Whether you were struggling last year or not, becoming an "A" student or maintaining an "A" average is a goal that every student should have. Grades are very important, but even more, so is understanding the concepts. Here are some ways to become an "A" student this school year. Organizational Skills Being organized is an essential skill to have if you want to be an "A" student. This means you have to become very familiar with to-do lists and planners. Have a folder with sections for each subjec t that you do so that you can easily and effectively file handouts, worksheets, notes and test papers. Studying : As it relates to studying, create a list with the topics or points that you wish to study based on the time that you have to study. However, be realistic with what you can achieve in each study session. There are also various study techniques that you can make use of! Homework : When it comes to homework, be sure to create a list of your h...
Exams which require essay responses, test your knowledge and understanding of a subject matter along with your skills in reading and writing.
In order to be successful in essay exams, you must know the material and be able to prove that you do. When responding, you must be specific and use the appropriate jargon and employ a reasonable organization that shows sufficient thought development. Although it is not a favorite among students, you do not have to fear these types of exams.
Here are the top 5 ways in which you can approach essay exams and come out victorious.
Firstly, it is imperative that you read the question properly.
This is a common mistake among students. Carefully read the questions and instructions. Break the question into parts to highlight the key concepts and know exactly what you need to answer. Take note of the task word in the question. Task words include words such as analyze, define, discuss, outline, describe, evaluate among others. A list of task words and their meanings can be found by clicking HERE.
Secondly, jot down ideas which immediately come to mind, especially those which include specific vocabulary from the syllabus and related coursework. Take a few minutes to create an outline of what your essay will be like including the introductory paragraph, the points that will constitute the body of the essay and the concluding paragraph. Although this takes time away from actually writing your essay, it is important to make an outline to increase chances of a more coherent essay with points that flow. It also keeps you organized and focused while preventing you from getting sidetracked. Be reminded that it should, of course follow basic essay structure and include an introduction, body and conclusion. Your introduction should explicitly state your answer to the question and the organization of the essay. The body must include supporting material and the appropriate supporting details for your answer. In your conclusion, you are basically re-answering the question while briefly referring to the points you have made in the body of your essay.
Follow your outline as you begin your essay. Coherent organization is one of the most important characteristics of a good essay and this allows for that as well as the logical progression of your ideas throughout the essay. If you are unsure of what to do, try writing the body paragraphs before writing the introductory paragraph. You may develop a stronger sense of what your thesis is after you have developed your arguments. We recommend leaving a space or two after each paragraph. That way, if you have anything to add, you have the space to do so. In the body of the essay, ensure that you are stating your points clearly, providing evidence to support these points and giving your clear analyses. You have to support your ideas by using examples, especially those that have been discussed in classes and specifically mentioned in the syllabus, but also be sure to explain how this connects back to the point you are trying to explore in the paragraph. Use transitional phrases to direct readers through your ideas. These include ‘first of all, although, next, secondly, on one hand/on the other hand’ and many more.
Be sure to keep track of time. Allocate a set time to complete each essay question. You can prevent running out of time by budgeting your time for different tasks, for example, if you have an hour for each essay, take 10 minutes to plan, 5 minutes to organize your ideas, 25 minutes to actually write the essay and 10 minutes to review and make corrections. In the event that you do run out of time, it is best to continue your answer by listing it in point form. Although it disrupts the organization of the essay, it at least shows that you know the information necessary to answer the question and simply ran out of time.
Before you hand in your paper, if you still have the time, read your answers one final time in order to check for any grammatical errors and misspellings. Re-read the directions and ensure that you have correctly answered the question and answered it in its entirety for maximum points.
All the best in your essay examination preparation!
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