When it comes to writing an excellent essay, you need to do some digging about the topic. This is not a thing that can be done in half an hour. And you spend days and nights doing it.

Now imagine you have to write an essay on one of your exams.

This article is meant to help you prepare for writing that essay on the day of the exam.

Take some time a few days earlier and think about this:

What are the questions going to be?

Perhaps for this one is a good idea to take a look at the questions from the last exam. See if there was entirely theory or there are other creativity points to add to your essay, too. Maybe there was an argument, too, that you had to prove. Go through the courses again and see what were the most important ideas from there and then make a list of the questions that go with those ideas.

Practice for a bit

Maybe it’s not a bad idea to summarize the theories you studied at the lectures. Make sure you are focusing on understanding what are the differences between those theories and make it clear and concise. Maybe even make a general plan – so it will be easier for you to write the essay on the day of the exam.

Names, key events, and facts

Of course, an argument without its pieces of evidence it’s nothing, so you’ll need to come with examples. That’s why it’s always a good idea to memorize names, key events, and facts.
Make order in your ideas

Knowing the subject represents one part. But organizing your ideas is the other part.

Put them in order. For example, create a “template” – make a description of the topic, a comparison between 2 main ideas and a contrasting logical argument about these two ideas: talk about why and how are they different from each other.

At the exam, many of the students don’t think it through, and just start writing.

Make a list…

…of all the things you have studied regarding the topic. You’ll know what to focus on.

Make sure you read the question right.

This is really important: you need to understand what you’re asked to do. Read carefully all the parts of the question and then start solving it.

Do a thesis that answers the question

Sometimes it’s best if you use the wording from the question given. You don’t have the time to make something fancy, but keep in mind that you need to have the topic, and the argument included in the introduction.

Write your supporting points

Before starting to write the body of the essay, make an outline with all the supporting points. Then make sure you answer all the parts of the question. And always keep your ideas organized.