Taking Timed Writing Exams
Tips for Taking (and Passing) the Midterm
Keep in mind that you have already turned in an essay, and are working on another. The process for both has prepared you for the exam. You are ready for the midterm.
There is no studying required for the midterm, yet you may want to look over your notes for structure (classical rhetoric), analysis, formal tone and transitions. Another point: mentally prepare yourself for the exam. The general points below will place on the path to prepare (and pass) the midterm.
One of the requirements of Written Communication I (ENC 1101) is to complete a timed writing exam. All students must complete the midterm to pass the course. The purpose of the exam is to gauge your ability to compose an essay that is focused (with a strong thesis statement) and fully developed (support is provided), as well as adequately concluded.
The midterm is a means of assessing your skills in writing an essay that has a clearly established controlling idea articulated in a thesis and is also fully developed with specific details and examples. Organization is notably logical and coherent (with adequate transitions). Vocabulary is formal and precise; sentence structure is varied. Errors, such as spelling typos, grammatical mistakes and punctuation errors are minimal.
Note: you must take the midterm on the date scheduled. There are no make-up exams. Please take the midterm seriously.
Strategies for preparing to take the midterm:
- Become familiar with the requirements/ policies for taking the exam. Understand that you will have 50 minutes to complete the midterm. The midterm will be taken in our normal classroom on a computer.
- Prepare materials needed to take the midterm: it may be helpful to have paper and pen available, as well as a dictionary. (Also, make sure that your favorite outfit/ t-shirt is clean and ready when you take the exam)
- You should practice taking timed exams. Practice quickly outlining an essay, typing the essay on a computer based on the outline and using the computer to proofread the essay. You will not be able to access the internet during the exam.
- The night before the exam, get a good night’s rest. Visualize yourself taking the exam, pacing yourself as you write. Remind yourself that you are going to do just fine.
- Communicate to others that you are taking the exam. Turn off any distractions (phones). Remember that you only have the 50 minutes allotted for the exam. The exam will close at the 50-minute mark—no exceptions.
Strategies for taking an essay exam (in general)
- Answer the question. Always remember to answer the question being asked. Read the question twice before beginning to write.
- Be specific. If the test answer is two sections long, make the first the thesis and the second the example.
- Take a moment to pre-write. A few minutes spent planning will usually pay for themselves by giving you a sense of direction early.
- Get on with it. Make sure your first sentence gets to the heart of things. Skip leisurely or grandiose introductions. Never repeat yourself.
- Save often. Just in case, write your essay is a program external to Canvas and save after completing each paragraph (practice this ahead of time).
- Write in your own style. It takes time to translate our writing into someone else’s style; during an essay exam this is time you don’t have.
- Write only one draft. You don’t have time to rewrite. If you write a few lines and then change your mind, just delete them and keep going.
- Be aware of the time. An unfinished good essay is worse than a finished okay essay.
- Before you submit your essay, force yourself to reread for errors. There is no use writing a brilliant essay to have it fail for simply errors.
- Proofread for garbled meaning. Writing quickly almost guarantees you’ll omit important words, such as not (which can greatly alter a sentence’s meaning).
- Double-check for mechanics. If mechanics (such as punctuation) matter on this test (which they do) proofread for common punctuation mistakes.