Breaking Down the PromptStep 1 to the Perfect Essay

Writing an essay is hard; writing an essay that properly addresses a specific prompt iseven harder. Getting the essay prompt right, and making sure you are addressing it is half the battle, albeit a complicated half. But believe it or not, we have all been there. Every student who gets an essay prompt, at one point or another, has had the experience of clutching her head and groaning in horror, with absolutely no idea how to tackle this monstrosity called an essay prompt.

Step 1: Read the Prompt

That’s right; make sure you read it from start to finish. Then, look it over one more time for good measure. Make sure you know what is expected of you in this essay.

Step 2: Break it Down

Break the prompt down to its simplest format. Many essay prompts are long, wordy, and easy to get lost in. We have a hard time knowing just what the question we are supposed to be addressing is! So do bullet points, short sentences, whatever works for you. Just find the most basic way to re-phrase the prompt in your own words.

Step 3: Figure out what type of prompt you’re

dealing with

What type of essay are you supposed to write? Is it a research paper, an argumentative essay, a response paper? Determine what you are dealing with, so you know what type of answer to give!

Step 4: Know your Role and your Audience

It is important to know your role as the writer. Figure out if you are trying to persuade your reader to your point of view, or simply present facts! It is important, and makes a difference on how you present your essay! And, don’t forget…who are you writing for? Gear your answers and your tone towards the audience that will be reading your essay.

Step 5: Answer the Question

Make sure that you answer the question that the prompt gives you. Don’t get so lost in your ideas that you forget the point of the essay!

Step 6: Make an Outline

A brief outline is a great way to organize your ideas, work on your thesis, and make sure you are answering the essay question.

Step 7 (optional strategy): Create

NotecardsAs you read, write down important facts, main ideas, or quotes that you may want to include (one per notecard). Then, mix and match. Move the notecards around until you have a nicely organized essay. (Hint: you may not use all of them.)

Essay Prompt Choice 1

Tone is the literary device involving the mood or feeling the author intends the reader to experience. Using your chosen novel, write an essay in which you identify and explain the overall tone of the work. Use direct and detailed examples from the text to support your argument. 

Essay Prompt Choice 2

The climax of a work is when all of the events come to a breaking point. Using the piece you have chosen, explain the events that lead to the climax, what happens in the climax, and the significance of this event on the outcome of the novel.