WUC 203 Unit 5

Unit 5
WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University

Studies
Answering Written Assignments and

Essay Questions in Examinations
Unit Overview
In Unit 1 and Unit 2, you learnt what academic writing is and how
it is different from other kinds of writing. You also learnt the
process of writing- from choosing a topic to editing and evaluating
the final draft. In Unit 3 and Unit 4, you also learnt how to write
technical documents, reports and proposals in your professional
field. Ultimately, it is hoped that the principles learnt in this course
will help you to write better and more effectively, both for university
studies and also professionally.
During the semester, you will have to do TMAs. It is also inevitable that you will
have to sit for an examination at the end of this semester not only for this course
but for your other courses as well.
Thus, it is important for you to be prepared. This is the main purpose of this unit -
i.e., to prepare you to answer essay questions in examinations as well as answer
written assignments. In identifying key terms that are used in essay questions, you
will learn how to answer essay questions effectively. Finally, you will learn how
examiners assess examinations.
By learning these techniques, it is hoped that you will be prepared for examinations
that require you to write essays. As in the other units, there are activities and self-
tests to help you understand what is taught in this unit.
Attempt the activities in each section. In addition, be sure to engage yourselves in

the WawasanLearn activities by posting responses on the discussion forum.
Sharing your answers and your thoughts on WawasanLearn will help you to
develop your critical and analytical skills
Unit Objectives
By the end of Unit 5, you should be able to:
1. Distinguish between various types of essay
questions.
2. Use keywords in rubrics to answer essay
questions.
3. List and use strategies you have learnt to
answer essay questions.
4. Identify various ways of assessing essays.
5. Apply peer and self-assessment to assess
essays.
6. Apply appropriate strategies for doing well
in examination situations.
5.1 Types of Essay Questions
Objectives
By the end of this section, you should be able to:
1. Identify the characteristics of structured and

unstructured essay questions.
2. Use the appropriate approach in answering

structured and unstructured essay questions.
Introduction
You would have written many essays as part of your
schoolwork, homework and examinations. As a result, you
may be able to recognise the different types of essay
questions that you will be introduced to in this section.
Why is it necessary to know these different types of essay

questions?
Knowing these different types of essay questions will help

you to be better prepared to answer essay questions in
examinations and for your assignments - you will know
how to approach the questions effectively and how to
answer them correctly.
In this section, you will learn two types of essay questions:
structured and unstructured essay questions. By working
on activities that you will need to complete, you will get a
feel of what it is to write structured and unstructured
essays.
Structured essay questions
What are
structured essay
questions?
Read on to
find out
Structured essay questions are also called “restricted-
response questions” because the writer who answers
these questions is given limited freedom in determining
the scope of his or her essay -i.e., what the content should
be, how it should be presented, etc.
Consequently, the writer has to write according to what the

question requires.
Here are two sample structured essay questions:
Example 1:
Write an essay of 200 – 250 words giving two reasons why rich
governments should continue to spend billions of dollars on space
programmes — to find other possible sources of energy and to seek
alternative dwelling places for Earth’s ever-increasing population.
In this example, we can see that the writer has to limit his or her answer to
the following conditions:
1. The essay has to be limited to 200 – 250 words.

2. The writer has to give two reasons.
3. The two reasons are stated:
a. To find other possible sources of energy, and
b. To seek alternative dwelling places for Earth’s ever-increasing
population.
Example 2
The price of petrol in Malaysia is subsidised by the government. Discuss the
positive economic and social impact this has on the populace.
1. The question limits the writer to a specific content - i.e., petrol subsidies
(“The price of petrol is subsidised by the government”). The examiner or
tutor will not award marks for discussion about other aspects of petrol.
2. The scope is limited to two aspects i.e., the positive economic and social
impact. Do not discuss other impacts.
In summary, you have to be careful of the scope of your content when you are
given a structured essay question. Write within the given focus. Do not spend
time writing beyond the given scope.
Work on the following activity so that you will understand how to answer a
structured essay question.
Activity 5.1
Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide supporting
sentences for the two impacts:
The positive economic impact:
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
The positive social impact:

____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 5.1
Based on Example 2 on the previous page, provide
supporting sentences for the two impacts:
The positive economic impact:

More able to travel. Using fuel-powered vehicles instead of
other forms of fuel reduces travelling time. Lower price of
goods which will benefit consumers.
The positive social impact:

More people will be travel. Families may find it more
affordable to travel during holidays.
Unstructured essay questions
Unstructured essay questions allow the writer to have the
freedom to decide on the content of the essay. There is
minimum limitation. However, it is not a completely free,
unconstrained essay. There are a few limitations here such
as the subject matter and the word limit. Note that structured
essays have more limitations.
In light of the above, you have to plan the essay outline well
so that you will fulfil the requirements of the question and
also be sure to stay within the number of words and do not
stray from the assigned subject matter
Here are two sample unstructured
essay questions:
Example 1
Select a social or ethical issue related to science and technology (such as
euthanasia, cloning, or genetically modified food). What is your personal
position regarding the issue? Present your argument in an essay of about
500 words.
The topic is limited to the field of science and technology. However, the
writer has the freedom to choose specific topics he or she is familiar with.
Examples of specific topics such as euthanasia, cloning, or genetically
modified food are given.
The writer is limited to discuss either a social or an ethical issue related to

the above field.
Example 2
Choose an issue related to your field of study that you would
like to write about. Discuss this topic with your tutor. Proceed
to write the essay once your tutor has given his or her
approval.
1. Here, the writer has much freedom. The writer can

choose any issue related to his or her field of study.
2. However, the writer must discuss the chosen topic with the
tutor before approval is given.
For such a question, remember to narrow down your topic.

Discussing a topic that is too general can be a problem as
there are too many aspects to be discussed. This will result
in an essay that is full of generalities and one that is lacking
in substance or direction.
Activity 5.2
You have been given the following writing assignment:
Choose one aspect of Malaysian life (food, places,
religious holidays, etc.) and discuss how this aspect
has changed in the past fifty years in the country.
1. Narrow down the given topic to one aspect that you

want to write about.
2. Prepare an outline of your essay:
Introduction:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Body paragraph 2:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Conclusion:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
Activity 5.2
1. (All possible answers are acceptable.)
For instance, “How food has changed in the past fifty years in Malaysia”.
2. (All appropriate answers are acceptable.)
Introduction:
Malaysia is famous for its food. Reasons for it being famous: multicultural, cheap
and tasty. Nevertheless, the food landscape has changed.
Body paragraph 1:
Entry of foreign food and drinks (Topic Sentence) – Starbucks, Coffee Bean, San
Francisco Steakhouse; sushi, tapas and other cosmopolitan food.
Body paragraph 2:
Healthier eating (Topic sentence) due to health consciousness. Vegetarian dishes
are becoming popular, less salt in food, etc.
Conclusion:
Food choices have increased and widened in variety over the past fifty years.
Malaysian food remains more popular with locals and tourists.
Activity 5.3
For your WawasanLearn activity, discuss whether you found
Activity 5.2 easy or difficult.
What were some problems that you encountered in working

on an unstructured essay?
What steps can you take to overcome such problems?

Summary
In this section, you looked at two different types of essay
questions which you may encounter in your assignments and
during examinations - i.e., structured and unstructured essay
questions.
Structured questions limit the writer to a specific focus, while

unstructured essay questions allow the writer to have more
freedom in determining his or her focus of the essay.
It is important to understand these two types of essay questions
so that you will know how to answer them. For structured
questions, stay within the given focus.
Do not write beyond what is given. For unstructured questions,

you are given the freedom to narrow down your topic so that you
can produce a text that is focused and well-developed.
Self-test 5.1
Based on the following essay topic, answer the following questions.
Malaysians today live longer than those of previous generations. Discuss.
1. What is the first thing you would do when you are given the above topic?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
2. Give some specific examples or situations to support the topic.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
3. Suggest an outline of the essay for this topic.
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
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4. Write a paragraph based on your outline for this essay topic.
___________________________________________________
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Feedback
Self-test 5.1
1. Narrow down the topic to something specific and come up with a thesis sentence.
2. More Malaysians have become more conscious of the food they eat by eating
more fruits and vegetables as compared to previous generations. Many people are
also exercising. Although the number is not high, more Malaysians are signing up for
gym workouts which were not common until recent years.
Introduction Life expectancy of Malaysians. Many
attempts to increase lifespan. Music and
positive thinking
Body paragraph 1 Music can be refreshing.Listening to
soothing music may help you when you are
down. Helps to relax the mind.
Body paragraph 2 Positive thinking. Do not worry. Think of
possible solutions instead offocusing on
problems.
Conclusion Take positive measures to live
healthily.Modern lifestyle tends to make
peoplelazy. Health is affected.Persevere in all
the steps we take to live well.
(All possible answers are acceptable.)[Ensure that your paragraph contains the
topic sentence,supporting statements and relevant examples.]
5.2 Understanding Rubrics and
Keywords
Objectives
1. Explain what the rubrics of an essay question mean,

and subsequently choose an appropriate approach to
meet the requirements of the rubrics.
2. Identify keywords in essay questions and explain what

they mean, and subsequently write essays adequately
with relevant content and structure.
Introduction
In this section, you will learn to understand requirements
(also known as “rubrics”) for essay questions and to answer
the questions appropriately and precisely. Often, examination
candidates do not do well in essay questions because they
misread the questions and write what is not required. Thus, it
is important to know how to understand essay questions.
Outside of your academic studies, it is imperative for you to

understand what is required of you in any assignment. If you
are asked to write a report describing specific matters, you
should be able to do precisely that. If you were to meander
(i.e., stray away) from what is required of you, you will only
be spending your time writing irrelevant items in your report.
This may agitate your superiors who are more interested in
what they want to know rather than what you think you want
them to know
Hence, it is important to learn how to understand the rubrics of essay questions so that
you will not spend time writing irrelevant details in your answers.
I thought this was

what you wanted
me to do.
You have not

followed the
instructions.
Understanding rubrics
What am I
supposed to
write?
“Rubrics” simply means the instructions on answering the
questions. How can one comprehend the rubrics of an essay
question? To do so, you need to do the following:
1. Do an overview (i.e., a general reading) of the question.
This means you need to read the question to understand
what the question is about. You may also underline or
highlight important details and terms in the question.
Example
Decision-making is part of every manager’s job, at whatever
level he or she operates and in whatever industry or service.
Briefly, describe the eight (8) stages of the decision-making
process in the correct sequence.
Read the sample essay question. What does the question

generally require you to do? What is the question about?
The question is about decision-making which is part of every
manager’s job description.
2. Read again to find out what the specific requirements of the
question are. What does the question want? In other words,
what do you as the writer of the essay specifically need to write
about?
The specific requirement for this sample essay question is to
describe the eight (8) stages of the decision-making process.
You also have to ensure that it is in the right sequence.
The essay
question A general One specific
idea idea
Activity 5.4
Read the following essay question:
Why is it desirable for a country to have a large GDP? Give an

example that would raise GDP and yet be undesirable.
1. What is the general idea of the essay question?

___________________________________________________
2. What is the specific requirement of the question?

___________________________________________________
Another aspect to consider when you read the rubrics is to look at the keywords.
The keywords will determine how and what you need to write in your essay. We
shall look at keywords such as “define”, “explain”, “exemplify” and “discuss” in the
next subsection.
Feedback
Activity 5.4
1. The general idea of the essay question is to
explain why it is desirable for a country to have a
large GDP.
2. Specifically, the question requires you to give an

example that would raise GDP but would not be
desirable.
Understanding keywords
In this subsection, we will revise some important instructional
keywords (also known as “task words”) that you have learnt in
Unit 2.
You may encounter these keywords in essay questions and in

other writing tasks. It is important to understand them so that
you will be able to answer essay questions appropriately.
Let us look at some common instructional keywords you may

encounter in an examination.
Define
To define is to give the meaning of a word, a concept, an
idea or a phrase. For instance, to define economics is to
give its meaning- what understanding does the word
“economics” convey? What do experts and professionals
such as economists say this word means? To help you
define a term, you need a good dictionary. However,
sometimes a good dictionary is not enough as many words
such as “justice” and “democracy” have highly complex
meanings which may not be adequately explained in a
dictionary (Clouse 1996, p. 322). Hence, it is important to
look up definitions in specialised texts such as academic
sources.
Example
In your own words, define “space technology” and discuss if Malaysia should spend
money on it.
In this example, you need to define “space technology” in your own words. This is
why it is important to read widely (as advised in Unit A on the WawasanLearn) so
that you can have a broad knowledge of the world which ultimately helps you in
working on your assignments and in answering examination questions.
Remember to read extensively to
gain wider general knowledge so
that you will be able to complete
your assignments and answer
essay questions confidently.
In the context of an examination, even in the absence of the
phrase “in your own words” as in the example above, it is
understood that you are to give the definition of “space
technology” according to your understanding.
In the case of an assignment where you have access to

reading materials, you should read books related to space
technology and define the term as it is given in the texts.
For essay assignments and examination questions, it is hardly

unlikely that you are asked to only define something. You are
usually instructed to work on a task such as to “explain”.
Activity 5.5
You are given the following topic for a take-home essay
In your own words, define “philosophy of life” and explain why philosophy is important
even to researchers in the hard sciences
1. What are the keywords in this essay topic?

___________________________________________________
2. In which paragraph of your essay do you think you would write the definition of
“philosophy of life”?
___________________________________________________
3. Give a brief outline of how you would write the definition of “philosophy of life.”
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Activity 5.5
1. The keywords are “own words,” “define” and “explain.”
2. The Introduction or Introductory paragraph.
3. How “philosophy of life” is defined by Western philosophers.

How “philosophy of life” is defined by Western philosophers.
How I define “philosophy of life.”
Explain
To explain is to give further information about something. Be
certain that your explanation is related to the topic of your
essay. “Explaining” is not a licence for you to write whatever
you want or fancy.
Thus, ensure that whatever you want to explain is within the

requirements of the rubrics when you plan the outline of your
essay.
Activity 5.6
You are given the following assignment question. Give an
outline of your essay.
You have been assigned to write an article about excellence in education for a university
magazine. Define “excellence” in your own words. Explain why we should strive for
excellence in higher education.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Activity 5.6
(All appropriate answers are acceptable.)
Introduction Hook: Definition of “excellence” in my own words.

General information: “Perfect” or “the best.” What it means to excel in
education. Characteristics of excellence in education.
Thesis statement: General reasons to strive for excellence doing well in
life, character building.
First paragraph Topic sentence: Doing well in life what it means.
Supporting sentences: Why people seek life achievements. Gives people a
cause to hope and live for. Provides a sense of purpose for one’s life.
Second paragraph Topic sentence: Character building to understand and practise good
values that help a person to relate well with other people.
Supporting sentences: To excel in education, one has to sacrifice a lot of
one’s time to study and work on assignments. This builds a person's
character through values such as patience, diligence, creativity, etc.
Conclusion Restatement/Summary: Striving for excellence in university education
starts with the individual. It takes time and effort i.e., not immediate.
Closing statement: The fruit of perseverance in studying will be very
rewarding for the individual.
When you write your essay, it is always necessary to include some examples as
evidence for the points that you communicate. Sometimes, this is stated specifically in
the rubrics which means that you have to provide examples. The word “exemplify” is
used for this purpose. Let us look at this word in the next subsection.
Exemplify
Generally, you need to illustrate your points in an essay by supporting them with
examples. If a question specifically asks for examples, you will have to ensure that
there are examples given. Examples seek “to illustrate some part of a statement by
showing the reader a specific instance of it” (Brannan 2003, 41).
When you provide examples, they must be specific (i.e., not generalised examples)
and supportive of the point that you are explaining. It would be irrelevant to provide
examples that do not illustrate the point that you are explaining. Remember to develop
your example by connecting your example to the point or the topic sentence that you
give
Read the following sample question:
You are contributing an article for your university magazine. The article is about
problems faced by adult learners in an open university. Share your personal
experiences in your answer.
In the question, you are to give your personal experiences as
examples. Remember to ensure that the examples that you
provide are relevant to the point that you are making.
The following is a sample paragraph for the question:
Another problem faced by adult learners is finding time to study. Many adult learners
have full-time jobs which they need to concentrate on. In other words, between work and
study, work has to come first. Consequently, the adult learner will have to manage his or
her time well so that he or she can do his or her work first and then find time to study.
Most of the time, I have to work overtime to meet my project deadlines, failing which my
contract may be terminated by the main contractor. So, I am greatly pressured to do my
job well, and at the same time, find time during breaks, meals or just before I sleep to go
through my study notes and work on my assignments. It can be tough to be an adult
learner but I know the fruit of all this hard work will be precious.
Note the structure of the above paragraph. The topic sentence is Another problem
faced by adult learners is finding time to study. In this sentence, the topic is Another
problem faced by adult learners, and the controlling idea is finding time to study.
First, explain the problem of finding time to study. The writer explains that work
has to come first, and provides specific examples I have to work overtime to
meet my project deadlines, failing which my contract may be terminated by the
main contractor, and at the same time, find time during breaks, meals or just
before I sleep to go through my study notes and work on my assignments.
Note also that the explanation and examples are developed so that the reader can
understand the connection between the examples and the topic sentence.
Read the following paragraph. What are the differences between this
paragraph and the above paragraph?
Another problem faced by adult learners is finding time to study. Many adult learners have
full-time jobs which they need to concentrate on. In other words, between work and
study, work has to come first. Consequently, the adult learner will have to manage his or
her time well so that he or she can do his or her work first and then find time to study. For
example, I too have a lot of work and sometimes do not have enough time to study. It can
be tough to be an adult learner but I know the fruit of all this hard work will be precious.
I hope you have been able to identify that the example given is not specific and it is
also not developed.
Activity 5.7
You are given this topic for a writing assignment
Ways to healthy living.
1. Write a thesis statement for the essay.
____________________________________________________
2. Develop three topic sentences to support your thesis statement.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
3. For each topic sentence, provide at least one example.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
4. Choose one topic sentence and its relevant example that you have written and
develop them into a paragraph. Remember to be specific in your example and develop
it.
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Activity 5.7
1. There are different ways of living a healthy life doing exercises, thinking positively
and eating appropriately.
2. a. Exercising will help one to live a healthy life.
b. Another tip for living healthily is to think positively.
c. One should also eat sensibly and appropriately to enjoy good health.
3. a. Aerobics and gym workouts.
b. Manage one’s time well and read books on positive thinking.
c. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, consume less carbohydrates and avoid junk
food.
4. Exercising can help one to live a healthy life. When one exercises, the muscles and
the heart are worked on and also the blood circulation is improved. These help to make
the body tissues firmer, making one look more youthful and healthy. Thus, activities
such as aerobics and gym workouts help to put the body in motion and improve blood
circulation. Lifting weights in the gym also helps to develop one’s muscles.
Consequently, one’s physique looks better and more attractive. In summary, exercising
provides many benefits for everyone.
(All appropriate answers are acceptable. You may want to submit your paragraph to your
tutor for feedback.)
In the next subsection, we will look at the word
“discuss” which is another common word that is used
in essay questions.
Discuss
“Discuss” is synonymous with “explain”. In other
words, when you discuss an issue or a point, you
present an elaboration on that specific issue or that
particular point. When you conduct a discussion, you
may consider expressing viewpoints from various
perspectives.
Let us look at the following sample essay topic.
Religion is the opium of the masses”. Discuss.
This topic is very general. No specific direction is given as to how your essay
should be structured - Are you to agree or disagree with the topic?
Here, you can present both views - one paragraph to explain why some people
agree and another paragraph to explain why others disagree. You should also
indicate your stand (i.e., your position as to whether you agree or disagree) in a
separate paragraph.
A sample outline of the essay may look as follows:
Introduction Hook: Religion — beliefs.

Background/General information: What the quotation means. Religion
tends to hold people in bondage of superstition, so much so they are
willing to die for their beliefs without knowing what they are dying for.
Thesis statement: It has its truths and also its untruths — different
views.
Body paragraph 1 Topic sentence: First view — Some people agree that religion is the
opium of the masses because religion has helped many people by giving
them hope.
Supporting sentences: For instance, in the midst of calamity or
problems, religion can help to give a person hope, assurance and the
strength to carry on. People with no hope tend to have no will to live on.
Topic sentence: Second view — Disagree because the misuse of religion can put people
Body paragraph 2 into bondage.
Supporting sentences: Many people have blindly followed their faiths to kill others as in
the crusades and current terrorism trends. Religion tends to make people not use their
thinking faculties; they are expected to 'follow' dangerous trends such as in cults. Blind
faith has led to many causes of suicide.
Topic sentence: My view — My personal opinion is that religion has its place in a person’s
Body paragraph 3 life.
Supporting sentences: There should also be room for discussion and not blind faith. Give
personal examples.
Restatement/Summary: There is truth in the statement. On the other hand, it may not be
Conclusion true for all situations.
Closing statement: Religion may not be the opium of the masses, but for some who use
In the above outline, two perspectives of the
quotation are given- one to agree (Body paragraph
1), and the other to disagree (Body paragraph 2).
Body paragraph 3 gives the personal stand of the
writer.
Remember to give relevant examples (where
necessary) to illustrate the points that you are
making.
Activity 5.8
Provide an essay outline for the following topic:
“One should fight fire with fire”. Discuss this statement

with regard to gun control.
______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Activity 5.8
(You may want to submit your
paragraph to your tutor for feedback.)
Compare and contrast
Another set of keywords is “compare and contrast”. When you
are asked to compare, you are to write the similarities
between one thing and another.
To contrast is to write the differences of one thing from

another. This is a popular kind of question and it requires you
to demonstrate mastery over both concepts and show that you
can find the connections between them.
For instance, if you are asked to compare and contrast doing an
open distance learning course and a full-time campus course
(i.e., studying full-time in a university), you should discuss the
similarities and the differences between these two modes of
study.
Two approaches to responding to compare and contrast
questions are as follows:
1. List all the similarities first and state all the differences in the
following paragraphs before the conclusion
Introductory Paragraph
Similarities
Differences
Concluding Paragraph
2. Discuss the particular features in which the two
concepts find similarities and differences. This is a
more complex approach to comparing and contrasting.
Introductory Paragraph
Feature 1
Concept A
Concept B
Feature 2
Concept A
Concept B
Feature 3
Concept A
Concept B
Concluding Paragraph
Other keywords
There are many other instructional keywords that you may come across in essays.
Here is a list of them and explanations on what you are required to do:
Key Words What you have to do?
Analyse Break the topic into parts and show how the parts are related to each other
to the whole. (Analyse the following sonnet by William Shakespeare.)
Argue Support a particular view for or against a topic, and support it with evidence.
(Your friend wishes to join a protest group. Argue why you think it is a good
or bad idea.)
Assess Weigh up to what extent a statement is true. Pay due attention to positive,
negative and disputable aspects. You can cite opinions of well-known
personalities or research to support your assessment. (Assess why James was
a successful leader and William a failure.)
Compare Write about the similarities and differences. (Compare convergent and
divergent thinking.)
Contrast Similar to compare, but the focus is on differences here. (Contrast the
language used in the two passages about nature.)
Define Explain the meaning of something in a brief, specific manner. (Define
Academic Integrity)
Describe Give a full and detailed picture of something in words so that it can be
visualised. Alternatively, spell out the main aspects of an idea, a topic or the
sequence in which a series of things happen. Recount, characterise, sketch or
relate these things in narrative form. (Describe how En Hamid went from rags
to riches.)
Diagram Draw a picture and label its parts. (Diagram the parts of a gun and explain how it
works.)
Discuss Write as much as you can on the topic. (Discuss how an increase in the price of
petrol affects you.)
Enumerate Give a numbered list or give points one by one in an itemised series. (Enumerate
the harmful effects of addiction to video games.)
Evaluate Write about the advantages and disadvantages. Finally, conclude whether it is
good or bad. (Evaluate the usefulness of making purchases with a credit card.)
Explain Discuss reasons. Provide facts and reasons to make something clear and
understandable. (Explain why chick lit is so popular with schoolgirls.)
Give examples Provide specific instances, places, events, people, etc. as is required. (Give two
examples of flowering vegetables.)
Illustrate Draw a picture and label its parts. Give a long written example to explain
something. (Illustrate the use of Edward de Bono’s CoRT 4 tools in generating
creative ideas.)
Identify To name or state. (Identify five strategies that will reduce miscommunication.)
Interpret Explain, translate, provide examples and give your opinion. (Interpret the following
lines from Robert Frost.)
Justify Provide reasons and facts to support the topic. (Justify your decision for choosing
Plan A instead of Plan B.)
List Present information as a series of points. (List the importance of writing skills in the
workplace.)
Outline Present important information in an organized manner. (Outline the steps of the writing
process.)
Prove Cite evidence or proof, giving clear and logical reasons. (Prove that the Road Safety
Campaign was a success.)
Relate Write about the connection between topics. (Relate the connection between texting
while driving and the high rate of road accidents.)
Review Examine, analyse and comment on the topic critically. (Review the novel “Great
Expectations” by Charles Dickens.)
State Present the main points in a clear and concise manner (State the steps leading to the
signing of the contract.)
Summarise Present the main points in a brief manner. (Summarise the president’s speech in not more
than 100 words)
Trace Present information in the order something occurred. (Trace the events leading to the
formation of Malaysia.)
Activity 5.9
Read the following essay question:
The women’s liberation movement in the West during the early twentieth century has
brought many social changes to Western society, especially to the status of women as
compared to men. Some of these changes have spilled over to Asian communities. Compare
and contrast the status of women in the Western and Asian worlds.
1. What are the keywords that you should focus on in this question?
___________________________________________________
2. What is the specific requirement of this question?

___________________________________________________
3. What examples can you give in your essay to show the comparison and the
contrast between the social status of women in the Western world and those in the
Asian world?
___________________________________________________
4. Proceed to write the essay outline. You can do it as a mind-map if you wish.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Activity 5.9
(You may want to submit your outline to your tutor for feedback.)
1. The keywords are “compare and contrast”.
2. The specific requirement of this question is to write about how similar the social
status of Asian women is to that of Western women as well as how their social
status differs between them.
3.
Comparison Asian and Western women can vote. Previously, before the
(Similarities) early twentieth century, many women around the world were
not allowed to vote.
Contrast (Differences) Weatern women have freedom to decide if and to whom they
want to get married. Many women in some Asian countries
are forced into marriage.
Introduction Background information: The purpose of the women’s liberation movement.
Changes they have fought for e.g., equality in access to education, jobs and
political life; greater freedom; rights to divorce; access to contraception and
abortion
Body paragraph 1 Topic sentence: Compare and contrast sexual harassment.

Supporting sentences: How it differs between Asian and Western countries.
What is being done.
Body paragraph 2 Topic sentence: Compare and contrast work and labour.
Supporting sentences: In terms of work in Asian countries, women are often
considered as cheap labour. There is a lack of training for them and pregnant
women are usually dismissed from their jobs in poorer countries. (Compare
this aspect to that in the West.)
Body paragraph 3 Topic sentence: Compare and contrast income.

Supporting sentences: Women in Asian countries tend to face much more
discrimination in terms of pay even when they are as qualified as men who
hold the same jobs. In Western countries, there is a much stronger
organisation of unions to represent women.
Conclusion The women’s liberation movement has brought about numerous changes.
Nevertheless, many more changes are still needed to address various aspects
of related issues.
Summary
In this section, we looked at the importance of understanding the
instructions and contents of a question. Following the
requirements of these questions (examination questions or
assignment questions) is important. If students fail to understand
what these questions require them to do, they may not write the
answer within the required scope. Subsequently, these students
either fail or do not do well in the examination or the assignment.
In this section, you looked at one strategy in understanding
questions first noting the keywords in the questions. You looked
at some of the keywords given in this section such as “define”,
“explain”, “exemplify”, “discuss” and “compare and contrast”.
Spending some time to mull over these words will help you to
draw an outline of the essay that will not stray away from the
required scope of the question.
Self-test 5.2
The following is a possible essay topic in an examination:
Many people are concerned that global warning may worsen if we continue to live the way
we do now. Explain how global warming can worsen and what steps can be taken by
individuals and governments to protect the Earth from getting warmer.
1. What is the question mainly about?

___________________________________________________
2. What is the keyword that you should take note of?
___________________________________________________
3. What is the specific requirement of the question?
___________________________________________________
4. Will the content of the essay change if the question uses the word discuss
instead of explain?
___________________________________________________
Self-test 5.1
1. The question is mainly about global warming and how to
prevent the situation from getting worse (i.e., prevent the Earthfrom getting warmer)
2. Keyword: Explain.Other possible keywords: global, warming, worsen,

steps,individuals, governments, and protect.
3. Explain steps that can be taken by individuals and governments

to prevent global warming from worsening.
4. No difference. In this case, “explain” and “discuss” can be usedinterchangeably

5.3 Presenting Your Completed Essay
Objectives

1. Apply the techniques learnt to present a completed essay in
the appropriate format and layout.
2. Apply the principles learnt in preparing a handwritten essay.
3. Identify unacceptable strategies that students use in essay

Writing which do not work and to avoid them.
Introduction
The earlier units discussed how you go about preparing your academic essays
andhow to go about answering the various essay questions. You have put in a lot
oftime and effort in planning, drafting and writing your essay, and in this section,you
will learn about how to present the fruits of your labour. Just as a chef has whohas
cooked a great meal would want to present the dish in an eye-catching way,
you would want to do the same. Naturally, for all the time invested in
your assignment,you want to obtain the best score possible.
Do be aware that marking essays is rather subjective. This means that one
assessor’smarks for an essay may differ from that of another assessor although the
both of themmay use the same criteria for marking. The difference in marks is
usually not too wide but it does show that different examiners will view the
same essay differently. What can you do to ensure that you obtain the best possible
score?
Chefs don’t just cook and then simply put the food on the plate for them,
thepresentation is the most crucial stage. The choice of plates, the way the various
itemsof food are arranged, the colours, the decoration these are some of the
aspectschefs place importance on. Chefs are fond of saying, “We eat with our eyes
first.”
Similarly, the way you present your essays is the first thing your tutors or lecturerssee
before they even begin evaluating your work. Submitting visually-pleasing essaysis
one way to ensure your create a good impression. In many cases, the layouts ofsome
essays are so bad that it is almost impossible to tell at a glance how manyparagraphs
were written. Examiners very frequently cannot tell where one paragraphends and
the next one begin
Legibility, or the quality of handwriting that is clear enough to be read, is

anotherfactor. Illegibility is always a turn-off. A well-researched essay may not score
thehighest marks possible if it is written illegibly if the examiner is unable to read
the essay in the first place.
In this section, we will look at some of the techniques of improving your

presentation.Do remember that ultimately your tutors and examiners will award you
marksaccording to your content and your language for English Language related
courses.For other courses, marks are given for content, but you must remember that
ifyour language proficiency is not good, it will definitely affect the way your answeris
communicated
Format
The first thing you have to consider is the format of your essay. Always stick to the
format given by your institution. If no format is provided, here are some of theusual
recommendations:
1. Use a word processor such as Microsoft Word to type your assignments.Typed or
printed sentences are preferable to handwritten ones. As a writer,you want your
readers - i.e., your tutors or the examiners - to be able to read your work. You want
them to have a pleasant time reading your work,not to struggle in an effort to
decipher what you have written.
2. The assignment should be typed 1.5 or double-spaced. This spacing is to enable

your tutor sufficient space to add comments to your work. However, WOU
students, whose assignments are marked online, might be given adifferent set of
format to follow. Essays marked digitally are not restrictedby this double-spacing
requirement the adding of comments is notrestricted by the lack of space.
3. In all your assignments submitted to WOU, you should have a one-inchmargin on

the top, bottom, left and right
4. The text of your essay should be aligned to the left. Do not justify thetext -
selecting this option produces weird results in the reference list.
5. The usual fonts recommended are Times New Roman or Arial, and a font size of
12 point is usually recommended.
6. The standard paper size for academic assignments is A4 (210mm × 297mm,or

8.27” × 11.69”).
7. The recommended paper weight or paper density is 80gsm (grams

per squaremeter). Paper of a lower density might allow too much light to pass
through - making the text of the following page visible; and therefore making
youressay difficult for your tutors to read
8. Use plain white paper for your assignments. Coloured paper may be usedonly if
necessary - such as to indicate a separation between the main textof your
assignment and the appendix
9 Most importantly, on the first page of your assignment, you should havethe
following:• Student’s name• Student ID• Student’s contact information
(phone and email)• Lecturer’s/Tutor’ name• Name of the course
10. In preparing your reference list at the end of your assignment, the style and
format adopted by the university is the Chicago style.
Handwritten essays in an examination
While typed essays are preferable, this is not possible in an examination. Here
aresome basic principles to follow in preparing a handwritten answer:1. Ensure that
your handwriting can be easily read. Write neatly, and make aneffort to write your
letters, words and sentences legibly.
2. Do not use a pencil to write essays or answers during the examination.
3. When using a pen, use black or dark blue ink. Light-coloured ink tends tomake
your text look faint and such text is difficult to read.
4. Plan your essay outline before proceeding to write your final draft. Anessay with
scribbles, cancellations or liquid correction marks is annoyingto the examiner. Let
the examiner focus on your answer, not distracted bythe various alterations on your
answer sheet
Layout
According to the Macmillan Dictionary online,
layout refers to the way in which the different parts of something are arranged.
Just as a chef views the way the nasi lemak is presented to the customer, you
should similarly view the layout of your essay as very important.
Look at the two layouts of the two essays below:
ESSAY A ESSAY B
The most dangerous animal in theworldWhat is The most dangerous animal in theworld
the most dangerous animal in the world? If you What is the most dangerous animal in the
think it is somefierce jungle beast, you are world? If you think it is somefierce jungle beast,
wrong.According to many scientists,the most you are wrong.According to many scientists,the
consistently dangerous animal in the world is most consistently dangerous animal in the world
the commonhousefly. The housefly is the common housefly. The housefly
carries millions ofgerms. Because of its habit carries millions of germs. Because of its habit of
offeeding on excrement and rubbish,and any feeding on excrement and rubbish,and any form
form of filth, a single housefly can harbour of filth, a single housefly can harbour thirty-
thirty-three million germs in its intestines three million germs in its intestines and more
andmore than five hundred million germs on it than five hundred million germs on it body and
body and legs. The housefly is dangerous legs. The housefly is dangerous topeople
topeople because it spreads diseases.Being a because it spreads diseases.Being a carrier of
carrier of germs, it is not surprising that it is the germs, it is not surprising that it is the bearer
bearer ofsuch dreaded diseases such astyphoid ofsuch dreaded diseases such as typhoid fever,
fever, tuberculosis and diarrhoea. These tuberculosis and diarrhoea. These diseases kill
diseases killpeople. These are the reasons why people
the housefly is considered dangerous. To reduce
the problems caused by houseflies, we should
always coverfood, and ensure that all
rubbishbins are covered with lids.
Can you see a title and four paragraphs in each of the above essays at a glance?
Whichis easier to see? Why?
As will observe,
Essay B
has a better layout. Hopefully,
you will be aware, that your task does not end with the completion of the writing of
your essay - you need to put some thought on your layout.Here are some
considerations to ensure that the layout of your essay is pleasing to your reader’s
eye:
1. The title of your essay must be clear. It should stand out. For an assignment,put
the title in bold and centre it. In an examination, underline the title.
2. Leave a space between paragraphs.
3. Ensure there is a margin on the top, bottom, left and right.
4. Adhere to the formatting requirements discussed earlier, such as the choiceof

font, font size, line spacing, etc.
Look at the following examples to illustrate the importance of format and layout:
Paragraph A
33
Paragraph A
, several words are cancelled and replaced with other words.Corrections are made and a few
words are inserted. Besides making the essay looklike a rough draft, the finished product looks
untidy. Would you like to read anessay like this? Do you think your tutor or the examiner would
like to read it? It istherefore better not to handwrite the assignment as handwritten assignments
canbe misread by the examiner.
Paragraph B
The recent bridge collapse in Minnesota, America is a grim reminder
of the need to be vigilant at all times. Had the city engineers and the city
officials been vigilant in their work and notified the relevant authorities of
the need to strengthen the bridge, many lives would not have perished in
the tragedy. Unfortunately, many people tend to be careless - they tend to
take things for granted, assuming that all is well until a tragedy strikes.
Paragraph B
is an improved version of the text. Note that without the correctionsmade
on the text, and typed using the appropriate font size, font type and
linespacing, the text definitely looks more pleasing and presentable. In
short, do notsubmit to your tutor or the examiner a draft text with all the
corrections that havebeen made. The final text you submit should be
edited, neat and presentable.
Ideas that do not work:
Before we end this section, here are some ideas adopted by students in theirattempt
to get their tutors, lecturers or examiners into awarding them more
marks.Unfortunately, these tricks do not work. You are advised to avoid them.
1.Spending more time on the cover page than on the essay.

Graphics, pretty binders, colourful covers and fancy fonts are no substitutes for a well-
written paper.
2.Using large fonts, wide margins and extra spacing to increase the numberof
pages.
These deceptive tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Your tutors and examiners
are very experienced people and they cannot be fooled into thinking you have
prepared a lengthy assignment.
3.Padding the essay by adding too much irrelevant information.

Remember that the quantity can never replace the quality of your
answer. Avoid padding your essay with unnecessary information. Tutors and
examiners devote many hours grading essays, and would certainly prefer toread
answers that are clear and straight-to-the-point rather than go through paragraphs of
unnecessary information searching endlessly for the correct responses.
Activity 5.10
The essay below has a title and five paragraphs
. Because of the poor formatting and layout, the examiner would have difficulty
seeing the title and the various paragraphs at a glance.
Retype the essay below by adopting the format and layout below:
Format:•
Font: Times New Roman
Font size: 11
• Text alignment: Left
• Spacing: 1.5Layout:
• Title: Centred
• Paragraphs: Add a blank space between paragraphs
• Margin: 1 inch margin top, bottom, left, right
Feedback
Activity 5.10
How plants defend themselves
What do you do if you are about to be attacked by a dog? You runaway! When an
animal is threatened, it can run away, or choose tofight back. However, plants
cannot run away, nor can they fightback. If you think they are defenceless, you are
wrong. Plants haveways to defend themselves.One way plants have to defend
themselves is by having sharpedges or thorns. For example, the leaves of a holly
plant have sharpspines that discourage animals from eating its leaves. This is
howthe holly plant defends itself physically.Another way plants defend themselves
physically is by having hardleaves. The oak tree has leaves that are thick and hard
which makeit difficult for animals to eat them.Besides physical means, plants make
use of chemical defences.For example, when a caterpillar bites a tobacco leaf, the
chemicalnicotine is released. This nicotine discourages the caterpillar.As you can
see, plants are not completely defenceless as manypeople think. They can protect
themselves through physical andchemical means.
How plants defend themselves What do you do if you are about to be attacked by a
dog? You runaway! When an animal is threatened, it can run away, or chooseto
fight back. However, plants cannot run away
nor can they fight back. If you think they are defenceless, youare wrong. Plants
have ways to defend themselves
One way plants have to defend themselves is by having sharp edges orthorns. For
example, the leaves of a holly plant have sharp spines thatdiscourage animals from
eating its leaves. This is how the holly plantdefends itself physically
Another way plants defend themselves physically is by havinghard leaves. The oak
tree has leaves that are thick and hard whichmake it difficult for animals to eat them
Besides physical means,plants make use of chemical defences.For example,

when a caterpillar bites a tobacco leaf, the chemicalnicotine is released . This
nicotine.
discourages the caterpillar.

As you can see, plants are not completely defenceless as manypeople think. They
can protect themselves through physical andchemical means
Activity 5.11
To show your understanding of the various important sentences inthe above essay,
identify the following:
Title: ________________________________________________
Introduction: Thesis
Statement____________________________________________________
Body paragraph 1: Topic

Sentence____________________________________________________

sentence____________________________________________________

sentence____________________________________________________
Conclusion:
Restatement___________________________________________________
Activity 5.11
Title:
How plants defend themselves
Introduction: Thesis statement
Plants have ways to defend themselves.
Body paragraph 1: Topic sentence
One way plants have to defend themselves is by having sharp edges or thorns.

Another way plants defend themselves physically is by having hard leaves.
Besides physical means, plants make use of chemical defences.
Conclusion: Restatement
As you can see, plants are not completely defenceless as many people think
Summary
In this section, we looked at two considerations when presenting your completed
essays for submission - format and layout.
Format refers to the choice of fonts, font size, line spacing, text alignment, and
margins. Layout refers to the way text (titles andparagraphs) and graphics are set
out on the page.
Physical characteristics of your product such as the type of paper for the
assignment, the tidiness of your assignment and the type of stationery you use for
your writing are equally important.
Following these considerations will help you to present your essayin the best way
possible to your examiner and tutor.
Self-test 5.3
An assignment is given to you where you have to write an essaybased on the topic
“Spirituality is more important than the greatestdiscoveries of science.”
Discuss. You are given ten weeks to complete this assignment. The followingis a
sample of your assignment
1. Do you think the above sample is acceptable for submission toyour
tutor?_________________________________________________
2. Give reasons for your answer to Question 1.

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
3. What format and layout would you consider for this essay assignment?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Self-test 5.3
1. No.
2. The assignment is handwritten. It should be typed in a font that is easily

readable. The margins are too narrow and they are not in accordance with the
required margin specifications.
3. Format:
• Use a word processor such as Microsoft Word to type yourassignments
.• The assignment should be typed 1.5 or double-spaced.
• The text of your essay should be aligned to the left.
• In-text citation and reference list using the APA style.
• Use font Times New Roman or Arial, and a font size of 12point.• Use an A4 size
plain white paper of 80gsm
• On the first page of your assignment, include the following:Student’s name, ID,
contact information, lecturer’s/tutor’name, name of the course.Layout:
• Title in bold and placed in the centre.
Leave a space between paragraphs.
• There should be a one-inch margin on the top, bottom, leftand right.
41
UNIT 5
Answering written assignments and essay questions in examinations
5.4 Assessment of Essays
Objectives
1. Explain what evaluation and assessment means.
2. Explain what self-assessment and peer-assessment means.
3. Conduct self-assessment and peer-assessment to evaluate essays written by
yourself and your peers.
4. Describe what you should do when assessing an essay
Introduction
Assessment is one activity that you, as a student, will always encounter.
Studentsare assessed through examinations, tests, assignments and activities.
Employees areappraised by their managers on their capability to do work.
Assignments are alsoassessed and evaluated so that a grade or marks can be
awarded accordingly.In this section, you will look at how essays are assessed. You
will also learn how toassess your own essays and that of your peers. By conducting
such assessments, youcan become aware of what you need to do to improve you
academic writing skills.In this section, you will learn what assessment is, followed by
an explanation ofhow essays are assessed. Do attempt the activities so that you can
have a clearerunderstanding of how essays are assessed
What is evaluation and assessment?
1. Evaluation
In general, an evaluation is given at the end of a course to determine how well a
person has performed an academic task, or to identify if the student has achieved a
certain set standard. Thus, essays are evaluated to establish if the writer
has written the essay to a particular level - whether the essay is of a university level
and deserves an A; or the writing is just not up to the required standard and
deserves a failing grade. As you can see, an evaluation is used to
determine whether the student deserves a distinction, has achieved
a certain standard to move up to the next level, to be awarded a degree, or be
qualified as for the profession he or she aspires to be
2.
Assessment
An assessment, on the other hand, is focussed on determining whether you
haveacquired the various skills in a learning environment. An assessment helps
youto identify areas of weaknesses so that you can work to improve on them.
Forexample, in essay writing, you are assessed on your ability to compose
thesisstatements, topic sentences, supporting sentences, hooks, and other aspects
of writing.
An example of an assessment and evaluation of an article being
consideredfor publication
Here’s an example of an assessment of an article submitted for publication.
Notethat it does not make any judgement (evaluation) on whether it is good or bad.
This article has an appropriate introduction, with sufficient basic
backgroundinformation on the topic. The thesis statement states very clearly the
five areas thatthe article will discuss. The body of the article discusses the five
areas of the topic
in great detail and provides sufficient examples and evidence from various different
sources (statistics, a book, a research article from a journal, and a news article)
toback up the thesis.
Here’s an example of an evaluation of that same article. You would notice thatit
makes a judgement based on the assessment given above:
The article is well-written and is suitable for publication in the university’s

next journal.
Before you submit in your essay to your tutor or the
examiner, you can do a self-assessment. For
assignments to be submitted to your tutors, you can
also have peer-assessment whereby your peers
use relevant criteria to assess your essay. You will
learn about these two types of assessment here.
How essays are assessed
All institutions have marking criteria for essays but the

y may differ from one institution to another. It is best to
consult your course coordinator or your tutor as to
how your essays are assessed.
The following are some general ways of marking

essays:
1.Impression marking
Marks can be awarded via impression
marking. In this type of marking,examiners
read your essay and form an impression in
their minds about the standard of your work.
Evaluation that is based on impression

marking can be rather subjective- i.e., what
may be considered good by one examiner
may be regarded as bad by another.
If impression marking is practised, it is important for the writer to
ensure that the essay is presented with the appropriate
format and layout. Work that is neat and tidy (i.e., without
cancellations, scratching, and is professionally typed with the
correct format and pleasing layout) will create a positive
impression in the evaluator’s minds.
Most institutions require their examiners to come up with a

marking schemethat is appropriate for each question. The
marking scheme contains aspects of the essay that the
examiner should look at. The following is a sample marking
scheme for a compare-and-contrast essay that is worth 20
marks.
Marking scheme for a compare-and contrast essay
Question: The women’s liberation movement in the West
during the early twentieth century has brought many social
changes to Western society, especially to the status of
women as compared to men. Some of these changes have
spilled over to Asian communities. Compare and contrast
the status of women in the Western and Asian worlds
18 – 20marks The response provides a genuine comparison and/or contrastabout most
of the qualities of authenticity, completeness,consistency, typicality and
usefulness in relation to the question.Areas of agreement and/or
disagreement are discussed. Theargument shows judgement. The writing
shows accuracy ingrammar, punctuation and spelling.[“Genuine
comparison and/or contrast” means content (area ofagreement and/or
disagreement) and provenance. The list ofqualities is not exhaustive and
not all these qualities need tobe discussed. A judgement “as evidence” on
the relative extentof support is expected.]
15 – 17marks The response provides an effective comparison

and/or contrast. The judgements are supported by appropriate reference
sto internal evidence. The answer is relevant but it lackscompleteness
and the full range of the available comparativecriteria. Most of the
writing shows accuracy in grammar,punctuation and spelling.[“Internal
evidence” means appropriate references to contentand provenance (the
introduction and/or attributions).]
12 – 14marks The response provides a comparison and/or contrast but makeslimited

links with the sources. The answer is relevant but theorganisation of the
answer is uneven. The quality of the answeris more satisfactory than
sound. The writing generally showsaccuracy in grammar, punctuation and
spelling.[“Limited links with the sources” means too much focus
oncontent or on provenance and so the comparison is uneven.Where
“the organisation” is uneven, the comparison will beconfined to the
second half of the answer or purely to theconcluding paragraph.]
9 – 11marks he response attempts a comparison and/or contrast but thecomments are
largely sequential and with few points of internalanalysis or discussion of
similarities and/or differences. Theanswer is largely relevant. The organisation
of the answer islimited. The writing shows accuracy in grammar,
punctuationand spelling but contains some careless errors.
6 – 8marks The response provides a very basic answer to the question andidentifies
some points of agreement and/or disagreement. Thecomparison and/or
contrast is mostly implicit. Perhaps there maybe significant irrelevance. The
writing shows some accuracy ingrammar, punctuation and spelling but
contains frequent errors.[“A very basic answer” means sequencing is
especially prevalent. The answer nevertheless identifies one or more very b
asicpoints of comparative content or provenance even if it is doneimplicitly.]
3 – 5marks The response is very limited in its commentary, organisationand relevance.

There may be very basic paraphrasing which lacks a genuine attempt to
provide a comparison and/or contrast. The writing shows significant
weaknesses in theaccuracy of grammar, punctuation and spelling.
0 – 2marks The response is extremely limited in its commentary,organisation and

relevance. There is no attempt to providea comparison and/or contrast. The
answer is irrelevant. Thewriting shows major weaknesses in the accuracy of
grammar,punctuation and spelling.
2. Analytical marking
Some marking schemes can be very detailed. In detailed
marking schemes,marks are allocated for categories such as
content, grammar and spelling.These categories vary from
course to course depending on the focus inrelation to the course
objectives.Let us look at one example of a detailed marking
scheme that is taken fromanother course. Although the marking
scheme does not look at language, it gives you an illustration of
what a detailed marking scheme is. The following sample
detailed marking scheme is used in WOU for two parts of a
tutor-marked assignment (TMA) question designed by the
School of Business
Marking Scheme Question 1
Why is organisational structure important? What roles
do you think organisational structure plays in an
organisation’s efficiency and effectiveness?
Explain.
(8 marks)
Question 2
Would a more mechanistic structure or a more organic structure
beappropriate for Indigo Enterprise? Why?(4 marks)
Criteria for each question Marks allocated Marks awarded

(S1) Question 1
Explanation on the 2
importance
of organisational structure
Good explanation on 3 roles that organisational structure plays in 2
an organisation’s efficiencyand effectiveness
.(2 marks per role discussed)
Among the points that can be discussed by students are:• Span 2
of control.• Degree of centralisation.• Whether empowerment is an
option.• Other logical and well-explained answers are acceptable. 2
(s1) sub-total for question1 8

Grading
A: 8 – 6 B: 5.5 – 5 C : 4.5 – 4 D : 3.5 – 3 F : 2.5 – 0
S2 Question 2
State whether organic or mechanistic structure ismore appropriate for
Indigo Enterprise. 1
Good justification on the proposed structure(s). 3

(S2) Subtotal for Question 2 4
Grading
A: 4 – 3 B : 2.5 C : 2 D : 1.5 F : 1 – 0
An implication you can draw from knowing such a sample marking scheme is
thatyou need to ensure that your assignment or your examination script is well-
editedbefore submission. You must check to see that you have covered all the
relevantpoints and also details such as spelling and punctuation that can be
awarded marksfor English language papers. Ensure that your answer script is
neat as untidy work will not give a good impression to the examiner. It may
also irritate the examinersbecause they will have to spend time deciphering what
you have written.
Peer and self-assessment
You and your coursemates can take part in peer and self-assessment where you
assess yourself as well as your peers. By doing this, you learn to take responsibility
for your learning. Peer and self-assessment can help you to identify your strengths
and weaknesses, and consequently you adjust your learning targets. Being actively
involved in your own assessment will motivate you to work towards improving your
learning.
1.
Self-assessment
As the term implies, self-
assessment means you assess yourself. Here you assessyour own work and be
your own judge on how well you have performedbased on a set of assessment
criteria. Self-assessment is not so much aboutawarding your own grades, but more
about identifying your own strengthsand weaknesses, and areas you still have not
fully understood.
2.
Peer-assessment
While self-assessment is about assessing yourself, peer-assessment, on theother
hand, is about assessing your peers. Here you assess your peers’ workbased on the
same set of assessment criteria you use to assess yourself.By becoming an
assessor yourself, you gain a better understanding and insight into what goes on in
the assessment process. You and your peers will be more open in discussing the
manner you assessed each other - and in the processdevelop your skills in judging
and offering your opinion.
Here is an assessment sheet for assessing an essay you can use for peer andself-
assessment:
Marking Scheme for Peer and Self-Assessment
Criteria for content Marks allocated Marks awarded

Title (1 mark)
• Award 1 mark for an appropriate title that isgrammatically 1
correct.• Award ½ mark for an inappropriate title/grammatically
incorrect
Introduction (3 marks)
Opening sentence/Hook: 1
• Award 1 mark for
the hook. (Identify the hook used: _________________)
General/Background information: 1
• Award 1 mark for sufficient general/background information.• Award
½ mark for vague general/backgroundinformation.
Thesis statement: 1
• Award 1 mark for a clear and appropriatethesis statement.• Award
½ mark for a vague thesis statement
Body paragraph 1 (6 marks
Topic sentence: 1
• Award 1 mark for a topic sentence with acontrolling idea.• Award
½ mark for a topic sentence without aclear controlling idea.• 0 mark for
a topic sentence not related to thethesis statement.
Supporting sentences:
(At least 3 supportingsentences)
Unity: 3
• Award 1 mark for each supporting sentencethat provides information
on the topicsentences. Award a maximum of 3 marks. Deduct
½ mark for each sentence that has nounity or is unrelated to the topic
sentence.
Coherence: 1
• Award 1 mark for coherence (the consistentuse of key nouns,
pronouns). Deduct ½ mark for inconsistency in the use ofpronouns
(E.g.,We in one sentence, and you inanother sentence).• Award 1 mark
for the use of connectors. (Connectors used: ______________________) 1
Body paragraph 2 (6 marks)
Topic sentence: 1
• Award 1 mark for a topic sentence with acontrolling idea.• Award
½ mark for a topic sentence without aclear controlling idea.• 0 mark for
a topic sentence not related to thethesis statement.
(At least 3 supportingsentences)
Unity: 3
• Award 1 mark for each supporting sentencethat provides information
on the topicsentences. Award a maximum of 3 marks. Deduct
½ mark for each sentence that has nounity or is unrelated to the topic
Body paragraph 3 (7 marks)
Topic sentence: 1
• Award 1 mark for a topic sentence with acontrolling
idea.• Award ½ mark for a topic sentence without aclear
controlling idea.• 0 mark for a topic sentence not related
to thethesis statement. 3
(At least 3 supportingsentences) 1
Unity:
• Award 1 mark for each supporting sentencethat provides
information on the topicsentences. Award a maximum of 3
marks. Deduct ½ mark for each sentence that has nounity or is
unrelated to the topic sentence. 1
Coherence:
• Award 1 mark for coherence (the consistentuse of key nouns,
pronouns). Deduct ½ mark for inconsistency in the
use ofpronouns (E.g.,We in one sentence, and you inanother
sentence).• Award 1 mark for the use of
connectors. (Connectors used: ______________________)
Conclusion (3 marks)
Restatement: 1
• Award 1 mark for the statement thatrephrases the thesis
statement.• Award ½ mark for a vague restatement.
Summary: 1
• Award 1 mark for a general summary of theinformation
provided in the body paragraphs.
Closing statement: 1
• Award 1 mark for the closing statement(Type of closing
statement: _______________)
Criteria for in-text citation and references MARKS ALLOCATED MARKS AWARDED
In-text citation
• Award ½ mark for each correct Author-Date. Award a maximum of 2 2
marks for fourcitations.
• Award ½ mark for grammatically sentenceintroducing the cited 2
information. Award a maximum of 2 marks for four citations
Reference List
• Award ½ mark for a correctly formatted entry.Award a maximum of 2 2
marks for four entries.• Deduct ½ mark for entries not
arranged inalphabetical orde
• Deduct ½ mark for not indenting the secondline of the entry.
Example: Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The Storyof Success. New
York: Little, Brown and Company.
4
Criteria for language MRKS ALLOCATED MARKS AWARDED
The writing uses a wide range of vocabulary;contains well- 16-20

developed and coherent ideas.Sentence structure is good with
appropriateuse of expressions and minimal spelling and
grammatical errors.
The writing uses a fair range of vocabulary with ideas 11-15
satisfactorily developed. It contains occasional faulty sentence
structures and some errors in spelling and grammar.
The writing attempts to communicate ideasbut is not always 6-10
successful; contains ideasand details which are inadequately
developed;contains inappropriate choice of words andintrusive
spelling and grammatical errors.
The writing is only understood aftermuch effort; has irrelevant 1-5

ideas that aredifficult to follow; contains severe spellingand
grammatical errors; some ideas areincomprehensible.
Do not be concerned if the total marks do not add up to 100%. The marks
allocated here are for the purpose of peer and self-assessment, and not an
evaluation of your overall writing ability. The assessment sheets are to raise your
awareness on aspects you need to pay attention to when assessing your essay.
You need to be aware that in this course, although 100 marks are awardedfor TMA 1,
TMA 2, and the exam, the weightage or allocation of marks isdifferent for each of
the three components when calculating the overall score:
COMPONENT WEIGHTAGE
TMA1 20%
TMA2 30%
EXAM 50%
TOTAL 100%
The allocation of marks for other courses would be different, and it

is advisable for you to check with your tutors and course
coordinators for the latest updates.
Activity 5.12
Based on your understanding of all that you have learnt in this course, list out all
the various aspects that you think will be considered by your tutors and examiners
when assessing and evaluating your essays
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Feedback
Activity 5.12
Title
Introduction:
• Opening sentence/Hook:• General/Background information:• Thesis statement:
Body paragraphs:
• Topic sentences• Supporting sentences• Unity • Coherence
Conclusion:
• Restatement• Summary • Closing statement
References:
• In-text citation• Reference list
Language:
• Grammar• Punctuation• Sentence structure
Summary
In this section, we looked at what assessment and evaluation is,and the ways essays
are assessed. Essays can be marked in two ways - impression (i.e.,
marking according to the impression theexaminers have of the essays), or analytical
(i.e., marking based ona given criteria).
You also learnt about peer and self-assessment and the various criteriayou can go
about assessing your essays and that of your peers.It is important to remember that
the criteria for marking can varybetween institutions. As such, it is very important for
you as astudent to know the assessment criteria that is used so that you can write
essays that will help you to do well in your assignments and in examinations. Discuss
this with your tutors when you meet them during your next tutorial session
Self-test 5.4
Assume that your examination answer script will be assessed usingthe criteria where
the mark allocation for content is 60% andlanguage is 40%.1. Which
component would you spend more time
on?_________________________________________________
2. If you were to answer “Content” for the above question, doesthat mean language is
not as important?_________________________________________________
3. Regardless of the kind of criteria that is used, what should your attitude be when
you answer essay questions in assignments and in
examinations?_________________________________________________
Self-test 5.4
1. Content.
2. No, language is still important. Every mark counts in an examination.

Nevertheless, one should focus more in generating appropriate content.
3. Read the essay questions carefully and have a good understanding of the
rubrics. Produce an answer that is satisfactory in response to each question.
Check all your answers before you submit your answer script. Be sure to have
time to edit your answers accordingly.
53
UNIT 5
Answering written assignments and essay questions in
examinations
5.5 General Examination Strategiesand Writing Skills for
life
Objectives
1. Discuss examination strategies - managing your time,

being emotionally stable and following instructions.
2. Apply the principles of writing learnt in this course to the

workplace.
Introduction
In this final section, you will look at three general examination
strategies to consider when taking an examination. Applying
these three examination strategies will help you to be well-
prepared for any examination. We will then end this course with
some advice on using all the principles that you have learnt for
writing in examination situations and during the preparation of
assignments.
General examination strategies
Here are three general examination strategies to take into
consideration when sittingfor any examination:
1. Time management
2. Emotional stability
3. Following instructions
Time management
Half an
hour left…
54
WAWASAN OPEN UNIVERSITY
WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University Studies
Time management
Half an hour left ...
It is important to keep track of time when you do your examination or when
youdo your assignments. This principle is especially relevant when you do essay
typequestions as there may be a tendency for examination candidates to write
withoutany proper planning at all. Similarly, without proper time management,
studentsdoing assignments may face deadline pressure. This may result in low
quality work when the students realise that the deadline for the submission
of their assignmentis almost near. It may also result in writer’s block where the
writer may not knowhow to proceed with the writing process
During the examination, when you first look through your question booklet,
decideon the time to be spent on each question. Ensure that you leave enough
time to answer the more difficult essay questions and those that are worth more
marks.Generally, the more marks that are allocated to a question, the more time
you should spend your time on it.
Similarly, think through your assignment question and plan out how much timeyou
should allocate for each part of your writing process. Do not forget to leave some
time for reviewing your answers. Doing this immediately after answering each
essay question as well as at the conclusion of the entire examination gives you one
last chance to correct careless mistakes or add additional information that you may
have initially left out of the response
Activity 5.13
Assume that you are to answer two questions during an examination.The first
question requires you to edit an essay of 350 words while the second question
involves writing an essay that is based on a given topic. The mark allocation for
Question 1 and Question 2is 30 marks and 70 marks respectively. The total time
allocated for the paper is 2 hours.
1. Which question should you spend more time on? Explain your reason(s).
2. How would you allocate the 2-hour period to answer the examination questions?
Feedback
Activity 5.13
1. Spend more time on the second question
as more marks are allocated for it.
2. A likely estimate is 50 minutes on the first

question and 70 minutes on the second
question.
Be calm during examinations
Be calm during examinations.
Many students struggle with high levels of anxiety when taking tests. Anxiety
caninterfere with your ability to do your best. The degree to which anxiety can
interfere with test performance varies from person to person. It is important to be
calm whenyou enter the examination hall. Being calm will help you to think and
concentratebetter. You may wish to consider the following techniques to help you
stay calm.
1. Do breathing exercises -concentrate on your breathing.
Mentally count 1 to 3 when you inhale and count another 1 to 3 when you exhale.
Do this several times.
2. Take a good rest on the night before the examination. A sleepy and tiredmind will
not be able to think well.
3. Some problems such as family-related problems may still linger in your mind. As
far as possible, try to clear your mind of these. Tell yourself to clear the examination
before you continue thinking about these problems
4. Prepare the necessary items you need at least one day ahead of the
examination. For instance, ensure you have enough pens and pencils to bring
along. Do also remember to have all the required documents with you such as
your student card, identification card (I.C.), examination slip or card, etc. You will
invite unnecessary stress if you realise on the day ofthe examination that you have
forgotten some items or realise that your only pen has run out of ink.
5. Ensure you have a meal before your examination. Examinations at WOU are
usually three hours long. It is also important that you dress comfortably and bring
a coat along just in case the examination hall is very cold.
6. Be sure to arrive at least half an hour before an examination. If you have an

examination very early in the morning, it will be wise to ask a friend to call you or
to have your spouse, your parents or a sibling to wake you up in addition to using
your alarm clock.
Following instructions
Sometimes, examination candidates do not follow the instructions in their
examination paper. This can be costly and may affect the final score in your
paper.Thus, it is advisable that all examination candidates read and follow the
instructions given. This applies to assignments as well. Be certain you know exactly
what you are required to do. Following instructions may assist you in doing well in
assignments.If you do not do so, you may be doing unnecessary things which may
be a waste ofyour time and resources. The following are some considerations you
may wish to follow to ensure you do well in your assignments and examinations
1. Read the instructions on the cover page of the question booklet. Preview the
entire paper in the first two minutes. This will help you check the marks allocated to
each question and help you prepare mentally for particularly challenging questions.
It also helps you to plan your time better. Note especially the number of questions
that you have to answer - are there more than one question that you have to
answer? Is there any compulsory question? Are there any choices given? If so,
how many questions should one choose and from which section should these
questions be chosen?
2. Read all examination regulations carefully before you sit for your examination.
3. Ensure that you remember the date and time of your examinations. If you are
required to be early in the examination room, be sure to manage your time well so
that you will be in the examination hall on time.
4. Print out all instructions for any assignment. Do not rely solely on your memory
as there is a tendency for one to forget minute details.
5. Remember to go through your final draft and ensure that your assignment
complies with the instructions given by your tutor for this module.
Activity 5.14
For your WawasanLearn activity, share with your
coursemates what you would do to prepare for examinations.
What problems may arise when you work on essay
questions? Share some pointers on how you answer essay
questions in examinations. Do include tips on how you go
about working on essay assignments.
57
Writing skills for life

You are reaching the end of this course. You have learnt the
about writing for academic studies: the characteristics of
academic writing; the writing process; writing the various
parts of the essay; revising, editing and proofreading; and
assessing the essay. Are these principles valid only for
only university-level writing? Are they relevant only for the
sake of passing examinations? This is certainly not the case
as what you learn here has applications to situations in your
life and workplace. We have looked at some of these writing
aspects for the workplace in Unit 3 and Unit 4.
Here are some situations where you can apply what you have learnt in this course.
1. Writing a report for your manager - i.e., preparing the outline of your report, selection
of appropriate content, giving the appropriate amount of content and examples in the
report, drafting and re-drafting the report,editing the final draft for submission to your
manager.
2. Writing a proposal - i.e., offering solutions to problems and submitting them to people
who have the authority to make decisions.
3. Writing other technical documents - i.e., writing for a purpose, to give information to a
target audience.
4. Writing a response to a newspaper article- i.e., adequate reading to prepare for your
response to the article, selecting appropriate examples to support your points
mentioned in your response, drafting and editing your article before you send it to the
newspaper.
5. Writing an article for a magazine- i.e., writing the outline of the article,researching for
contents of the article, drafting and editing before submitting the article to the editor for
publication.
6. Writing a memorandum, a business letter, a fax, an sms (i.e., short message service)
message or an email (i.e., electronic message mail)- i.e., considering the content,
drafting and editing before sending it.
Activity 5.15
Consider another possible situation where you can apply what you have learnt in
this course to your everyday life. How much of whatyou have learnt here do you
think has helped you to write better in the situation you are thinking
of?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
Activity 5.15
(All possible answers are
acceptable.)
Summary
In this unit, we looked at some general examinations strategies
thatcan help you to perform better in examinations. These
principlesare applicable when working on assignment
questions. Be constantly aware of time management allocate
time wisely tomeet deadlines. Equally important is keeping
calm and following instructions. Following such simple
strategies may help you to attain better grades in your
assignments and in the examinations.
Self-test 5.5
Consider the following situations and suggest one way that you could take to
overcome the problems that you face.
1. You receive your topic for an assignment which is due in

ten weeks. You are also working full-time. How would you complete the
assignment?
_________________________________________________
2. You suddenly get a panic attack just as you enter the examination hall. Suggest
one way that you can take to keep yourself calm
________________________________________________
3. You are given a handout with your assignment. Should you read every instruction
in the handout? Explain your reason(s).
_________________________________________________
Self-test 5.5
1. Plan a schedule and organise your time accordingly to complete the assignment
before the deadline.
2. Practise relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises.
3. Yes, you should read every instruction in the brief even though you may know
the instructions. It is always good to read the instructions to be certain that the
requirements of the assignment have not changed
SUMMARY
In this unit , we look at some strategies for doing well in
assignments and examinations. Generally, one must be
aware of the need to submit good and well- written or typed
essays.
Submissions that are done lackadaisically will affect the

markers’ perception and assessments of the essay. In all
circumstances, always check your grammar, contents, typing
, etc. You should remember that examiners are just human
as you are. As such, do help your examiners by writing
legibly, editing your work and keeping your essays tidy.
COURSE SUMMARY
Now that we are at the end of the course, let us summarise all
that we have covered in this course. In
Unit 1
, you learnt about
the writing process choosing a topic, generating ideas, planning, writing the first d
raft, revising, editing, and proofreading. You were also shown how to write the introd
uction, body, andconclusion.
Unit 2
introduced you to the various types of essays.The types of essays discussed were
persuasion, compare andcontrast, discussion, definition, problem solution,
evaluation,and cause and effect.
In
Unit 3
, you learnt technical writing. Here, you were exposedto the various techniques in
technical writing including thepreparation of training manuals.
Unit 4
introduced you to thestructure of writing reports, proposals, and policy
statements.Finally, you learnt how to answer written assignments and essaysin
Unit 5
. Here, we walked you through the answering of essayquestions by examining the
rubrics and keywords. We alsoexamined the strategies for answering assignment
questions. Wehope that the skills you have learnt and acquired will help
youthroughout your university study, the various writing assignmentsthat you will
have at your workplace, and your personal life.
Unit Practice Exercise
Read the following questions and answer them accordingly.
1. What do you think you should first do when you have an unstructured essay
question in your assignment?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
2. Which of the following would you do first when you open your question booklet
in the examination hall?
A. Read the essay topic and start planning the outline of the essay.
B. Read the instructions in the question booklet.
C. Start to relax through breathing techniques.
Feedback
1. Narrow down the topic to something specific that you can focus on in your
answer.
2. B
(Note: You should start to relax before you open your examination booklet.)
3. Is it necessary for you to know the marking criteria that your examiner is usingto
mark essay questions in assignments and in examinations?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
4. Think through what you have learnt in this course. Are there potential problems
that you may face in examinations or for future writing assignments? What steps
would you take to overcome these problems?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
3. No, it is not necessary. (Note: It would be good for you to
know what the criteria are. Ask your tutor. You should aim to
do well when you write your text.)
4. (All possible answers are acceptable.)

References
Brannan, B (2003)
A Writer’s Workshop - Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays ,Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Clouse, B F (1996)
The Student Writer - Editor and Critic, 6th edn, New York:McGraw-Hill.
Humphrey, D and Conklin, R (2005) Connections Writing for the World

, Ohio:South-Western Educational Publishing.
Additonal references
http://core.ecu.edu/hist/zipfk/guidelines_for_grading_an_essay.htmhttp://library.bcu.
ac.uk/learner/Study%20Skills%20Guides/13%20Exam%20techniques.htm
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-reasoning/scores/essay
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/glossary_keywords.html
http://www.bris.ac.uk/esu/e-learning/support/tools/Self-and-peer-assessment/
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/defining-common-exam-instruction-
words.html
http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/resources/2604/keywords.html
http://www.openpolytechnic.ac.nz/study-with-us/study-resources-for-
students/exams/tips-for-answering-exam-
questions/http://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/peer-and-self-
assessment/eia-peer-and-self-assessment-
main.aspx http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/studyadvice/studyresources/exams/sta-
answering.aspx
Glossary
Writer’s block
A situation when the writer does not know what to say next in an essay. Accordin
g toHumphrey and Conklin (2005), this canhappen at any stage of the writing
process.To avoid this psychological barrier, plan yourtime well. Aim for a good
product but do notaim to be “absolutely perfect”. When you
are writing, steer clear of distractions such as thetelevision and the handphone.
Avoid worriesand preoccupations.

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Unit 5

WUC 203/03 Writing Skills for University

Answering Written Assignments and

Attempt the activities in each section. In addition, be sure to engage yourselves in

By the end of this section, you should be able to:

1. Identify the characteristics of structured and

2. Use the appropriate approach in answering

Why is it necessary to know these different types of essay

Knowing these different types of essay questions will help

Consequently, the writer has to write according to what the

1. The essay has to be limited to 200 – 250 words.

The positive social impact:

The positive economic impact:

The positive social impact:

The writer is limited to discuss either a social or an ethical issue related to

1. Here, the writer has much freedom. The writer can

For such a question, remember to narrow down your topic.

1. Narrow down the given topic to one aspect that you

What were some problems that you encountered in working

What steps can you take to overcome such problems?

Structured questions limit the writer to a specific focus, while

Do not write beyond what is given. For unstructured questions,

1. Explain what the rubrics of an essay question mean,

2. Identify keywords in essay questions and explain what

Outside of your academic studies, it is imperative for you to

I thought this was

You have not

Read the sample essay question. What does the question

Why is it desirable for a country to have a large GDP? Give an

1. What is the general idea of the essay question?

2. What is the specific requirement of the question?

2. Specifically, the question requires you to give an

You may encounter these keywords in essay questions and in

Let us look at some common instructional keywords you may

In the case of an assignment where you have access to

For essay assignments and examination questions, it is hardly

1. What are the keywords in this essay topic?

2. The Introduction or Introductory paragraph.

3. How “philosophy of life” is defined by Western philosophers.

Thus, ensure that whatever you want to explain is within the

Introduction Hook: Definition of “excellence” in my own words.

Introduction Hook: Religion — beliefs.

“One should fight fire with fire”. Discuss this statement

To contrast is to write the differences of one thing from

Key Words What you have to do?

2. What is the specific requirement of this question?

Body paragraph 1 Topic sentence: Compare and contrast sexual harassment.

Body paragraph 3 Topic sentence: Compare and contrast income.

1. What is the question mainly about?

2. Keyword: Explain.Other possible keywords: global, warming, worsen,

3. Explain steps that can be taken by individuals and governments

4. No difference. In this case, “explain” and “discuss” can be usedinterchangeably

By the end of this section, you should be able to:

2. Apply the principles learnt in preparing a handwritten essay.

3. Identify unacceptable strategies that students use in essay

Legibility, or the quality of handwriting that is clear enough to be read, is

In this section, we will look at some of the techniques of improving your

2. The assignment should be typed 1.5 or double-spaced. This spacing is to enable

3. In all your assignments submitted to WOU, you should have a one-inchmargin on

6. The standard paper size for academic assignments is A4 (210mm × 297mm,or

7. The recommended paper weight or paper density is 80gsm (grams

2. Do not use a pencil to write essays or answers during the examination.