How to Write Great Essays

UNDERSTANDING YOUR TOPIC
This advice might seem obvious, but it aims to correct one of the most common mistakes
made on essay exams: spend time understanding the types of topics you may encounter.
Remember that your score depends in large part on how well you address the topic. But
how can you prepare, if you don’t know what the topic will be? Preparation materials, both
in print and on the Internet, are available for many types of essay exams. If they include
sample topics, familiarize yourself with them. If they simply tell you the types of topics (for
instance, prompts for persuasive essays), you can find examples to study in print and on
the Internet. Two great resources are 501 Writing Prompts (LearningExpress, 2003), and school
district websites (use the search term “writing prompts” on a search engine such as
www.google.com).
When reading through sample topics, make a note if you understand what each one is
asking you to write about. The best way to determine whether you understand the topics
is to put them in your own words, and then compare yours with the originals. Are they nearly
the same in meaning? If you have trouble with this exercise, go back to your list of topics.
Circle the verbs (key words) in each one that tell you what to do. These are the same key
words you will look for during the exam (see pages 87–89 for lists and explanations of the
most common key words for both expository and persuasive essays). When you understand
each topic’s key words, you can more easily write the type of essay it requires.
If your essay exam includes a choice of topics, preparation should include practice with
different ones, such as those that require an expository essay, and those that require a per-
suasive one. You might even simply outline essays that respond to the various topics. Put
your work aside for a day or two, and come back to evaluate your responses. Which topic
or type of topic do you write best on? Which is easiest for you? If you go into the essay exam
with this knowledge, it will be much easier to choose a topic, saving you valuable time and
helping to ensure you will do your best work.