Timed+(In-class)+Essays

The timed (or, in-class) essay is one of the scariest things in a lot of students' experience. There is hope! With some understanding of the parts of an essay and a bit of a how-to guide, you, too, can ROCK your in-class essay.

Most parts of this page will also help with long-term essays (the project-like ones). Just sayin'--they're not //that// different.

Essay Structure and Execution Most essays are a pretty standard, 5-paragraph structure: intro, 3 body paragraphs, conclusion. But there's a bit more under the hood. Click on any coloured words for graphic organizers, mini-lessons, and other helpful hints.
 * title
 * introduction paragraph, including
 * hook (or literary opener)
 * thesis
 * forecast (this is covered in the "introduction paragraph" bit)
 * body paragraphs, including
 * topic sentence
 * supporting sentences
 * concluding sentence
 * [the order of your paragraphs]
 * concluding paragraph, including
 * restatement of thesis
 * extremely short recap of main points
 * food for thought OR call to action
 * transition words and phrases
 * quote integration

Also consider:
 * Outline of the writing process (for an in-class essay)
 * Gather information
 * Prewriting/planning
 * Writing
 * Revision
 * How long should you spend on each part of the process in a timed essay?
 * How is this being marked?
 * Who is my audience/what is the purpose?
 * Physical considerations
 * My hand hurts!
 * To double-space or not to double-space
 * Oh, no! I messed up!