Writing essays can strike fear into most students. However, we have composed 10 tips on our website to help you turn out a professional essay for your paper, under exam pressure.
In an exam, you are faced with stringent time constraints that can make it difficult to write an essay of great academic quality. Compared to assignments, where you have time for multiple drafts, you must be prepared for all scenarios before you enter.
1. Before you enter the exam room practise your essay structure
When you are studying for your exam, it is not efficient to write whole essays over and over. Instead, use the content of your academic paper to help work your essay structure. If you are unsure of how to go about this you can get help online with this professional essay writing service.
2. Ok you are in the exam – Take a deep breath and relax
When you get into an exam it is easy to get flustered and get ahead of yourself, wanting to write down all you know. Take your time, relax breath and read the essay question 3-4 times to ensure you understand it.
3. Plan
As a writer and student, it is essential to spend the first part of your allotted time planning your essay. Split your essay into paragraphs and give each one a heading. Ensure that you provide a few ideas jotted down under each heading and that they work with each other. If you are unsure of what your plan should look at, Harvard College’s website can help service your essay plan:
4. Choose the option that suits your knowledge
Usually when writing an essay in an exam, the examiner will provide you with options to choose from. Choose the one that you researched the most in study so you can display all the hard work you have put in.
5. Provide the answer to the question
If you take nothing more from these tips make sure you answer the question. In an academic paper they are testing your critical analysis and thinking under pressure. Do yourself a service and make sure you are one of the students that answer the question.
6. Have a clear, concise introduction
Your introduction should help the marker understand how your essay will flow. Make sure that your introduction also outlines how you will answer the question.
7. Write out the body of your essay in a logical order
This is where you convey your arguments. To remember you can use the simple writer’s acronym – SEE.
– Statement: Put forward your simplified argument and knowledge.
– Example: Give researched examples to back up your statement.
– Explanation: Explain your writing with critical thinking from an objective viewpoint.
It is also important to stand out in the eyes of the examiner with your critique. History Today have created a great link on how to do this on their website:
8. Conclusion
This is where you consider your arguments and make a definitive choice on which is the strongest and why. Reiterate the points you made and show how you answered the question.
9. Stay focused throughout writing
When writing it an academic essay in an exam it is easy to write more than you have to and waffle. Stay focussed and think quality not quantity when writing.
10. Did you answer the question?
Remember at the end of your essay re-read through it a few times and make sure you answered the question!
About the Author
Mary Brains is a writer, editor and freelancer at EssaySamurai with several years academic writing experience and multiple tertiary qualifications. Writing essays has become second nature over a period of time and hopefully these tips can help you reach the grades you desire.