Writing an Essay Examination
The most important point to remember about essay exams is that the historical
values required are no different from those used in writing papers and essays.
This is due to the fact that essay exams are essentially short, timed papers.
An essay exam is likely to be evaluated upon whether the writer demonstrated a
firm grasp of the material, through precision and detail in information; organization
around a central core of ideas, and the student's originality and insight.
When answering, the tenor and frame of reference should reflect the question. In other words, if the question is detailed, the essay should be too. A sequence of events, incorporating dates and details about each, may be used to prove the writer's point. If the question is more general, the answer should be as well. Once again, however, the writer must deal with some specific historical examples. The essay should clearly define the subject and problem at the beginning. Writers should avoid digressions from the topic, especially given the time constraints. All paragraphs should have topic sentences and be organized around a particular point. When a statement or conclusion is made, relevant facts must be used to back it up. Clear transitions between points or ideas should exist. Since organization and presentation of facts is so crucial, it is advisable to outline your answer before writing it on the test.
The preceding work incorporated material from How to Study History (Cantor & Schneider, 151-55).