An Essay On Class Test
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Although live writing can be stressful, this method is used because it tests your critical thinking skills. Demonstrating you have mastered the objectives of a course means more than taking tests, which often requires recalling memorized information. In college, students need to show not only that they can recall course materials but also use those materials in making an analysis, synthesizing information, and developing original ideas.
Tips for Preparing Yourself
1) Rest, Eat, and Dress Appropriately
a. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before your test or essay. Falling asleep while writing would be pretty embarrassing.
b. Eat a regular, balanced meal. Protein is good for your energy levels, and vitamins B and D help your attention span.
c. Dress in layers. The room may be too hot or too cold, and feeling uncomfortable in your environment could cause your attention to wander.
2) Take Thorough Notes
a. You may be able to use your notes, so ensure you attend class and pay attention by taking notes. (If you need help with this, you may want to take a reading class or come in for tutoring in the Writing Center.)
b. “[O]nce you learn and incorporate solid note taking methods into your study strategies, you will find immediate improvement in the speed and accuracy of your learning for college classes” (Evans Carter, p. 396).
3) Practice Writing Outside of Class
a. Time yourself for the same amount of time you will have during class. Having experience with timed writing helps to decrease your stress levels come test day.
b. Write your own questions or use ones from your textbook. For example, The Brief Bedford Reader has a section in the back of many chapters entitled, “Suggestions for Writing.”
4) Come to Class Prepared
a. Bring what you think you will need to be successful with you. Some items may not be allowed by your professor, so be sure to verify what items you can bring beforehand. These may include:
i. USB or thumb drive
ii. pens and pencils (bring at least two, in case one “breaks down”)
iii. water
iv. tissues
v. watch or timing device
5) Plan Your Time
a. Based on how much time you have to complete the essay or test, create a schedule for yourself that includes planning, drafting, and revising.
b. Planning: Spend at least five to ten minutes planning what you will write and in what order.
c. Drafting: Spend the most time in this phase.
d. Revising: Save at least ten minutes at the end for making revisions. We all make mistakes, especially under pressure.
e. Use a timing device to make sure you’re staying on schedule.
i. Sample schedule for an in-class essay during a 75-minute class:
2:00—2:15: Outlining/prewriting
2:15—3:05: Drafting
3:05—3:15: Proofreading (finding errors) and editing (correcting errors)
6) Choose an Appropriate Pattern of Organization
Using the words in the essay prompt or question(s) you’re given, decide how you will organize your essay or paragraph. Are you being asked to:
a. Analyze? Use a compare/contrast or cause/effect pattern.
b. Discuss or explain? Use a definition and example or example/illustration pattern.
c. List? Use a chronological, order of importance, or spatial pattern.
7) Remain Calm
What can you do when things start to go awry? Don’t panic; try one of these:
a. Close your eyes or look away from the paper/computer screen. Look out the window, if there is one.
b. Breathe de
Tips for Preparing Yourself
1) Rest, Eat, and Dress Appropriately
a. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before your test or essay. Falling asleep while writing would be pretty embarrassing.
b. Eat a regular, balanced meal. Protein is good for your energy levels, and vitamins B and D help your attention span.
c. Dress in layers. The room may be too hot or too cold, and feeling uncomfortable in your environment could cause your attention to wander.
2) Take Thorough Notes
a. You may be able to use your notes, so ensure you attend class and pay attention by taking notes. (If you need help with this, you may want to take a reading class or come in for tutoring in the Writing Center.)
b. “[O]nce you learn and incorporate solid note taking methods into your study strategies, you will find immediate improvement in the speed and accuracy of your learning for college classes” (Evans Carter, p. 396).
3) Practice Writing Outside of Class
a. Time yourself for the same amount of time you will have during class. Having experience with timed writing helps to decrease your stress levels come test day.
b. Write your own questions or use ones from your textbook. For example, The Brief Bedford Reader has a section in the back of many chapters entitled, “Suggestions for Writing.”
4) Come to Class Prepared
a. Bring what you think you will need to be successful with you. Some items may not be allowed by your professor, so be sure to verify what items you can bring beforehand. These may include:
i. USB or thumb drive
ii. pens and pencils (bring at least two, in case one “breaks down”)
iii. water
iv. tissues
v. watch or timing device
5) Plan Your Time
a. Based on how much time you have to complete the essay or test, create a schedule for yourself that includes planning, drafting, and revising.
b. Planning: Spend at least five to ten minutes planning what you will write and in what order.
c. Drafting: Spend the most time in this phase.
d. Revising: Save at least ten minutes at the end for making revisions. We all make mistakes, especially under pressure.
e. Use a timing device to make sure you’re staying on schedule.
i. Sample schedule for an in-class essay during a 75-minute class:
2:00—2:15: Outlining/prewriting
2:15—3:05: Drafting
3:05—3:15: Proofreading (finding errors) and editing (correcting errors)
6) Choose an Appropriate Pattern of Organization
Using the words in the essay prompt or question(s) you’re given, decide how you will organize your essay or paragraph. Are you being asked to:
a. Analyze? Use a compare/contrast or cause/effect pattern.
b. Discuss or explain? Use a definition and example or example/illustration pattern.
c. List? Use a chronological, order of importance, or spatial pattern.
7) Remain Calm
What can you do when things start to go awry? Don’t panic; try one of these:
a. Close your eyes or look away from the paper/computer screen. Look out the window, if there is one.
b. Breathe de
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Find out as much information as possible about the exam – e.g., whether there will be choice – and guide your studying accordingly.Review the material frequently to maintain a good grasp of the content.Think, and make notes or concept maps, about relationships between themes, ideas and patterns that recur through the course. See the guide Listening & Note-taking and Learning & Studying for information on concept mapping.Practice your critical and analytical skills as you review.Compare/contrast and think about what you agree and disagree with, and why.
Focus your studying by finding and anticipating questions
Find sample questions in the textbook or on previous exams, study guides, or online sources.Anticipate questions by:Looking for patterns of questions in any tests you have already written in the course;Looking at the course outline for major themes;Checking your notes for what the professor has emphasized in class;Asking yourself what kind of questions you would ask if you were the professor;Brainstorming questions with a study group.Formulate outline or concept map answers to your sample questions.Organize supporting evidence logically around a central argument.Memorize your outlines or key points.A couple of days before the exam, practice writing answers to questions under timed conditions.
Focus your studying by finding and anticipating questions
Find sample questions in the textbook or on previous exams, study guides, or online sources.Anticipate questions by:Looking for patterns of questions in any tests you have already written in the course;Looking at the course outline for major themes;Checking your notes for what the professor has emphasized in class;Asking yourself what kind of questions you would ask if you were the professor;Brainstorming questions with a study group.Formulate outline or concept map answers to your sample questions.Organize supporting evidence logically around a central argument.Memorize your outlines or key points.A couple of days before the exam, practice writing answers to questions under timed conditions.
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