- Essays matter.
- Examinations matter.
Students today know perhaps more than ever before, that the results they obtain for their essays will either help them realise their dream university or college or will affect their choices more negatively and narrow down their options at least for a time.
As a Private English Tutor and previously as an University English Lecturer I have helped hundreds of students signficantly IMPROVE their essays.
There are many ‘things’ a student can do to improve their esssays, but this blog will focus on the MOST IMPORTANT!
- So how can students get better marks for their essays?
- Sometimes old wisdom is best!
- You answer the question. THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION!!!!!!
- What so often happens is that students answer ANOTHER QUESTION. Perhaps a question they would have preferred to answer.
- Perhaps a question students are more prepared to answer.
- Or perhaps they start off thinking they are answering the question but then get distracted by something else…
- Perhaps you don’t want to forget about ALL YOUR RESEARCH AND QUOTATIONS?
- BUT you have to BE THRIFTY.
- YOU HAVE TO ANSWER ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO..
- SO HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT ANSWERING THE ESSAY QUESTION?
1) UNDERLINE the essential parts of the question. THESE IDEAS should appear in EVERY paragraph.
2) IMAGINE a GHOST is following you throughout the essays. HAUNTING your argument so that the examiner KNOWS that you are SPECIFICALLY answering the question.
3) CLING TO THE QUESTION AS IF TO A LIFE RAFT!
4) At no point in the essay should the essay question remain a mystery. THE EXAMINER SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT ESSAY YOU ARE WRITING.
NEXT BLOG I WILL SHOW YOU HOW………………..
Thankyou,
Janet Lewison