How to Write Great Essays

HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
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THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE A HIGH SCORE
The scorers of every type of timed essay agree on one significant point: you must sup-
port your essay with details, examples, and evidence. They will strengthen your argu-
ment, and will make your writing come alive. Common advice for essay exam takers
is to include at least one sentence in each paragraph that begins with the words, “For
example.” Compare these paragraphs:
High school seniors should be allowed open campuses, on which they can arrive
in time for their first class, leave during free periods, and come back to school
for their other classes. There is no reason to treat high school seniors like chil-
dren by making them stay in school all day when they don’t have classes to attend
all day. Seniors can handle the extra responsibility.
High school seniors should be allowed open campuses, on which they can arrive
in time for their first class, leave during free periods, and come back to school
for their other classes. Seniors are given freedom and responsibility in many other
areas of their lives; for example, the ability to drive a car. Seniors are also per-
mitted to vote, and to prepare for their futures through the college admissions
process or vocational training.
The first example uses generalizations and unsubstantiated claims (“no reason to treat
them . . . ”, “can handle the extra responsibility”), which weaken the argument. The
second uses evidence, such as the responsibility of driving and voting, to make the
case for open campuses. Remember to back up what you say with evidence, details,
and other types of examples.
BUDGETING YOUR TIME
During your preparation, familiarize yourself with the timing of your exam. Whether you
have 25 minutes, or an hour, you should spend time on three distinct tasks: planning, writ-
ing, and revising. The writing stage will take the longest, and, for essays that do not hold
grammatical and spelling mistakes against you, the revising stage will be the shortest. But
every essay should include all three.
Planning
The subject of prewriting was covered in Chapter 1, where six strategies are explained. Review
this material, and decide, based on a few practice essays, which one works best for you. Know-
ing exactly what you will do when you begin the exam will not only help you save time, but
it will also take some of the pressure off, too. Some exit exams (such as Indiana’s Gradua-
tion Qualifying Exam) judge your prewriting notes, outlines, and other graphic organiz-
ers, making it even more important to have a strategy that you know you do well chosen 

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