Revise for Essays

1. a short literary composition on a single subject
2. a short piece of writing on a subject done as an exercise by a student
3. an attempt

It's worth bearing all these definitions in mind when you start thinking about essays. An essay should be focused and should stick to the topic. An essay is not as long as a book, and does not have to be as detailed. An essay is your opinion, your attempt to answer the question-there is not one perfect answer which you must replicate.

When you begin to revise for essay questions, bear these things in mind. They can help you avoid pitfalls which can lose you marks.

• Get your hands on some past papers. They can give you a real feel for what the questions will be like.
• Write down what you think are the main themes and/or events of your topic. What's your topic really all about? What are the causes and effects? How does it compare with other texts/events? Trust your judgement-you'll probably be right!
• Write a practice outline of an essay for three or four of these major points. A good outline is 75% of a good essay. You should be able to write an outline for an essay in 10 minutes-get the hang of it early!
• Write a practice essay in the time you will have in the exam. Think carefully about how you felt. Were there any places in the process you got stuck? Did you find it more difficult to start? Was it hard to stick to your schedule? How easy did you find writing your introduction/conclusion? Focus your practice on what you need most.
• Get an adult friend, parent or teacher to read some of your practice essays. They will be able to point out what you can improve.

• Did you understand the question? Start out your essay by thinking carefully about what the question is asking. Should you be analysing, comparing, contrasting or evaluating?
• How much work have you done? The examiners are looking for an idea of how much you've thought about this issue before, and the amount of background knowledge you have around it. So, show off what you know but keep it relevant to the question.
• Can you argue a point of view? What is your opinion? Can you back it up? This is where quotes from your text or from other source material can help you. But they aren't the most important thing-draw a clear conclusion. Don't waffle.

• Ask your teacher how many and what kind of questions will be in the exam, and how long you'll have to take it! (This should be kept with your Revision Planner)
• Plan out how you will write the essays in the time allotted for your exam. A good rule of thumb is:
  
  1. 10 minutes- Plan essay in outline form
  2. 15 minutes- Introduction and about your first point
  3. 15 minutes- Second point
  4. 15 minutes- Third point and conclusion
  5. 5 minutes- Re-read for errors in grammar and spelling.

• Bad spelling and grammar. It isn't going to fail you, but it does make you look bad and you will lose marks for it. If spelling is the bane of your existence, practice. Set yourself spelling tests on key words for your subject-it will pay off in the long run.
• Irrelevant material. Do not write down everything you know about the subject! Only use information which supports your main ideas.
• Getting stuck on one question. If you run over your schedule, move on to the next question. You'll get more marks for two essays that are 2/3 finished than you will for one complete and one unanswered question.