How to Fake an Answer to an Essay Question
Use even brief windows of time before the exam to review course material., Select a few examples that will add dimension to key concepts and commit them to memory., Remember that the rest of the test might offer you helpful clues.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use even brief windows of time before the exam to review course material.
Focus on the information your instructor spent the bulk of his or her time covering in class and on course assignments.
Teachers are likely to test on the material they find most important.
Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with a few key concepts from the units or topics covered since your last exam.
Avoid becoming bogged down in details when time is limited
-- skim quickly through the material, then go back if you have extra time.
Look for the "big picture" themes and topics, as these are likely to be helpful when writing an essay answer.
That being said, pay particular attention to recurring terms or specific jargon.
If your instructor frequently refers to a specific term, changes are he or she finds it significant.
Review frequently used jargon so you don't find yourself hung up on unfamiliar wording.
You'll be disappointed later if you discover you really did know the material, but failed to recognize a key technical term or phrase! -
Step 2: Select a few examples that will add dimension to key concepts and commit them to memory.
Even if the examples you pick don't turn out to be directly relevant to the essay options your teacher provides, they may provide a useful tool for showing that you have been paying some attention in class. , Most teachers will aim to test students on a variety of material, but common themes tend to repeat themselves.
You likely can "mine" the multiple-choice or short-answer sections of the test for information to use in the essay:
Do you recognize names, dates, events, concepts, or ideas elsewhere in the test that might be relevant to the essay? Treat the rest of the test as a memory-jog for the essay.
Can you use an example stated elsewhere in the exam as an example in your essay? Once you've finished the non-essay portion of the test, do you feel, based upon your quick review of key topics, like anything big is "missing" from the exam? Chances are that even if you find the language of the essay question confusing, the "missing" topic(s) are what the essay's meant to cover. -
Step 3: Remember that the rest of the test might offer you helpful clues.
Detailed Guide
Focus on the information your instructor spent the bulk of his or her time covering in class and on course assignments.
Teachers are likely to test on the material they find most important.
Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with a few key concepts from the units or topics covered since your last exam.
Avoid becoming bogged down in details when time is limited
-- skim quickly through the material, then go back if you have extra time.
Look for the "big picture" themes and topics, as these are likely to be helpful when writing an essay answer.
That being said, pay particular attention to recurring terms or specific jargon.
If your instructor frequently refers to a specific term, changes are he or she finds it significant.
Review frequently used jargon so you don't find yourself hung up on unfamiliar wording.
You'll be disappointed later if you discover you really did know the material, but failed to recognize a key technical term or phrase!
Even if the examples you pick don't turn out to be directly relevant to the essay options your teacher provides, they may provide a useful tool for showing that you have been paying some attention in class. , Most teachers will aim to test students on a variety of material, but common themes tend to repeat themselves.
You likely can "mine" the multiple-choice or short-answer sections of the test for information to use in the essay:
Do you recognize names, dates, events, concepts, or ideas elsewhere in the test that might be relevant to the essay? Treat the rest of the test as a memory-jog for the essay.
Can you use an example stated elsewhere in the exam as an example in your essay? Once you've finished the non-essay portion of the test, do you feel, based upon your quick review of key topics, like anything big is "missing" from the exam? Chances are that even if you find the language of the essay question confusing, the "missing" topic(s) are what the essay's meant to cover.
About the Author
James Knight
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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