Writing an Exam Essay

This post is aimed at Year 12 students.

In the school exam you will have to write essays on the texts that you have studied. To do this successfully there are some things that you must do:

1. Demonstrate clear knowledge of the text studied and how it was constructed. To do that you must understand the elements that make up the text: characters, theme, setting, structure and style.
2. Show that you have engaged with the text and that you have an appreciation of it. You must demonstrate that you have really thought about the text.
3. Convey insightful thoughts about the text, don’t just regurgitate class notes.
4. Integrate knowledge and understanding from beyond the text. Make clear connections within and beyond the text.
5. Be analytical, not just in the conclusion of your essay.
6. Show a wide knowledge of the text, you need to be able to draw across the text in your essay.