answer essay questions format

19 February, 2014 About the Author Stephanie Allen read Classics and English at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and is currently researching a PhD in Early Modern Academic Drama at the University of Fribourg. We’ve all been there. You’ve handed in an essay and you think it’s pretty great: it shows off all your best ideas, and contains points you’re sure no one else will have thought of. You’re not totally convinced that what you’ve written is relevant to the title you were given – but it’s inventive, original and good. In fact, it might be better than anything that would have responded to the question. But your essay isn’t met with the lavish praise you expected. When it’s tossed back onto your desk, there are huge chunks scored through with red pen, crawling with annotations like little red fire ants: ‘IRRELEVANT’; ‘A bit of a tangent!’; ‘???’; and, right next to your best, most impressive killer point: ‘Right so?’. The grade your teacher has scrawled at the end is nowhere near what your essay deserves. In fact, it’s pretty average. And the comment at the bottom reads something like, ‘Some good ideas, but you didn’t answer the question!’. If asked a question about Keats, you should write about Keats. If this has ever happened to you (and it has happened to me, a lot), you’ll know how deeply frustrating it is – and how unfair it can seem. This might just be me, but the exhausting process of researching, having ideas, planning, writing and re-reading makes me steadily more attached to the ideas I have, and the things I’ve managed to put on the page. Each time I scroll back through what I’ve written, or planned, so far, I become steadily more convinced of its brilliance. What started off as a scribbled note in the margin, something extra to think about or to pop in if it could be made to fit the argument, sometimes comes to be backbone of a whole essay – so, when a tutor.
Summary: While most OWL resources recommend a longer writing process (start early, revise often, conduct thorough research, etc.), sometimes you just have to write quickly in test situations. However, these exam essays can be no less important pieces of writing than research papers because they can influence final grades for courses, and/or they can mean the difference between getting into an academic program (GED, SAT, GRE). To that end, this resource will help you prepare and write essays for exams. Contributors:Kate Bouwens, Allen BrizeeLast Edited: 2010-04-17 05:46:24 What is a well written answer to an essay question? It is. Well Focused Be sure to answer the question completely, that is, answer all parts of the question. Avoid padding. A lot of rambling and ranting is a sure sign that the writer doesn't really know what the right answer is and hopes that somehow, something in that overgrown jungle of words was the correct answer. Well Organized Don't write in a haphazard think-as-you-go manner. Do some planning and be sure that what you write has a clearly marked introduction which both states the point(s) you are going to make and also, if possible, how you are going to proceed. In addition, the essay should have a clearly indicated conclusion which summarizes the material covered and emphasizes your thesis or main point. Well Supported Do not just assert something is true, prove it. What facts, figures, examples, tests, etc. prove your point? In many cases, the difference between an A and a B as a grade is due to the effective use of supporting evidence. Well Packaged People who do not use conventions of language are thought of by their readers as less competent and less educated. If you need help with these or other writing skills, come to the Writing Lab! How do you write an effective essay exam? Read through all the questions carefully. Budget your time.
Guidelines for Essay Writing Mistakes to Avoid When Summarizing an Argument How to Answer Essay and Short Answer Questions PLAGIARISM WEBSITE Guidelines for Essay Writing Ed Wingenbach Format: Format the first page of the paper by typing your name, the name of the instructor, the name of the class, and the date one inch below the top of the page, double-spaced, and flush with the left margin.  Center the title of your paper on the next line.  Capitalize the first words, last words, and all principal words in the title.  Do not underline or put quotation marks in the title.  On all pages of the paper, type your last name and the page number flush with the right margin, one half-inch below the top of the page (use the header function of your word processing program for this).  Use one inch margins for all pages of the paper.  Double space throughout the paper. Thesis: The first paragraph of your essay should explicate the thesis for your essay.  It should be concise and carefully worded, as you will be expected to address every issue raised by the thesis.  The essay should include no sentence that does not in some way relate to the thesis of the essay.  Your first paragraph should elaborate your thesis, explaining how you will prove the thesis, upon what evidence you will rely, and any assumptions that you are taking for granted.  The first paragraph, then, will tell the reader what you will argue and how you will do so.  Remember, a thesis is a promise to the reader that you will discuss everything included in the statement; therefore, be sure that you avoid over generalizations or extravagant claims.  At some point in the first paragraph, usually the first or last sentence, you should attempt to express the central claim of your thesis in a single statement.  Lastly, keep in mind that a thesis involves a debatable proposition; if you cannot articulate the.
A: Quick AnswerAccording to the The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue, a good essay is focused, organized, supported and packaged. Keywords should also be identified within the question around which the answer is constructed. The overall structure of the essay should be similar to that of a regular essay, with a brief introduction containing a summary of the answer, then supporting information and a conclusion.  Know MoreFull AnswerIn order to properly complete an essay, it is important to allocate time in which to construct an answer. This is particularly crucial when a question is part of a multi-question essay exam. Once the amount of time available to answer the question is determined, the question is read carefully several times. If there are multiple questions, all questions are read in order to determine the order in which to answer them. Keywords identify what the question is actually asking. There are six different types of questions indicated by keywords: supported thesis, cause and effect, compare and contrast, process analysis, definitions and analysis. Once the type of question is determined, an essay style answer is constructed using the proper type of supporting material. It is a good idea to make an outline for an answer, and jot down a few key phrases on a piece of scrap paper or in the exam margins prior to writing on the sheet that is turned in to be graded.Learn more about Homework HelpSources:Related QuestionsQ:What is a simile center?A:Filed Under:Q:What are answers to math problems?A:Solving a math problem results in a numerical answer of equal value to the problem's equation. Most math problems require the solver to find the value of an unknown variable. In the algebraic math problem x - 4 = 10, the answer is the value of x. Answers may also equal the simplified value of a problem: 6a + 5b + 4a = 15a. Full Answer >Filed Under:Q:What is the.
ESSAY QUESTIONS (EQ) Christine. Bauer-Ramazani To answer an essay question (EQ), students must assess the purpose of the essay question: factual recall, analysis (explanation of relationships) synthesis (application/transfer of previously learned principles) opinion How much information to include, repeat, restate (intro needed? details needed?). The chart below outlines 4 main types of essay questions, the verbs/cues that indicate the type of essay question and its purpose, and the strategy to be used to answer it. ESSAY QUESTION -- TYPE   VERBS / CUES DEFINITION / STRATEGY    NAME, LIST, STATE, SUMMARIZE,    OUTLINE  è   Restate or summarize from your notes. Analysis / Explanation of Relationships   EXPLAIN, DISCUSS  (Main ideas and Major supporting points)  è explain in detail, based on the             information in a lecture or reading Note:Do not express your opinion!  è    use critical analysis è use Cause/Effect; (C/E) è use Comparison/Contrast (C/C) Synthesis / Application of previously learned principles     ANALYZE, EVALUATE, EXPLAIN, PROVE, SHOW, JUSTIFY, ILLUSTRATE, COMPARE/ CONTRAST  è transfer the principles or material         learned in class to another example or       situation (synthesis /“think”-question) Note: Do not express your opinion!     IN YOUR OPINION.     WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT.?  è State your opinion and prove it with             examples and/or supporting points by             referring to information from a lecture             or reading. HOW TO ANSWER AN ESSAY QUESTION Helpful Hints Read the questions very carefully at least 2 or 3 times. Circle  the main verb (= action verb/imperative) in the question and decide on the necessary rhetorical strategy for answering the question (cause-effect, comparison-contrast, definition, classification, problem-solution). Make sure you understand what type of answer the main verb calls for (a.
Extended-response or essay questions take care and thought, but they are nothing to fear. In fact, the more you show what you know about a topic, the more credit you are likely to receive on a test. How To Do It Good extended-response answers have three parts: a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Beginning The first paragraph introduces your main idea or position. It begins with a topic sentence. The topic sentence states plainly the point you intend to make in your answer. Often it simply restates the question. Middle The second paragraph provides information, examples, and details to support your main idea or position. This is where you show in detail what you know or think about the topic. If the answer calls for a great deal of information, you may need more than one paragraph. Ending The final paragraph sums up your main idea or position. It restates your topic sentence, this time with more feeling. Now You Try Work through these steps as you answer the question below. Write your answer on a separate piece of paper. Step 1 Read the question carefully. Take a moment to think about it. What exactly is it asking? Are you being asked to argue a position or to show what you know about a subject? Be sure you know what you are being asked to do before you begin writing. Question: Many cities around the world are located near large rivers and lakes, or near an ocean. Why do you think this is so? Provide three or more important advantages that waterways offer cities, and explain why each advantage is important. Give examples. Step 2 Decide on your main idea or position. You might simply want to restate the question. Write it down. This will be your topic sentence. Then add any extra information that will help explain your topic. That's your first paragraph. Step 3 Now think. How can you fully explain your idea or position? What details and examples support your main.