steps are no longer clearly separated.  This is a great stepping stone to greater test taking.  But it’s also a great way to get them to that place by showing them on paper what their brains will eventually do on its own.

While this is more effective in more complex subjects such as math or science, it is also effective in literature.  Here is an example:

How did the White Witch counsel  Edmund with regard to the position of the 4 human children’s roles in Narnia? __________________________________________________ How did Aslan counsel Peter, Susan, and Lucy with regard to the position of the 4 human children’s roles in Narnia?__________________________________________________ How do you think the Pevensie children came together in fulfilling their roles in Narnia in spite of the very different counsel they received? __________________________________________________

Here are a couple of other articles about test taking in the classroom that may be helpful to you:

Should Teachers be Using True or False Questions on a Test ?

Are Open Book Exams a Closed Case?  The Pros and Cons

Remember to Give Context

I once took a test that would copy sentences from the text that I would need to fill in the blanks.  The problem with that was that often the sentences had no context and I had no idea what section of study they were referring to.  This was partially because the sentences were so general that I couldn’t tell the specific subject being covered.  And it was also due to the same question being able to be asked across several subjects we had covered. The problem with this was that the teacher was expecting a certain answer but there could have been multiple correct answers.  And I couldn’t read his mind. By giving a sentence of context leading up to the exact question, you are removing any confusion the student may have regarding what information you are looking for.  They may not be able to recall the particular answer you are looking for, but at least there is no confusion on what you are talking about in your question.

Here is an example of how context helps the students to recall specifically what I wanted them to regarding the questions that followed:

From our discussion on Chapter 4, where the White Witch spent the entire chapter tricking Edmund into trusting her so he would be willing to do anything she bade him, answer the following questions:

You can do this with each section that you are testing on.  This allows the students to clearly understand what you are generally talking about.  And it can even help them with recall when you are specifically addressing things that you covered in class.

While these five tips and examples on how to write clear test instructions are a great start, I am sure that other teachers have come up with great tips as well in their own classroom experiences.  I would love to hear more of them!  Please feel free to comment your thoughts below.

If you enjoyed this article, I think you will also enjoy the following related articles:

How Many Questions Should be on a Test? Seven Styles of Learning and How they Apply to Your Students Best and  Worst Reading Apps for Struggling Readers Does Chewing Gum Help Students Focus?

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This post has 42 comments.

I love that you included the little note about asking for help if the kids don’t understand a question. When I was a kid, I just had to muddle through the test whether I understood the questions or not.

I think that many teachers are willing to help in this way, but the students don’t realize it because the teachers never come out and say it. I think that teachers assume kids already know it, but they don’t always.

Oh my gosh I SO AGREE. I sometimes struggled with this but always just felt like if I didn’t understand that it probably just meant I hadn’t studied well enough, which is just so sad not that I look back on it.

Exactly, Krysten! I hope that this will help students and teachers going forward to close that communication gap.

This is such great info for teachers. I can remember a number of tests I had to take when I was in school that I was so lost because the instructions weren’t clear.

I remember the same, Heather. But it never even occurred to me to ask for help with the instructions. I just felt like I was on my own and needed to figure it out.

I have a friend who is also an educator and I am sure these things can help her to do a test/s for her students. I will definitely sharing this with her.

Thank you, Gervin!

These are great steps! I especially liked how you encourage the children to not be afraid to seek clarification if they need it as well as splitting up the complex questions. It can get so overwhelming for the students so these absolute help!

Thank you, Lucy!

This is really valuable information from a professional in their field. Thanks for your work.

These are such great instructions on writing clear test questions! The samples that you provided really help exemplify the instructions given, to make me feel confident that I could apply these tips in real life.

This is really helpful, thanks for including all the examples, this is simply brilliant.

These are awesome tips for writing clear test instructions. I remember being in school and getting frustrated when some instructions weren’t clear. It was obvious when more than one student would raise their hand to get clarifications on something, haha.

I wish that all instructors would read this so they know what is expected from the tests that they give out.

Any instructor needs to check out these tips and suggestions. Clear and precious.

YES! as a parent this is so perfect.

These are great tips on how to write test instructions so that people understand and comprehend what you are asking.

Very interesting info! I haven’t known that my teachers had to prepare so many things for a test, including this Test Instruction part.

This is very helpful for teachers while they are creating exams. It should be concise and straight to the point.

Great information for teachers! I’ll pass this on to my niece who is teaching grade-schoolers!

Having clear test instructions are very helpful because the students will be able to process the information and understand how to properly answer the questions without feeling as overwhelmed.

I just forwarded this to my 3 siblings who are all teachers. It’s very informative and helpful. I know that bad instructions increase your anxiety when you are writing your exam.

this is really helpful reading material for teachers. and such wonderful examples too.

this is fantastic. kid need clear instructions, my kids are a perfect example of that. anything complex and they don’t get it.

great information though..glad you shared these facts and ideas with us..they are truly very useful and helpful indeed…

This is great information for an educator. This is definitely back to school season

It might be useful to many around. Good details shared here.

This is so important and any test setter should read this, as with unclear information things can go down hill fast x

I absolutely adore this. I had a few classes when I was in school that I never tested well in, and it was because I didn’t fully understand the questions. The tests were always so confusing.

This is so informative! It’s very important to make sure you ask questions in a certain way so that students don’t misinterpret them!

These are all really helpful pointers! I think this is beneficial not just to teachers, but also to parents who will be teaching their children at home during the pandemic.

This is such a great resource for teachers, especially if they are new and haven’t had as much experience writing clear and concise test instructions. It was great that you added examples for each tip.

I found lectures without clear spots for taking notes are way worse in understanding and remembering.

These are such great tips! I hope that all educators, instructors and even home school parents get a chance to see these!

Kileen cute & little

I love your comment about not being able to read the teacher’s mind. I remember tests in college where I felt frustrated by unclear instructions. All teachers should think this through carefully when building tests and follow your suggestions. Great article!

These are excellent tips! Thanks for sharing!

These are great tips and very helpful for new teachers. It’s really difficult to make test instructions and this will be very beneficial.

This is really great information for the teachers. Recently one of my friend started teaching so I am sharing with him hope this will definitely going to help him a lot

Glad you are making articles that would be really helpful, for educators. tha k you for sharing it.

Wonderful tips for teachers this year. Especially with most kids virtually learning clarity with definitely help with comprehension since many won’t get a face to face teacher.

Teaching is one of these amazing jobs that tests your ability to be flexible and inclusive when creating and presenting material, and then when assessing it – different people respond to things in different ways, so it’s super important to remember the varied audience when crafting test questions.

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The ultimate essay test guide: achieve top grades with ease.

An essay test, a fundamental tool in academic assessment, measures a student's ability to express, argue, and structure their thoughts on a given subject through written words. This test format delves deeper into a student's critical thinking and writing skills unlike other conventional exam types.

What is an Essay Test?

An essay test is a type of assessment in which a student is prompted to respond to a question or a series of questions by writing an essay.

This form of test isn’t merely about checking a student’s recall or memorisation skills , but more about gauging their ability to comprehend a subject, synthesise information, and articulate their understanding effectively.

Types of Essay Tests

Essay tests can be broadly classified into two categories: Restricted Response and Extended Response .

• Restricted Response tests focus on limited aspects, requiring students to provide short, concise answers.
• Extended Response tests demand more comprehensive answers, allowing students to showcase their creativity and analytical skills.

Advantages and Limitations of an Essay Test

Essay tests offer numerous benefits but also have certain limitations. The advantages of an essay test are :

• They allow teachers to evaluate students’ abilities to organise, synthesise, and interpret information.
• They help in developing critical thinking and writing skills among students.
• They provide an opportunity for students to exhibit their knowledge and understanding of a subject in a broader context.

And the limitations of an essay test are :

• They are time-consuming to both take and grade.
• They are subject to scoring inconsistencies due to potential subjective bias.
• They may cause the students who struggle with written expression may face difficulties, and these tests may not accurately reflect the full spectrum of a student’s knowledge or understanding.

Join over 90% of students getting better grades!

That’s a pretty good statistic. Download our free all-in-one learning app and start your most successful learning journey yet. Let’s do it!

Understanding the Structure of an Essay Test

Essay tests involve a defined structure to ensure organised, coherent, and comprehensive expression of thoughts. Adhering to a specific structure can enhance your ability to answer essay questions effectively .

The 7 Steps of an Essay

Writing an essay test typically involves seven steps :

• Understanding the question
• Brainstorming ideas
• Creating an outline
• Crafting a thesis statement
• Writing the essay body
• Formulating the conclusion
• Revising and editing for clarity and conciseness

The First Sentence in an Essay

The initial sentence of an essay, often termed a hook , plays a crucial role.

It aims to grab the reader’s attention and provoke interest in the essay topic. It should be engaging, and relevant, and set the tone for the rest of the essay .

The 5-Paragraph Essay Format

The 5-paragraph essay format is commonly used in essay tests, providing a clear and organised approach for students to articulate their ideas. In this format, the introduction and the conclusion include 1 paragraph, while the body of the essay includes 3 .

• Introduction : The introduction sets the stage, providing a brief overview of the topic and presenting the thesis statement – the central argument or point.
• Body : The body of the essay contains three paragraphs, each presenting a separate point that supports the thesis statement. Detailed explanations, evidence, and examples are included here to substantiate the points.
• Conclusion : The conclusion reiterates the thesis statement and summarises the main points. It provides a final perspective on the topic, drawing the essay to a close.

How to Prepare for an Essay Test?

Preparing for an essay test demands a structured approach to ensure thorough understanding and effective response. Here are some strategies to make this task more manageable:

#1 Familiarise Yourself with the Terminology Used

Knowledge of key terminologies is essential. Understand the meaning of directives such as “describe”, “compare”, “contrast”, or “analyse”. Each term guides you on what is expected in your essay and helps you to answer the question accurately.

To make it easier, you can take advantage of AI technologies. While preparing for your exam, use similar essay questions as prompts and see how AI understands and evaluates the questions. If you are unfamiliar with AI, you can check out The Best Chat GPT Prompts For Essay Writing .

#2 Review and Revise Past Essays

Take advantage of past essays or essay prompts to review and revise your writing . Analyse your strengths and areas for improvement, paying attention to grammar , structure , and clarity . This process helps you refine your writing skills and identify potential pitfalls to avoid in future tests.

#3 Practice Timed Writing

Simulate test conditions by practising timed writing . Set a specific time limit for each essay question and strive to complete it within that timeframe. This exercise builds your ability to think and write quickly , improving your efficiency during the actual test.

#4 Utilise Mnemonic Techniques

To aid in memorisation and recall of key concepts or arguments, employ mnemonic techniques . These memory aids, such as acronyms, visualisation, or association techniques, can help you retain important information and retrieve it during the test. Practice using mnemonics to reinforce your understanding of critical points.

Exam stress causing you sleepless nights?

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Strategies to Pass an Essay Test

Passing an essay test goes beyond understanding the topic; it also requires strategic planning and execution . Below are key strategies that can enhance your performance in an essay test.

• Read the exam paper thoroughly before diving into writing : read the entire exam paper thoroughly. Understand each question’s requirement and make a mental note of the points to be included in each response. This step will help in ensuring that no aspect of the question is overlooked.
• Answer in the First Sentence and Use the Language of the Question : Begin your essay by clearly stating your answer in the first sentence. Use the language of the question to show you are directly addressing the task. This approach ensures that your main argument is understood right from the start.
• Structure Your Essay : Adopt a logical essay structure , typically comprising an introduction, body, and conclusion. This helps in organising your thoughts, making your argument clearer, and enhancing the readability of your essay.
• Answer in Point Form When Running Out of Time : If time is running short, present your answer in point form. This approach allows you to cover more points quickly, ensuring you don’t leave any questions unanswered.
• Write as Legibly as Possible : Your writing should be clear and easy to read. Illegible handwriting could lead to misunderstandings and may negatively impact your grades.
• Number Your Answers : Ensure your answers are correctly numbered. This helps in aligning your responses with the respective questions, making it easier for the examiner to assess your work, and reducing chances of confusion or error
• Time Yourself on Each Question : Time management is crucial in an essay test. Allocate a specific amount of time to each question, taking into account the marks they carry. Ensure you leave ample time for revising and editing your responses. Practising this strategy can prevent last-minute rushes and result in a more polished essay.

About the Author Oğulcan Tezcan is a writer, translator, editor, and an accomplished engineer. Oğulcan is also a keen researcher and digital market analyst, with a particular interest in self-development, productivity, and human behaviour.

Did you know that StudySmarter was rated best study app worldwide!

Frequently Asked Questions About Essay Tests

How do you answer an essay question, when taking an essay test what is the first step, what type of test is an essay test, what is the first sentence in an essay, what are the six elements of an essay.

3.5 WRITE: Instructions for Essay 01

• Write 2 to 3 pages double-spaced. The exact number of pages, paragraphs, or words is not important. The important thing is that your ideas are clear, complete, and compelling.
• Give your essay a title. Capitalize the first letter of each major word (do not capitalize conjunctions, prepositions, or articles unless they are the first word of the title). Use the CENTER button on the Google Docs or Word toolbar to center the title automatically and accurately.
• Use as many body paragraphs as necessary. Each body paragraph needs a clear topic sentence and supporting ideas. Use a variety of sentence types. Use your computer’s TAB key to indent the first line of each paragraph.
• Include an introduction with a thesis statement that contains a clear topic and claim followed by a preview of the main points.
• Support your ideas with specific details, descriptions, examples, and information from at least one outside source. We will learn formal citations for the second essay. Until then, use a simple attribution such as this: According to Title of Work  by Author Name (YEAR), [paraphrase] or “quoted material.”

Example: According to  Excellent English  by Timothy Krause (2019), the evidence is clear. “Students who can write well will receive higher pay,” says Krause.

• The conclusion should restate the thesis (topic + claim) in light of the information you provided in the body.
• For academic writing, use a formal tone. Write in third person, not first or second person (don’t use I, we , or  you ).
• Use academic vocabulary. Use transition signals ( first, next, also, however , etc.) to guide the reader.
• Remember to edit, proofread, and revise carefully, paying close attention to grammar and mechanics. Review the grading rubrics below and double check your essay for comma splices, subject-verb agreement, word forms, punctuation and spelling.
• Do your own work; do not plagiarize.

All out-of-class writing assignments must be typed. Use a regular font (not too big or little or crazy — for example: Times Roman 12). Assignments must be double-spaced (skip a line). Use approximately one-inch margins on all sides. Include your name and date in the upper left-hand corner. Put the page number in the upper right-hand corner with your last name like this: Krause 1 [but you should use your own last name].

Each draft is worth 10 points, however each draft is graded differently. The grading rubric for the first draft awards more points for content and organization, while the grading rubric for the second draft awards more points for grammar and mechanics.

• Grading Rubric for Draft Essay – See Appendix B
• Grading Rubric for Revised Essay – See Appendix C

MODEL ESSAY

Look in Appendix B for an example of a finished essay.

ANALYZE THE ASSIGNMENT

• What is the purpose of this essay?
• Who is your primary audience for this essay?
• What type of essay will this be? What will you say or show?
• What voice or point of view should you use in this essay?
• What evidence should you use to support your ideas?
• How long should this essay be?
• When is the draft version of this essay due?
• How will you submit the first draft of your essay?
• When is the revised version of this essay due?
• How will you submit the revised version of your essay?

Synthesis Copyright © 2022 by Timothy Krause is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Short Answer & Essay Tests

Strategies, Ideas, and Recommendations from the faculty Development Literature

General Strategies

Save essay questions for testing higher levels of thought (application, synthesis, and evaluation), not recall facts. Appropriate tasks for essays include: Comparing: Identify the similarities and differences between Relating cause and effect: What are the major causes of...? What would be the most likely effects of...? Justifying: Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement. Generalizing: State a set of principles that can explain the following events. Inferring: How would character X react to the following? Creating: what would happen if...? Applying: Describe a situation that illustrates the principle of. Analyzing: Find and correct the reasoning errors in the following passage. Evaluating: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of.

There are three drawbacks to giving students a choice. First, some students will waste time trying to decide which questions to answer. Second, you will not know whether all students are equally knowledgeable about all the topics covered on the test. Third, since some questions are likely to be harder than others, the test could be unfair.

Tests that ask only one question are less valid and reliable than those with a wider sampling of test items. In a fifty-minute class period, you may be able to pose three essay questions or ten short answer questions.

To reduce students' anxiety and help them see that you want them to do their best, give them pointers on how to take an essay exam. For example:

• Survey the entire test quickly, noting the directions and estimating the importance and difficulty of each question. If ideas or answers come to mind, jot them down quickly.
• Outline each answer before you begin to write. Jot down notes on important points, arrange them in a pattern, and add specific details under each point.

Writing Effective Test Questions

Avoid vague questions that could lead students to different interpretations. If you use the word "how" or "why" in an essay question, students will be better able to develop a clear thesis. As examples of essay and short-answer questions: Poor: What are three types of market organization? In what ways are they different from one another? Better: Define oligopoly. How does oligopoly differ from both perfect competition and monopoly in terms of number of firms, control over price, conditions of entry, cost structure, and long-term profitability? Poor: Name the principles that determined postwar American foreign policy. Better: Describe three principles on which American foreign policy was based between 1945 and 1960; illustrate each of the principles with two actions of the executive branch of government.

If you want students to consider certain aspects or issues in developing their answers, set them out in separate paragraph. Leave the questions on a line by itself.

Use your version to help you revise the question, as needed, and to estimate how much time students will need to complete the question. If you can answer the question in ten minutes, students will probably need twenty to thirty minutes. Use these estimates in determining the number of questions to ask on the exam. Give students advice on how much time to spend on each question.

Decide which specific facts or ideas a student must mention to earn full credit and how you will award partial credit. Below is an example of a holistic scoring rubric used to evaluate essays:

• Full credit-six points: The essay clearly states a position, provides support for the position, and raises a counterargument or objection and refutes it.
• Five points: The essay states a position, supports it, and raises a counterargument or objection and refutes it. The essay contains one or more of the following ragged edges: evidence is not uniformly persuasive, counterargument is not a serious threat to the position, some ideas seem out of place.
• Four points: The essay states a position and raises a counterargument, but neither is well developed. The objection or counterargument may lean toward the trivial. The essay also seems disorganized.
• Three points: The essay states a position, provides evidence supporting the position, and is well organized. However, the essay does not address possible objections or counterarguments. Thus, even though the essay may be better organized than the essay given four points, it should not receive more than three points.
• Two points: The essay states a position and provides some support but does not do it very well. Evidence is scanty, trivial, or general. The essay achieves it length largely through repetition of ideas and inclusion of irrelevant information.
• One point: The essay does not state the student's position on the issue. Instead, it restates the position presented in the question and summarizes evidence discussed in class or in the reading.

Try not to bias your grading by carrying over your perceptions about individual students. Some faculty ask students to put a number or pseudonym on the exam and to place that number / pseudonym on an index card that is turned in with the test, or have students write their names on the last page of the blue book or on the back of the test.

Before you begin grading, you will want an overview of the general level of performance and the range of students' responses.

Identify exams that are excellent, good, adequate, and poor. Use these papers to refresh your memory of the standards by which you are grading and to ensure fairness over the period of time you spend grading.

Shuffle papers before scoring the next question to distribute your fatigue factor randomly. By randomly shuffling papers you also avoid ordering effects.

Don't let handwriting, use of pen or pencil, format (for example, many lists), or other such factors influence your judgment about the intellectual quality of the response.

Write brief notes on strengths and weaknesses to indicate what students have done well and where they need to improve. The process of writing comments also keeps your attention focused on the response. And your comments will refresh your memory if a student wants to talk to you about the exam.

Focus on the organization and flow of the response, not on whether you agree or disagree with the students' ideas. Experiences faculty note, however, that students tend not to read their returned final exams, so you probably do not need to comment extensively on those.

Most faculty tire after reading ten or so responses. Take short breaks to keep up your concentration. Also, try to set limits on how long to spend on each paper so that you maintain you energy level and do not get overwhelmed. However, research suggests that you read all responses to a single question in one sitting to avoid extraneous factors influencing your grading (for example, time of day, temperature, and so on).

Wait two days or so and review a random set of exams without looking at the grades you assigned. Rereading helps you increase your reliability as a grader. If your two score differ, take the average.

This protects students' privacy when you return or they pick up their tests. Returning Essay Exams

A quick turnaround reinforces learning and capitalizes on students' interest in the results. Try to return tests within a week or so.

Give students a copy of the scoring guide or grading criteria you used. Let students know what a good answer included and the most common errors the class made. If you wish, read an example of a good answer and contrast it with a poor answer you created. Give students information on the distribution of scores so they know where they stand.

Some faculty break the class into small groups to discuss answers to the test. Unresolved questions are brought up to the class as a whole.

Ask students to tell you what was particularly difficult or unexpected. Find out how they prepared for the exam and what they wish they had done differently. Pass along to next year's class tips on the specific skills and strategies this class found effective.

Include a copy of the test with your annotations on ways to improve it, the mistakes students made in responding to various question, the distribution of students' performance, and comments that students made about the exam. If possible, keep copies of good and poor exams.

The Strategies, Ideas and Recommendations Here Come Primarily From:

Gross Davis, B. Tools for Teaching. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1993.

McKeachie, W. J. Teaching Tips. (10th ed.) Lexington, Mass.: Heath, 2002.

Walvoord, B. E. and Johnson Anderson, V. Effective Grading. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1998.

And These Additional Sources... Brooks, P. Working in Subject A Courses. Berkeley: Subject A Program, University of California, 1990.

Cashin, W. E. "Improving Essay Tests." Idea Paper, no. 17. Manhattan: Center for Faculty

Evaluation and Development in Higher Education, Kansas State University, 1987.

Erickson, B. L., and Strommer, D. W. Teaching College Freshmen. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass, 1991.

Fuhrmann, B. S. and Grasha, A. F. A Practical Handbook for College Teachers. Boston:

Little, Brown, 1983.

Jacobs, L. C. and Chase, C. I. Developing and Using Tests Effectively: A Guide for Faculty.

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992.

Jedrey, C. M. "Grading and Evaluation." In M. M. gullette (ed.), The Art and Craft of Teaching.

Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1984.

Lowman, J. Mastering the Techniques of Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1984.

Ory, J. C. Improving Your Test Questions. Urbana:

Office of Instructional Res., University of Illinois, 1985.

Tollefson, S. K. Encouraging Student Writing. Berkeley:

Office of Educational Development, University of California, 1988.

Unruh, D. Test Scoring manual: Guide for Developing and Scoring Course Examinations.

Los Angeles: Office of Instructional Development, University of California, 1988.

Walvoord, B. E. Helping Students Write Well: A Guide for Teachers in All Disciplines.

(2nded.) New York: Modern Language Association, 1986.

We use cookies on this site. By continuing to browse without changing your browser settings to block or delete cookies you agree to the UW-Whitewater Privacy Notice .

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the complete act instructions: expert guide and tips.

ACT General Info

What exactly are the instructions on the ACT? Do they really matter?

We will go over the complete ACT directions, including the main directions and the specific directions for each section. We’ll show how they reveal tips for how to do well on the test. You may be surprised by how many hints there are in the ACT directions!

Furthermore, knowing these directions before test day can save you time and stress – so you can just focus on the questions! So read on to be as prepared as possible for the ACT.

Overall ACT Directions

These are directions that appear on the front of your test booklet and apply to the entire test. Read the complete directions below, and then we’ll discuss the most important points.

Directions and sample questions via ACT's Preparing for the ACT Guide.

Calculators

You can only use a calculator on the math section. While you likely won’t be tempted to pull out your calculator for English or Reading, some students get confused since the Science section also contains numbers, graphs and charts. However, you cannot use your calculator on the Science section.

If you pull out your calculator for a non-calculator section, you can be disqualified and your scores invalidated. Make sure to only have the calculator out for math!

Notice that the ACT lists this rule before the even more basic ones about how to fill in answers , meaning they’re very serious about it.

Marking Answers

The mechanism for marking your answers is pretty basic if you’re taken standardized tests before: “Decide which answer is best, locate on the answer document the number that matches the question you’re on, fill in the oval completely.”

This seems basic, but you need to be careful to check your answers every few questions to make sure you didn’t start filling out the bubbles off by one. How awful would it be if you found most of the right answers but bubbled in your test incorrectly?

Also, make sure to “Use soft lead and make your marks heavy and black.” That means no ink or mechanical pencil. Make sure you bring enough sharpened pencils with you so you don’t have to get up and sharpen your pencil during the test. We suggest bringing at least four, one for each section, plus one for the essay if you’re taking the ACT Plus Writing.

One other caution the directions bring up: “Mark only one answer for each question…erase completely if you change your mind.” Basically, you want to make sure your answer key is as clear as possible. You might leave time in the last few minutes of the test to double check your answer key to make sure all answers are filled in and neatly marked.

Finally, only responses marked on your answer document are scored. Your booklet is not scored in any way. If you’re marking your answers in the booklet and then transferring a few answers at a time to the answer sheet, be very careful to make sure you don’t run out of time. Remember, you can only get credit for an answer bubbled onto the answer sheet.

You might think that the ACT doesn’t care one way or the other how well you do on the test. Think again. Notice that they say in all caps, bold, and italic that “ IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO GUESS ” !

They’re right, of course – since there is no point deduction for wrong answers, you can pick up a few extra points by filling in all the bubbles on each section , even if you’ve run out of time and you have to guess. You can read more about smart guessing strategies over here .

But as we learn in the next section, you can only guess or fill in random bubbles while a particular section is being tested – you can’t, for example, fill in random bubbles for Math questions when you’ve moved on to Reading.

Only Work on the Section at Hand

You can work on a section only after the proctor has told you do so. You cannot go ahead to a different section, and you cannot work on a previous section. You can get disqualified for doing this!

When I took the ACT last June, that particular rule was repeated several times during testing, so you can bet it’s important. The reason for the rule is that they want to make sure students only use the allotted time to work on each section.

This also means you have to lay down your pencil exactly when time is called. You can’t continue to fill in or erase bubbles. Be extra careful when you are in the last five minutes of the test!

It’s not worth the risk of having your whole test thrown out just to bubble in one more question. Not all proctors are going to be super strict on this (they might give you a grace period of a few seconds after they call time), but some are – and you don’t want to risk your entire test being cancelled because you’re trying to sneak in a last answer.

Also, do not, do not, do not bubble in more answers for a section after you’ve moved on to a new section! Proctors walk around and mark down the last answer you’ve filled in right after a section, so they’ll notice if more bubbles get filled in later in the test. Again, it's not worth getting your test thrown out.

ACT English Instructions

Here are the complete directions for the English section, followed by the some important points:

The directions say “The test is broken into five passages, each with 15 questions.” This comes out to 75 questions, meaning you have just 36 seconds per question! You’ll have to keep your pacing up during this section to answer all the questions. (This is why we highly recommend you make carefully-timed practice tests an integral part of your ACT practice , by the way!)

As to the format, the directions say “Certain words and phrases are underlined and numbered, the questions each present alternatives for the underlined portions.” The English test is designed to help you move quickly between the question and the part of the passage it’s asking about. Still, you should do practice sections to get used to this format. Check out some example questions below.

 The test is designed so it's easy to see the part of the passage each question is asking about.

The directions also tell you what kind of answers you should be looking for. “You are to choose the one that best expresses the idea, makes the statement appropriate for standard written English, or is worded most consistently with the style and tone of the passage as a whole.”

So if you get stuck on an English question, choose the answer that seems the clearest to you. (Of course, you should read more about the grammar rules you need to know for English so you're not caught unprepared!)

Also, for many questions, the wording in the passage is already correct. “If you think the original version is best, choose 'No Change.'"  This can be more often than you think! Don’t be afraid to choose this answer.

Some questions are about a paragraph or the passage as a whole, which is why it’s important to at least skim the whole passage. However, we disagree with this part of the directions: “Read each passage through once before you answer the questions that accompany it.”

You don’t actually have to do this. It’s possible to attack the questions immediately and skim the passage for bigger-picture questions. Try a few practice sections using both methods and use the method that works best for you.

Finally, keep in mind that “For many of the questions, you have to read several sentences beyond to answer it.”   This is important to remember. Even if you attack the questions immediately, don’t just read the single sentence. Make sure you have enough context to answer with confidence. Remember, you’re looking for the answer choice that makes the passage as a whole as clear as possible!

ACT Math Instructions

Read the directions below, and we’ll go over the important points:

These are the basics of the math section: “Solve each problem, choose the correct answer, and then fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document.” Again, this seems obvious, but it’s helpful to think of the math section in terms of solving problems. You’re not just finding the right answer, like on the English questions. Math is a bit more involved.

The directions offer some very important advice on this, especially given that you’re solving 60 problems in 60 minutes: “Do not linger over problems that take too much time. Solve as many as you can; then return to the others in the time you have left for this test.”

This is a very important strategy. You have approximately one minute per question on math. If you waste five minutes on one question, you lose the opportunity to work on four other questions. We recommend wearing a watch during the test so you can keep an eye on how long you’re taking on each question.

Remember from the overall directions that Math is the only section you can use a calculator on. The directions have some good advice about how to use the calculator, as well: “You may use your calculator for any problems you choose, but some of the problems may best be done without using a calculator.”

This is good advice. If you become over-reliant on your calculator you can waste a lot of time on the test or even make silly mistakes if you enter in a number incorrectly. Again, this is why practice is so important. Practice taking math sections with a calculator, and figure out where using a calculator saves you time – and where you tend to waste time. (Learn about the best calculator for the ACT .)

Finally, the ACT lays out some ground rules about how the math problems are presented: “Unless otherwise stated, all of the following should be assumed.

• Illustrative figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
• Geometric figures lie in a plane.
• The word line indicates a straight line.
• The word average indicates arithmetic mean.”

So what does all this mean? The first rule, “figures are not drawn to scale” means you can’t solve problems just by looking at the picture and estimating. Many pictures are actually deliberately not drawn to scale to prevent you from taking a shortcut. Remember: you can’t solve any problems by using your fingers to estimate length or an angle. You have to do the math to solve the problems!

" Geometric figures lie in a plane"  means you can assume that geometric figures are on a flat surface. “The word line indicates a straight line” is straightforward, and basically allows the test makers to save space when writing directions.

“Arithmetic mean” is the more precise word for average. It just means the sum of all numbers in a set divided by how many numbers there are. The ACT probably specifies "average means arithmetic mean" just to save space when writing questions.

ACT Reading Instructions

Check out the complete directions below for ACT Reading:

Notice the directions say, “There are several passages in this test.” Actually, there are exactly four! One each of Literature, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Science. Read more about ACT Reading passage types over here .

Also, while the directions say “Each passage is accompanied by several questions,” there are precisely 10 per passage. In other words, every passage is exactly one-fourth of the Reading test. You can use this info to help budget your 35 minutes!

ACT says to approach the reading section like this: “After reading a passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in the corresponding oval on the answer document. You may refer to the passages as often as necessary.”

Our advice: You can actually decide if you want to read the questions or the passage first. For some people questions first is easier, others prefer to read the passage first. The best way to tell is to do a few practice sections, trying each method. Stick with the one that feels best to you. Also check out our article about different ways to read the passage for more advice on this.

ACT Science Instructions

The Science section’s directions are quite similar to reading. Check them out and read our advice below.

Again, while the directions vaguely note that “ There are several passages in this test,” actually there are seven! Again, use this to budget your time – you have approximately five minutes for each passage.

Just like on the Reading section, the ACT advises you to read the passage first: “After reading a passage, choose the best answer to each question and fill in the corresponding oval on your answer document. You may refer to the passages as often as necessary.”

Again, you don’t have to read the passage first, you can jump straight to the questions – try it both ways and stick with the strategy that works best for you. (When I took the ACT last June, I found it was much more effective for me to read the questions first on Science and then turn to the section, even though my strategy on Reading was the opposite. Practice, practice, practice so you can develop the best possible strategies for you!)

Finally, remember that “You are NOT permitted to use a calculator on this test.” As we covered above, keep your calculator put away for every section except math!

ACT Writing Instructions

If you sign up for the ACT Plus Writing, after you complete all of the multiple choice sections you have to write an essay – in just 40 minutes. While you should prepare for the ACT by taking full practice tests so you can build up the stamina you need, you should also familiarize yourself with the essay directions so you waste no time on test day and get straight to your essay. That 40 minutes goes by fast.

Check out the complete directions below.

The basics are as follows: “You will have forty (40) minutes to read the prompt, plan your response, and write an essay in English.” Only essays in English will be graded, even if it’s not your first language.

Also make sure you use that time wisely. It goes by fast. Practicing the essay is important so you can get quick at planning, drafting, and editing an essay within such a short period. (Read more about the essay over here .

The directions say that “Before you begin working, read all material in this test booklet carefully to understand exactly what you’re being asked to do.”    This is important! A big part of doing well on the ACT essay is responding specifically to the prompt and not getting off-topic. Taking an extra minute to fully digest the prompt is a better use of your time than an extra minute to scrawl down any idea that pops into your head.

The directions also provide a good summary of how your essay will be graded: " Analyze and evaluate multiple perspectives on a complex issue, state and develop your own perspective on the issue, explain and support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed examples, clearly and logically organize your ideas in an essay, effectively communicate your ideas in standard written English."

Translation? Take a stance on the position while acknowledging the other side, stay focused throughout your essay on your stance, use logical arguments and good examples to support your stance, use logical organization, and use clear language.

In terms of the logistics, remember this: “You may use the unlined pages in this test booklet to plan your essay. These pages will not be scored.” Be careful not to spend too much time writing your essay outline – you will only be graded based on what makes it to the lined paper.

Also, you might not need all the pages, but don’t skip lines when writing the essay! Even if you think writing every other line makes your essay look neater, this could cause you to run out of room. You can write corrections or additions neatly between the lines of the essay, but do not write in the margins. (These directions actually aren't stated, but they were on the previous year's ACT instructions and we think it makes sense to follow them!)

Finally, keep in mind that illegible essays can’t be scored – remember the essay is graded by actual humans! So slow down if you notice your handwriting getting messy.

That said, if your handwriting is messy but still readable, your score won’t be affected. This isn’t a penmanship test. So write as fast as you can while keeping your writing decently legible. Longer essays tend to be scored higher than short ones , so don’t sacrifice length for neat handwriting.

If you finish early, you can review your essay. Put your pencil down as soon as time is called!

Bottom Line

The ACT reveals some test-taking strategy in the instructions – some helpful, some not so much. But remember the best way to develop a smart ACT strategy is to take complete practice tests. The more you practice before test day, the better prepared you'll be!

Also, make sure you know these rules by heart on test day. You’ll save time if you don’t have to worry about the rules and can just dive into the questions.

What’s Next?

Looking for ACT practice tests? We’ve got ‘em !

What else should you know about the ACT? Get a guide to ACT timing and ACT scoring .

How can you prepare for the ACT? Start with our guide to ACT Science , a complete guide to grammar rules for English , and learn how to stop running out of time on Reading and Math .

What’s a good ACT score? An amazing one? Find out here .

Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.

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