Timed Writing Strategies: Techniques for Success

Writing to a Prompt
In a timed writing situation, the major skill you are being tested on is your ability to write to a
prompt (the exam question or task).
In order to successfully respond to a prompt, you must do the following:
1) Read the prompt carefully (often several times), circle key words, and identify how many
parts there are to the question
2) Plan your response (essay)
3) Stay focused on a central idea while answering the prompt
Reading & Understanding the Prompt
The worst mistake you can make in a timed writing exam is to misread or misunderstand the
question. Though you may feel
rushed, crafting an accurate response requires you to know clearly where to begin.
An effective strategy to be sure that you understand the prompt is to circle, underline,
or highlight key words and ask for definitions of unfamiliar words.
Some words you might find in timed writing prompts include:
Agree/Disagree Take a position and stick with it throughout your essay. Dont change
your mind or try to argue both sides. Analyze Break a subject down into its component
parts, describe or evaluate, and often describe the relationship among the parts.
Compare Outline similarities between two sides.
Contrast Outline differences between two sides.
Compare & Contrast The expectation is that you do both; dont just choose one.
Debate This word means that you can argue both sides of the topic. You should, however,
develop a specific position that so that one side of the topic comes out as the stronger
argument.
Illustrate Make a point and use specific examples to support it.
Identify Parallels This phrase is a synonym for compare.
Discuss or Explain These terms are vague; you may be expected to complete any of the
tasks listed above. Look for other key words to guide your response to the prompt.
Planning
W Again, you might feel the urge to rush ahead, to begin writing your essay immediately: DONT!
If you do, you will likely lose focus
and end up with an unorganized, unfocused essay that leads nowhere but to a poor grade.
W Determine your thesis right away. Your thesis will usually be your answer to the prompt.
Your thesis should contain a controlling idea a key word or phrase that limits the focus of the
essay and expresses your opinion/attitude toward the topic. It should also contain an overview
of the main points you will make.
Example: If you were asked what your favorite spare-time activity is and why, you could
answer backpacking, but this answer alone doesnt reveal your attitude toward the
topic. In the sentence: I enjoy backpacking in my spare time because it is both
challenging and relaxing, the descriptive words challenging and relaxing reveal both
the writers attitude about the topic and how the writer will focus the response by
providing an overview of the main points he/she will discuss.
W Invest a couple of minutes in planning. Here are some strategies (in case you dont already
have one that works for you): Outlining Write out your thesis statement and each of

your main supporting points in full (or nearly full) sentences. This format is helpful for
people who like clear structure.
Brainstorming Put the topic or thesis at the center of the page and then write out
supporting points and examples, branching
out from the main point.
Listing Similar to outlining, but with a bit less structure; this method lets you get your
ideas down quickly and in point-form. Weighing Pros & Cons or Similarities & Differences
When youre asked to debate something or to compare and contrast two ideas, write a
heading for each of the ideas, draw a vertical line between the two headings, and list the
main points side by side.
Writing
N Once youve read the prompt carefully and have spent a few minutes planning, youre ready to
begin writing.
N Pace yourself: youll only have a few minutes for each paragraph.

N Here are some tips for writing each section of your essay:
Introduction A creative start draws a reader in and makes them want to keep going.
However, if a creative start doesnt come immediately to mind, skip it (but leave some
space). Move directly to your thesis and then come back to write the introduction at the
end.
Thesis Statement You will want to make your thesis immediately clear to your
reader, so it is best to put it in your introductory paragraph.
Organization Select an appropriate number of supporting points, depending on both your
argument and your allotted writing time, and present them in a clear order, so the essay
flows logically from one point to the next. Be sure to separate your main supporting points
into distinct, separate paragraphs. NOTE: Keep in mind that you do not have to come up
with exactly three examples to write about in your body paragraphs. Supporting your
thesis with one or two well-developed examples can work better than including three that
are undeveloped or incomplete.
Body Paragraphs For each body paragraph, provide a topic sentence that gives a
specific example to prove your thesis statement, and then focus the rest of the sentences
in the paragraph on explaining the idea in the topic sentence. To write a focused and
unified essay, you must stay directly focused on your thesis: do not stray from it at any
point in your essay.
Conclusion Try to come up with a conclusion that does more than simply re-state your
thesis and main points. However, unless your directions require one, a formal conclusion
isnt always necessary. Your time might be better spent editing and proofreading your
essay.
Editing & Proofreading
E Do not give yourself writers block while writing your essay by agonizing over where to place a
comma or how to spell a particular
word. Stay focused on the larger task at hand (writing the essay!) and get that done first.
E HOWEVER, you dont want to turn in an essay that contains excessive grammar, spelling,
and punctuation errors. Try to leave a few minutes to read through your entire essay.
FirstLook for any major structural or content errors first, such as misplace sentences and
vague points or explanations.
ThenIf time permits, check for any grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes.
FinallyRevisit your introduction to see if you can improve it.
E Double-space your writing so that you have room to make corrections when you edit and
proofread. Doing this leaves you room to cross out misspellings or confusing sentences and
rewrite them. You will also have room to provide more detail and add examples if you find
places where you feel you should do so.
Some Additional Advice
P On WRITING AN INTRODUCTION Often, writing an introduction is the trickiest part of a
timed writing assignment. Here are some strategies to begin your paper.
Give Background Information When writing on a general subject, such as economic
conditions in the U.S.A., give some
background information to help inform your reader about the basics of your topic.
Define a Key Concept or Term Beginning with a definition might be crucial to your
readers understanding of your position on
the prompt question. (However, avoid using a clich opening like According to Websters
Dictionary)

Tell an Anecdote or Story Only begin this way when you have an anecdote or story that
is obviously and directly related to the topic at hand.
Ask a Question Asking a question is the easiest way to begin an essay, but it is
also the most clichd. If you choose this method, try to come up with a creative
question that will inspire your reader to read on.
Relate your Topic to Recent News Mentioning a recent, well-known event in your
readers mind can establish a connection between the subject and your reader, and,
therefore, spark the readers interest.
P On ORGANIZATION Here are some common methods of organization that can help you to
arrange the ideas in your essay.
Order of Climax When ideas are presented in the order of climax, they build toward a
conclusion and save the most important and dramatic examples for the end of the essay.
Order of Complexity Ideas are ordered from simple to complex.

Order of Familiarity Ideas are ordered from the most

Dominos Pizza
a. Price
b. Quality

II.

Pizza Hut Pizza

Point-by-Point Style: Look at the two subjects together, comparing one aspect at a
time.
I.

Price
a. Dominos Pizza
b. Pizza Hut Pizza

II.

Quality
a. Dominos Pizza
b. Pizza Hut Pizza

And REMEMBER to always discuss your supporting points in the same order that they appear in
your thesis statement.
P On DEVELOPMENT Here are some tips on writing well-developed paragraphs.
Have a Topic Sentence for each paragraph that focuses
its argument and content.
Provide Appropriate Support for each paragraph by asking yourself How do I know this
is true? Your answers to this question should help you to develop your paragraphs.
Provide Clear, Concrete Support by including specific detail for each supporting
point in the form of examples, anecdotes, illustrations, facts, personal knowledge,
personal experiences, etc.
For example, if your thesis statement is I enjoy backpacking because it is both challenging and
relaxing, perhaps your first point would be how you enjoy the physical challenge backpacking
provides. A possible topic sentence could be: Because I was born with asthma, Ive always been
afraid of strenuous physical activity, but when I started improving at backpacking, I realized that
I could overcome this limiting fear. A strong essay would then go on to provide a concrete
example of when the writer came to this realization. Was it reaching the end of a difficult trail
for the first time without having an asthma attack? Was it after suffering an attack and then
carrying on ten miles in the rain to successfully read his destination? Be as specific and detailed
as possible in your support. If you cant develop a point with evidence, then its probably best
to replace that point with a stronger one.