Most students will be able to recognise a good essay when they see one. A high standard essay has an organised structure, reads fluently and shows a detailed understanding of the topic. Students usually have a clear idea of the standard expected, but knowing how to get to that level is a different matter. If you are not overly confident with your essay writing technique, make it a priority in your VCE® Exam exam revision. Use the list below to identify any weaknesses you may have and then work on strategies to overcome these stumbling blocks.
You’re not sure how to even begin
Occasionally, you will get a question in one of your SACs or VCE® Exam practice exams which leaves you stumped, wondering what to write. This is
exactly the scenario that you most want to avoid in the final exams. Luckily, this is easily resolved. Preparation is the key to preventing these mental blanks. For your VCE® Exam exam prep, familiarise yourself with as many essay questions as possible so that you do not get surprised on the day.
You have a plan in your head but are struggling to put it on paper
This is the most common obstacle that students are confronted with when they write. Most students are familiar with the course content by the time of exams, but struggle under the time pressure or with challenging questions. Authors colloquially refer to this problem as the dreaded ‘writer’s block’. Below is a list of areas where students ‘hit the wall’ in their essays and find it hard to go on.
- You have a good plan for your essay but don’t know how to start the introduction
Introductions generally begin with a broad statement about the topic. Practice writing a few broad, summary sentences for the topic that you have to analyse. If you have a licence to be creative, come up with an opening line that grabs the reader’s attention. You should then provide a layout or map of the rest of your essay in the introduction. This is easily done if you have a clear plan and three or four distinct main ideas. Write just enough about these arguments so that the reader can see their logical connection to your contention. And if you are really stuck with your introduction, you can always write it once you have finished the main paragraphs, no one will know! In fact, to ensure that your opening lines are really pertinent to your essay, many teachers recommend that you don’t start on your introduction until the main body is either finished or well underway.
- You are midway through your essay but feel like you are rambling or repeating yourself.
Essays are built on the back of solid and relevant evidence. If you feel you are making sweeping comments in your essay, you may be lacking evidence and specific examples. Students often ask how many quotes they should put in each body paragraph. As a general rule, any statement that is not fact and which other people could disagree with should have an example attached to it. The secret to essay writing is simple: being able to connect broad concepts to specific examples within a text or in the real world.
- You are stuck with the wording of a particular phrase.
It happens to everyone. You know exactly what you want to say but you just can’t find the right words. You’ve tried a dictionary and a thesaurus but they haven’t helped. It’s there on the tip of your tongue but for now, it eludes you.
If possible, save time by picking some other word and then come back to it later. If the phrase you are stuck on is crucial to the flow of the paragraph, you may have to change your approach. By going back and rewriting parts of your essay, you may open up a few more options for your next idea or sentence. For example, if you have already used up an example earlier on in the essay but are now stuck for what to write, you could try moving that example down to the end to pick up the flow of writing again.
You are practising essay writing but your marks are not improving
How can you make your essay stand out? The difference between a high and medium essay is often subtle and can be down to things like fluency of expression. Flow of writing is important because it tends to be an indicator of correct grammar and syntax, as well as clarity and good structure.
An essay does not necessarily have to be unusual or unconventional to be ‘original’. While there is nothing wrong with an alternative perspective, essays are not ultimately assessed on what arguments they present. Rather, original essays are distinguished by how well their arguments are presented and by the level of detail in their explanation. They make explicit and logical connections between broader arguments and specific examples so that the reader does not have to make assumptions or draw links themselves. By doing this, you show that you have engaged with the course content, asked questions about your texts and deeply considered the significance of the examples that you have read up on.
