The number one thing I want to emphasize in relation to writing an in-class essay for an exam is the importance of planning and drafting. You should ABSOLUTELY have a sense of what you are going to write about before you start writing. Make sure that you have a thesis statement and a rough outline. It is always a good idea to have drafted the topic sentences for each of your paragraphs before you start writing. Very much related to this issue is the issue of TIME MANAGEMENT. Work backwards. How much time do you have for the in-class essay? How much time do you need for editing and proofreading? For drafting? Use the rest of your time for reading, re-reading planning! I strongly recommend dedicating AT LEAST 20-35 minutes to reading and planning. You will then have 30-45 minutes for writing the essay, and 10 minutes for editing and proofreading.
I’m sorry that we did not have more time to discuss the essay itself. Here are a few pointers: Begin the introduction with a brief summary of the article. The next one to two sentences will establish a connection between the article and your topic. The last sentence will be your THESIS STATEMENT. Make sure to start each body paragraph with a TOPIC SENTENCE that relates to your thesis statement. Make sure your body paragraphs are focused and well developed. If possible, try to connect each body paragraph to some part of the article you’ve read. The conclusion is the least important part of this essay. It should be quite formulaic. In the conclusion, reflect on your argument and how it relates to the article you have read.
