Should I start each body paragraph with a question or just use transitional words? Jot brief notes (not complete sentences) to yourself about what you will address, and you will spend less time writing the paper. It influences the readers and urges them to think 5. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The article might explain the reasons that minimum-wage laws were created. Define: Provide the subject’s meaning (or definition). You will want to analyze precisely how the articles in a set of readings are related to each other. Explain why/how: describe the reasons why, or the steps leading up to how a particular thing occurred. Use your best penmanship. To explain the events of the 17th century, we could get away with starting our answer in the 16th century, but there's no point in starting with the Egyptians. When you are answering, prove your answer. If you don't have any option of those, try asking your teacher to extend the deadline and accept the deduction of marks. Brainstorm ways that these groups correspond to each other. Last Updated: March 29, 2019 Find out how much time you will have, how many questions there will be, and what you will need to bring to the test. The article provides information on the topics 3. Remember that your essay will be evaluated by the critical reading and writing criteria that are listed and explained in The Elements of Writing Proficiency and the WPE Evaluation Rubric. This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD. Click here for a detailed description of preparation strategies for writing the new portfolio essay or taking the timed-essay exam. “The college writing profession has made a conscious decision not to teach style,” says Phillip Mink, an assistant professor in the English Department at the University of Delaware. Make your essay as clear and concise as possible. There are no rules about how many adjectives should be used. Check that every body paragraph has a topic sentence, specific evidence, and a connection to the thesis. Home › Academics › Academic Support Services and Undergraduate Studies › Undergraduate Studies › Writing Proficiency › Preparing for the Writing Proficiency Evaluation (WPE). Use adjectives where you think it's necessary, but as a general rule, you shouldn't add any necessary words. If you are composing this essay by hand, make sure you use legible handwriting. Adequate preparation requires that you do more than skim the articles once or twice. When you receive your prompt, note how long you have to write, and what time you will be required to stop. You can access a brief version of the elements, or a long version. Will it pertain to a certain set of readings, cover everything from a specific unit, or draw upon what you’ve learned throughout the course? Decide how much time you will spend planning your writing, writing the actual essay, and proofreading. Go back to the prompt and make sure that you have answered the question or questions. Analyze: Look closely at the components of something to figure out what it might mean, or why it is important. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. Critical reading starts with searching for information, but you need to write more than a book report to pass the Writing Proficiency Evaluation (WPE). This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD. Powered by BizBudding Inc. When the exam is graded, your readers are not judging your essay by your general knowledge of, or unsupported opinions about, the topic. Just because you’re writing a paper about minimum-wage laws and the title of the article includes the words “minimum-wage laws,” you can’t automatically assume the content of the article meets your needs. You should study this information carefully to understand how your essay will be graded. Answer it wholly and completely, and refer back to it often during your writing. For most students, this means spending at least several hours a day over a period of three or four days; some students like to prepare the set gradually over the full registration period (usually 4 to 5 weeks). Wrap up the essay with a conclusion with an opinion or connection to your life or to another book you have read. Read your entire essay to check for clarity. An article is written with the following objectives 1. Look through your material and organize concepts into categories. Ask a friend for the topic or ask the teacher if you can. Our articles for college students feature university rankings of U.S. colleges, college guides, academic advice, college prep, career advice, student health and collegiate dating tips. Top 10 Ways to Be a Gracious Gator: Volunteering Opportunities at UF, How to Land Your Dream Job as a Park Ranger Across the United States, How Dating a POC Helped Me Accept Myself as an Asian-American. Effective writing is a combination of many skills that must be developed through practice. Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. College Magazine is the national daily guide to campus life. Find out what material will be covered with this test. A question could be used in the introductory paragraph to generate interest and hook your reader, but it's not typically an effective way to transition between body paragraphs. You can adjust this ratio to fit your own time constraints. You can choose what information you write down and what you leave out, as long as your answer is coherent, complete and concise, and as long as it answers the question. Consider using a 5-45-10 ratio (for an hour-long essay exam): 5 minutes to plan, 45 minutes to write, and 10 minutes to revise. Look over previous essay tests from the same teacher in order to predict what kind of questions you will be asked. Writing. % of people told us that this article helped them. Start with an introduction, or restate the question. Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. Paste your article here and please be sure to include your bio! If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. The articles are complex and you are expected to re-read them. Proofread for grammar and spelling. How do I prepare for an essay test when I don't know the topic? Master Life with wikiHow Pro Expert Videos. By using our site, you agree to our. Your WPE paper, whether for the portfolio or for the timed exam, will be evaluated using The Elements of Writing Proficiency. If you have any questions, call or visit the Writing Proficiency Office in the Department of Undergraduate Studies. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Pass-an-Essay-Test-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Pass-an-Essay-Test-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/42\/Pass-an-Essay-Test-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid617134-v4-728px-Pass-an-Essay-Test-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"