Crisis Writing: Preparing for the In-Class Essay*
DePauw University Writing Center

 Crisis writing – in-class essay, final exams – requires that you write under the pressure of time and usually without knowing the essay questions in advance.  In spite of these constraints, you need not abandon the writing process, with its thinking, planning, drafting, and revising phases.  The following suggestions will help you prepare for crisis writing: 

  1. Before exam day: Anticipate questions by reviewing lecture notes, prior exams and essays (as well as your instructor’s comments on them).  Also scan your text for information/ideas/topics that play a role in lectures, class discussion, and homework assignments.
  1. When exam is distributed: Study the essay question(s) carefully and select the one(s) you can answer best.  If there are several essay questions and you are stuck on the first one, move on to the next.  Ideas for the first question may flow more smoothly when you return to it.
  1. Underline each key point of the question(s) to be sure you will cover it entirely.  (A question only partially answered will give you only partial credit, and oftentimes no credit at all).  At the same time, look for key words that tell you what to do (e.g., compare, contrast, describe, analyze…) and instructions that reflect those key words:

The Congress recently enacted a child-care bill that is the subject of much debate. Discuss that debate, where you stand, and what changes, if any, you would make to the bill.  

As you can see, this is a 4-part question.  It requires that you (1) summarize the bill briefly; (2) compare and contrast the two (or more) viewpoints; (3) discuss your point of view, justifying it with reasons; and (4) describe changes you might make to the bill. 

  1. Plan your essay(s) carefully before you begin to write.  Develop a thesis that will guide you through your response and organize your ideas.  Your thesis statement should answer all four parts of the question.  Some planning methods include: jotting down questions you might answer, listing point you will cover, writing an outline, and using a graphic organizer or clustering technique.  As you plan, make sure that you cover all aspects of the essay question, and that you support generalizations with specific references (evidence/details/examples/authority opinion).  Remember: You wouldn’t take a trip without a map, so DON’T WRITE WITHOUT A PLAN.  The results too often produce a wandering, unfocused, even self-contradictory essay.
  1. Begin writing with a clear thesis statement in your first or second paragraph.  Timed writings leave little room for anecdotal or lengthy openings that point the way to the thesis.  As you write, refer to your thesis and notes to be sure that you cover all of your points and don’t stray from your target.  Consider, too, underlining or enumerating key points (1, 2, 3, or First, Second, Third) to emphasize ideas for an instructor who will read through a stack of exams.  Look, too, at the clock to be sure you are within your time allotment.

Remember: What you write and how you express yourself are equally important.  Consider, then, organization, usage, grammar, punctuation, spelling.  Make sure that your ideas flow smoothly from one to another, are linked together by transitions, and that the whole essay grows out of your thesis. 

  1. Allow time to revise and proofread your essay, reading it through the eyes of your instructor.  Do not hesitate to make corrections; delete sentences, even paragraphs; or insert a note that will lead your instructor to an addition on another page.  Instructors allow for corrections in timed writings and appreciate your attention to revision.

Adapted from:

Crews, Frederick.  The Random House Handbook, Fifth Edition.  New York: Random House, 1987.
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Sample Essay Question:

In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. writes: “Privileged groups seldom give up their privileges voluntarily.”  Write an essay in which you explain:

* Adapted from California Lutheran University Writing Center handout; used with permission of M.C. Markman.