Page 248 - Keys to College Success

The following examples show essay questions you might encounter in an introductory psychology
course:

1. Jean Piaget developed a highly influential theory of cognitive development. Identify and describe
the stages of cognitive development as Piaget envisioned them. Provide at least one criticism
of Piaget’s theory.
2. How does the cognitive-social theory explain the development of behavior? Include details
from the work of both Albert Bandura and Julian Rotter in your answer.
3. Anxiety disorders are on the rise in the 21st century. Discuss what causes underlie anxiety
disorders, and identify the elements of modern life that are most significantly linked to
increasing anxiety.

1. Read every question. Decide which to tackle (if there’s a choice). Read carefully,
and use critical thinking to identify exactly what the question is asking.
2. Map out your time. Schedule how long to allot for each answer, and then break
your time down into smaller segments for each part of the process; for example,
if you have 20 minutes to answer a question, use 5 to plan, 10 to draft, and 5 to
review and finalize. Be flexible and ready to adjust how you use your time if things
don’t go as planned.
3. Focus on action verbs. Action verbs like those in Key 8.5 tell you what to do to
answer the question. Underline these words and use them to guide your writing.

4. Plan. Thinking about what the question is asking and what you know, define your
goal—what you intend to say in your answer. On scrap paper, outline or map your
ideas and supporting evidence. Then develop a thesis statement that outlines the
goal you’ve set, illustrating both the content and, if applicable, your point of view.
Don’t skimp on planning: Not only does planning result in a better essay, it also
reduces stress because it helps you get the process under control.
5. Draft. Note the test directions before drafting your answer. Your essay may need
to be of a certain length, for example, or may need to take a certain format. Then,
use the following guidelines as you work:
■ State your thesis, and then get right to the evidence that backs it up. Test Taking
■ Structure your essay so that each paragraph presents an idea that supports the
thesis.
■ Use clear language and tight logic to link ideas to your thesis and to create transi-
tions between paragraphs.
■ Look back at your planning notes periodically to make sure you cover everything.
■ Wrap it up with a short, to-the-point conclusion.

6. Revise. Although you may not have the time to rewrite your entire answer, you can
improve it with minor changes. Check word choice, paragraph structure, and style.
If you notice anything missing, use editing marks to insert it (neatly so it remains
legible) into the text. When you’re done, make sure it’s the best possible representa-
tion of your ideas.
As you check over your essay, ask yourself these questions:
■ Have I answered the question?
■ Does my essay begin with a clear thesis statement, and does each paragraph start
with a strong topic sentence that supports the thesis?
■ Have I provided adequate support—in the form of examples, statistics, and rel-
evant facts—to prove my argument? Have I used tight logic?

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