Timed Writing: Techniques for Success

Much has been written about putting together a solid essay. Everyone knows that an essay needs a creative opening, a clear thesis, supporting paragraphs with specific examples, and a final restatement of the paper's assertion. What everyone doesn't know, though, is how to include all those elements in a time frame of approximately thirty minutes. When you think of essay writing, you probably envision yourself sitting at the computer with time on your side. In reality, however, there are numerous situations in which the writer is on the clock. Read on to learn about the steps you can take to ensure success when you face timed essays.


1. Reading and Understanding the Question

The most common, and worst, mistake that you can make when writing with a time limit is to misread the question. You may feel that you need to rush and get started, but once you get your assignment, take a deep breath and slow down. An effective strategy is to underline, circle, or otherwise highlight the key words in the question. To craft an accurate response, you must know where to begin as well as where you're going. Below are some of the common directions you will see in instructions for timed essays and their meanings:

• Agree or Disagree
  Take a position and stick with it through the entire essay. Don't change your mind or try to argue both sides.
   

• Challenge
  This term is a synonym for disagree.
   

• Compare
  Outline the similarities between the two sides.
   

• Contrast
  Outline the differences between the two sides.
   

• Compare and Contrast
  The expectation is that you do both, not choose one.
   

• Debate
  You can argue both sides of the topic. Ultimately, though, develop a specific position with one side coming out stronger.
   

• Define
  Outline the topic's main points.
   

• Illustrate
  Make a point and use specific examples to support it.
   

• Identify Parallels
  This phrase is a synonym for compare.
   

• Discuss/Explain
  These terms are vague. You may be expected to complete any of the tasks listed above. Look for other key words in the question to guide your response.

2. Planning

Again, you may feel the urge to rush ahead and put pencil to paper. Yet if you do so without devising some sort of design, you are almost certain to lose focus and end up with a jumble of words that leads nowhere. Take another deep breath and invest two or three minutes in planning. Writers generally have their own personal strategies, but if you haven't found one that works for you, consider the techniques listed below:

• Outlining
  This format is helpful for people who like clear structure.
   

• Brainstorming
  Put the topic or thesis in the center of the page and then write supporting examples branching out from the main point.
   

• Listing
  Similar to outlining but with a bit less structure, this method lets you get your ideas down easily.
   

• Weighing Pros and Cons or Similarities and Differences
  When you are asked to debate or to compare and contrast two ideas, write a heading for each assertion, draw a line between the headings, and list the main points side by side.

3. Writing

Once you've fully read the question and have spent a few minutes planning, you're ready to begin. You need to pace yourself because you'll have approximately four minutes per paragraph. If you constantly find yourself rushing to finish, consider the tips below.

• Introduction
  A creative start draws readers in and makes them want to keep going. However, unless a great opening dawns on you immediately, skip it, leave space to go back later, and move directly to your thesis. You can't get back the time that you'll spend stressing out over your opening, so let it wait until you're almost done and more relaxed.
   

• Body
  For each body paragraph, follow the same format: a topic sentence that gives a specific example to prove your thesis statement, three sentences that elaborate upon or explain this example, and an ending sentence that ties the example to the thesis.
   

• Conclusion
  Restate your thesis and main points. Try to end with a clincher. The last sentence needs to make a strong statement.

4. Editing and Proofreading

If you have spent four minutes reading the question and planning and four minutes per paragraph, you will have approximately six minutes left to work, plenty of time to finish up. Add in a creative opening if you haven't done so yet. Otherwise, read through your entire essay and be on the lookout for any glaring structural or content errors. Then, if time permits, check for spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Thirty minutes may not seem like a lot of time, but when used wisely, they can add up to a solid essay worthy of a high score.