1. Write in complete sentences and paragraphs.

2. Use good penmanship so it can be read.

3. Think through the question to determine exactly what is being asked.

4. Review all information you have studied from your class notes, text books; reference books, internet, etc.

5. Think through how you want to answer the question. An outline would be
extremely helpful.

6. Write an essay that addresses the question being asked. Use the information you know in order to construct informative sentences and paragraphs.

7. Go beyond the facts, for example, ask yourself: what do the events mean? how do they affect us today? what other choices might have been made? what do you think about what happened? what are some of the pros and cons of the events?
Use your answers to these and other questions to round out your essay answer.

General outline of an essay answer

Introduction
-present your main ideas that you will develop in the main
body

Main Body
- present facts
- discussion of facts

Summary and Conclusions
- restate your general ideas in a simple form, and
- draw your conclusions (what it all means)