http://scottengnote.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-answer-essay-questions-mechanical.html
http://scottengnote.blogspot.com/2007/12/how-answer-essay-questions-mechanical.html
Though I did give poor answers on guided reading in the mid-term this semester, but I was glad to know what mistakes were made by me. The following steps of procedure was my suggestions for us to write a precise and organized answer(a naive effort to make a SOP for essay questions). I will use the part 1 of question number 7 on "The Chrysanthemums:How do you interpret Elisa’s asking for wine with dinner?" as an example.
1. Read the question clearly and define the main target of the question.
a.Try to understand what the question does want and focus on that correct topic.
-- We can see "wine" is the main point.
b.Focus on the topic of the question instead of the topic of the story.
-- So we have to answer the question around the wine, neither the chrysanthemums
nor the garden.
2. Write down the topic sentence for the answer.
a.Check again if you are using the correct topic according to the Step 1.
-- Again, it's not anything else but wine. Don't get confused. Other things might be
more important to the story but not to this question.
b.Compose a precise and right-to-the-point topic sentence.
--e.g. The Author uses wine as a symbol to reveal Elisa's feeling.
3. Use 4W1H questions on your topic, and filter out the improper questions. Answer these questions to support your topic sentence. Not every question has meaning for your specific question, and the order you answer the questions is arranged through your own judgment. I suggest you put the most direct answer at first.
a.When
--When did Elisa ask for wine at dinner? After what event happened?
b.Who
--To whom did Elisa ask for wine at dinner? How was Henry's reaction?(You may put
this question under "How".It's OK)
c.What
--What's the function of wine?
d.Why
--Why did Elisa want wine for dinner.
e.How
--
(We want a mechanical way,so isolate your questions as well as you can)
5.Choose answers of those questions you make. Compose and organize these answers into your supporting sentences for your topic sentence.
6.End your essay with a conclusion. Give your topic sentence a comment or emphasize again in other words.
Suggested Reading
"Writing Essay Exams" from Purdue University Online Writing Lab
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_essay.html
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