Dissecting the Question
Dissecting the Question
When you sit down on test day, take time to read the entire test carefully and make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. The important point to know and keep in mind is that essay-exam questions are like the essay prompts you’ve seen throughout the semester. So to read and understand exam questions, use the process you learned for reading essay prompts in Chapter 3, Putting Ideas into Writing, in your book: Look for question words and the question stem and then for hints and expectations.
This table lists the essay prompt words you learned about in Chapter 3. Review the table to make sure you are familiar with each term.
| Word | Means in Plain English … |
| analyze; interpret | explain what you think is going on and give reasons for why you think that |
| anecdote | a little story used to support or explain a point |
| argue; make an argument | decide what your opinion is and defend it in a reasonable tone, giving evidence to support your opinion; also make sure you note counterarguments |
| compare | describe the similarities |
| contrast | describe the differences |
| compare and contrast | describe the similarities and differences |
| counterargument | The opposite or other side of an argument |
| describe in detail | Use vivid language and lots of examples so the reader can picture what you are saying |
| evidence | quotes and paraphrases, usually from course readings, that help your reader understand why you believe what you do |
| explain | give the meaning of something, usually answering some “why” question |
| narrative | a story |
| paraphrase | ideas or facts from a source that you put in your own words and also cite properly |
| quotation | exact words taken directly from a source and properly cited |
| summarize | give an overview of an event or text but do not comment on it |
| support your ideas | provide quotes, paraphrases, and/or other evidence to explain why you believe what you believe |
| thesis | the main point or claim of your essay |
Notice that the verbs in the table relate to the Bloom Taxonomy levels we looked at earlier: When you summarize, describe, and explain, you show knowledge and comprehension. The other verbs involve higher-level thinking. When you analyze and compare and contrast, you work at the analysis level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. And when you make and support an argument, you engage in synthesis and evaluation.
Once you understand what question words mean, you should be able to understand question stems. The question stem is the main part of the question. Everything else is background information, expectations, or hints. Now let’s apply it to a sample exam question (the question stem has been underlined):
Summarize and make an argument about whether you agree with Jeffrey Kluger’s ideas about birth order in his article “The Power of Birth Order.” Answers must be a complete essay and must use quotations from the article (be sure to cite page numbers).
Start by looking at the question words and question stem. What are you being asked to do? The question asks for two things. First, you have to summarize ideas—this would be comprehension in Bloom’s Taxonomy. Second, you have to make an argument about these ideas—this would be evaluation. So you will defend your position with evidence from the text.
Next, look for expectations. “Answers must be a complete essay”—this means an introduction with thesis, a body, and a conclusion—and must use quotations from Kluger’s article. Check.
Finally, look for hints from the instructor. You are reminded to cite any quotations you use. Good reminder!
Interpreting the prompt is a very important part of doing well on an essay exam, so understanding the question is a good start. You know what you need to do. But don’t start writing just yet …
Understanding Essay-Exam Question Prompts
Here are some sample questions for essay exams from a variety of disciplines. They’ll give you a sense of the range of topics and kinds of questions you can expect. Notice, too, the differences in the wording of questions; some questions consist only of a question stem. Read through each essay prompt, underlining the question stem and making note of any other background information, expectations, or hints.
- Olivia Mellan writes about the importance of talking about money—money habits, feelings about money, and money dreams. What are the effects of not talking about money for a couple or for children?
- What are three causes of the Civil War?
- Identify the three branches of U.S. government and describe the functions of each.
- The original Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 and did not include the word God. This addition did not come until 1954, when Congress added the word God to the phrase “one Nation, under God” in response to the threat of communism. Today, there is much debate in schools about this change. Argue whether the word God should be removed from the pledge or not. Use quotes from the readings on religion and education to support your answer.
- Using two print advertisements for the same kind of product (car, shampoo, deodorant, and so on), analyze the techniques the marketers employ to try to get you to buy their product. Refer to the readings on advertisements that we have read this semester.