Every essay question is an opportunity to express both your knowledge and viewpoints in ways that all other test situations do not allow. Of course, telling that to any student about to face an essay exam, and most will give you a dirty look and at least a groan.

Most of us will agree that it can be difficult to know what to expect on an essay exam, which can be cause for worry, even for the best of students.

One interesting fact about essay tests is that a test smart student can garner more points and better grades on these tests. All they have to know is a few strategies that work.

Perhaps the biggest problem for almost all students when it comes to answering essay questions in an exam is the time factor. Essay question exams place a certain amount of pressure on the student and many will find it difficult to write well under a time limit. Here are some tips with this difficult subject:

• Begin by reading the essay questions very thoroughly, as you would do with any other type of test.
• If there is more than one essay question be sure to read through all of them before beginning to answer the first essay question.
• Sometimes with essay questions, you have a choice with more than one question being offered by the examiner. In that case, focus on each question and determine which one you can write about more effectively.
• Re-read the directions one last time. Underline or jot down key words so you can refer back to them quickly.
• Pick a title -- simply choosing a working title for your essay even if the exam doesn't require one because it will keep you focused and ensure that you answer the right question, as well as the whole question.
• Then, turn that working title into your topic statement into a complete sentence.
• In general, you should always devote one paragraph to each of the main points in your essay.
• Use time saving and clear labeling words in the body of your essay. Examples are: Example, exceptions, contrasts, comparisons, evidence, supports, arguments, and counterarguments.
• Tie your essay with a conclusion at the end of the essay. Easy ways to do this are to summarize or to restate your topic sentence in a different way.
• Budget your time wisely, especially if there is more than one essay question to be answered.
• Break the essay question exam time down into three stages: (1) planning; (2) writing; and (3) revising and editing.
• When reading the essay question watch out for action verbs that will give you clues as to what the essay question is looking for with respect to an answer.
• It is useful to underline all action verbs in the essay question to clarify and guide your essay answer.
• Check your work if you have time left over for content, organization, and writing mechanics.

• Here are some common action verbs on essay tests!

• Analyze - Break down into sections and discuss each part separately
• Compare -- Contrast items being compared and focus on similarities and especially on differences
• Criticize -- Show the positive and negative
• Define -- Explain the central quality or meaning and expand with common knowledge
• Describe-- Look at the subject in a complete and detailed manner. Always give examples if you can.
• Enumerate (also list or identify) -- Formulate a logical list of items
• Evaluate -- Here the essay test is looking for the value, taking into consideration both positive and negative effects and always will expect you to justify your conclusion
• Explain -- Make the subject clearer in your essay answer both by giving examples or perhaps analogies
• Illustrate -- Always means the question is looking for examples
• Interpret-- Here again, the essay question is solely looking for your view of facts and your ideas. Be sure to compare them
• Outline -- Give the main ideas and sub-ideas in a logical presentation with examples
• Prove -- Show that something is true (or false) by argument with examples to prove your thoughts on the essay question
• Review -- Write the essay answer as an overview of your interpretation of what the essay question is asking and give examples wherever possible
• State -- Restate clearly the topic. Be concise, making sure that you choose your words carefully
• Summarize -- Briefly give the key or central ideas
• Trace -- Show a chronological development of the history, along with cause and effect

You take a look at the essay question and realize that you studied for all the wrong questions and now you are imagining a big fat zero on your paper when it is handed back to you. That doesn't have to be the case -- if you are test proof.

After taking a calming breath, look at the exam question very carefully. Test proof students know that if they write a well-organized, well-documented, and thorough answer that demonstrates their competent knowledge of the subject being taught (even if it misses the targeted expected point of an essay question -- that they will at least get a partial credit for their answer.

It is even possible, if the essay question was ambiguous -- that they may even get full credit!

There you sit staring at your essay question and you are certain that you don't have enough facts and details to support the general statements you do have. Before panic sets in, there are two test proof ways to expand upon what you do know.

Both are calculated risks, but taking such a risk is better than no method at all, which is a greater risk.

Begin by choosing the facts that you are certain of, the ones that apply to the essay question. Be certain to tie them as cleverly as you can to the topic statement. This will require you to dig deep within your knowledge base. Stretch an arguments you can to support your statements.

The other thing you can do when faced with a shortage of knowledge on a particular subject is one we could all learn from those who love to debate. They organize their thoughts dealing swiftly and first with what they truly know. These are the things that they can give detail, facts, support, and examples of. Follow their example in your essay answer.

After that, in the areas of the topic that you are weak carefully lay out what you do know by generalization statements and then hope you can think of something clever.

These techniques sometimes works on essay exams that have more essay questions than time allowed and in essay exams where you have the confidence and guts to at least try your luck.

There's nothing worse than finding that you've just about run out of time when you are in the middle of writing the answer to an essay question.

In an all out effort to save yourself, you can as neatly and completely as possible jot down your essay's outline. At least by doing this just have a chance with some instructors to get credit for a well-organized outline that demonstrates a good understanding of the essay question.