In writing your essay, your goals should be to demonstrate the following:

• You understand the question.
• You have thought out clearly what you want to say about the question.
• Your answer to the question is clear and logically connected.
• You have included the material you need to answer the question fully.

Here are some guidelines for writing a successful take-home essay:

• Take note of the due date of the essay assignment to give yourself enough time to prepare.
• Take note of any special instructions about length and formatting.
• Read the question carefully. Your essay should follow all directions provided by your instructor. For example, if you are asked to compare two sets of course materials (say, from a group of essays), don't just summarize each. You must then compare them.
• Be sure that you have read all of the relevant course materials in advance and that you have noted the most important points in them. If your notes do not contain the kind of information that the question asks for, you will need to reread the relevant portions of the assigned materials.
• Gather together all of your notes that relate to the question. Depending on the length of the essay assignment, try to find at least two and perhaps as many as six main points about the question in your notes.
• Compose your answer by introducing and supporting each of these points. Make certain that you connect each of the points in a logical way.
• The theme of your essay should directly address the question asked. Avoid introducing material unconnected to your theme.

Clarity of sentences and continuity between paragraphs are the two key elements of good writing. Your ability to earn a high grade on an essay exam will depend to a great degree on the quality of your writing. See Guidelines for Clear Writing.

For writing in-class essay exams, see Preparing to Write an In-Class Essay and Writing an In-Class Essay Exam.