500
1. Briefly look over the entire test to budget your time for essay answers. They may take
longer than other types of questions.
2. Read the essay question carefully. Watch for key words such as “discuss,” “compare,”
“define,” etc. A list of these commonly used words follows.
3. Determine the amount of time you’ll have for each question, and give more time to
higher scoring questions.
4. Do a “Memory Dump.” Jot down on scratch paper any ideas, facts, figures, etc. which
could be used in answering the questions.
5. Make a brief outline of the major points. In some cases, even if you can’t finish the
essay, you can get partial credit for the outline.
6. Use proper grammar, punctuation and sentence skills. Always write complete sentences
and begin your essay with the wording of the question. Example: “The five major causes
of the American Revolution were….”
7. Proofread your essay and make corrections as needed
What is essay question strategies