short answer thesis

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Short Answer Responses

Shakespeare wrote that it doesn't matter what you call it, a rose is still a rose and will still smell lovely. Likewise, whether it's call a short answer response, a short constructed response, or an open-ended response, it's still a one-paragraph answer. (Technically, an open-ended response could be longer.)

Likewise, it doesn't matter what acronym you use; it's all just different words for the same thing:

I like RACE .

R estate and A nswer the question, C ite your evidence, and E xplain your evidence (Elaborate)

(Jump to the new STAAR short-constructed and extedned-constructed response section.)

The most important elements to a short answer response (one-paragraph answer) are (1) the answer, (2) the evidence, and (3) the explanation.

(1) To begin, turn the question into a statement and answer it:

ex: What was the original purpose of the quilts?

      The original purpose of the quilts was to keep everyone warm at night.

ex: How is Mrs. Stevenson feeling as the scene begins?

      At the beginning of the scene, Mrs. Stevenson is feeling nervous and frustrated.

(2) Next, you need to find evidence from the text to support your answer. Basically, what did you read that told you (and made you think) the answer to the question?

In the poem, we find these lines:

they were just meant as covers

against pounding january winds

You can put your text evidence in your topic sentence (answer):

    The quilts were originally "meant as covers in winters."

or it can be two sentences:

     The original purpose of the quilts was to keep everyone warm at night. Lines one and two of the poem state: "they were just meant as covers in winters."

(3) You will always need a final sentence to explain and/ or sum up your answer.

     The original purpose of the quilts was to keep everyone warm at night. Lines one and two of the poem state: "they were just meant as covers in winters."  Later in the poem, the author gives a deeper meaning to the quilts, but originally, they were just to provide protections from the cold.

*This question was actually a two-part question, so an answer would look like this:

What is the original purpose of the mother’s quilts? Why does the speaker find deeper meaning in them? Cite text evidence to support your answer.

     The original purpose of the quilts was to keep everyone warm at night. Lines one and two of the poem state: "they were just meant as covers in winters."  Later in the poem, the author gives a deeper meaning to the quilts. She writes about lounging on her mother's arm as she quilts and that her mother was a "river current" and a "caravan master... delivering.. testimonies," memories of her childhood. Even though the quilts were  originally just protection from the cold, they came to have a deeper meaning for the poet.

Your ability to write a Short Answer Response is the most important skill you should master (second only to reading). 

All  acronyms (APE, TEEC. RACE, TREES) teachers use to identify the content of a Short Answer Response are all variations of the same theme.

1st . Turn the question into a statement and answer. Some call it "restating the question"; I call it "Making the Question Part of Your Answer" or MQA .

2nd . Provide evidence from the text that support your answer. Don't just copy-and-paste a sentence or two, embed your text evidence in your own sentences.

Try these sentence stems for citing your evidence:

     o The text states…      o According to the writer…      o The evidence in this section…      o The character’s feelings are shown by these statements…      o For example, the passage states…      o As quoted in the passage…      o As the selection implies…      o The reader can assume from the author’s words that…      o After reading the passage, the reader can infer…      o Based on the information in the text, the reader can conclude…

3rd . Elaborate/ explain your evidence.

Here are some sentence stems for transitioning to your elaboration:

     o These facts indicate that…

     o These facts demonstrate…

     o The author is trying to portray the character as…

     o This character (or event) is similar to…

     o This character (or event) is different from…

     o This is a good example of… because…

     o His actions were motivated by…

     o It appears that… caused… to happen.

     o The most important…

4th . Conclude your answer so it doesn't just stop. I like the concept of a concluding sentence being a sentence that sums up/ restates your point. 

You should have read " Oranges" by Gary Soto at some point. Here's a framework for answering a question about imagery:

Prompt: Explain how the imagery in the poem reflects the boy’s feelings and impressions.

At the beginning of the poem, the weather is [conclusion about the weather],  as seen in the lines [line numbers]: “[quoted lines] .”   As the speaker nears the girl’s house, the line ”[quoted line]”  shows us [explanation of quoted line].  As the poem continues, we see more light and warmth in the lines: “[supporting textual evidence]"  which cause the boy to smile, indicating he is [fill in the blank].

At the end of the poem, the orange symbolizes [fill in the blank], [fill in the blank], and [fill in the blank], showing his feelings toward the girl.

A short answer response is not just one sentence. 

It is a short paragraph with three parts.

First , read, understand, and answer the question.

How does Malala respond to the closing of her school? Use specific examples from the text in your answer.

Malala was determined to continue her education when the Taliban closed her school.

Second, provide proof (evidence) from the text that supports/ defends your answer. 

Even though she was eleven years old, she didn't want to stop learning. "I will get my education if it's at home, school, or somewhere else", she said (paragraph 5). She was determined to fight for her and other's education (paragraph 4). Malala also stated that the Taliban can stop them from going to school, but can't stop them from learning, which shows how much dedication she has.

Finally, conclude your answer with a sentence or two that wraps up your point.

Despite the devastation she felt and the tears she shed, Malala continued to fight for girls' education. Without a doubt, she is a true hero.

       Rick Riordan uses direct and indirect character-ization to help the reader fully understand Percy Jackson in  The Lightning Thief .  One way is through Percy sharing his inner thoughts.  For example, Percy says, "Am I a troubled kid? Yeah, you could say that" (Riordan 1). The reader can infer that Percy has problems at home and at school. Knowing this about Percy helps the reader understand the main character much better.

Combined, the parts of a Short Answer Response

 would look like this.     

        Malala was determined to continue her education when the Taliban closed her school. Even though she was eleven years old, she didn't want to stop learning. "I will get my education if it's at home, school, or somewhere else", she said (paragraph 5). She was determined to fight for her and other's education (paragraph 4). Malala also stated that the Taliban can stop them from going to school, but can't stop them from learning, which shows how much dedication she has. Despite the devastation she felt and the tears she shed, Malala continued to fight for girls' education. Without a doubt, she is a true hero.

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Quick Version

1. You have to restate the question; make the question part of your answer .

2. You need to embed and cite your evidence .

3. Forget "explain your evidence"; instead, think "elaborate".

Look at these good answers to the question, "At the end of the story, why do the characters get scared?"

A. The characters get scared at the end because of the "persistent scratching" at the windows and knocking. In paragraph 24 it says, "Three loud knocks break the silence. This time they sound against the hardwood of the bedroom door. Slowly, the doorknob begins to turn." This signifies that someone or something was approaching and was scaring the twins on this stormy night.

B. At the end of the story, Christina and Fernando get scared because of the scratching sounds that Fernando heard. Fernando asks his sister to stay and listen. "The two stand in silence...This time they sound against the hard wood of the bedroom door. Slowly, the doorknob begins to turn" (24).

Look at this not-so-good answers:

C. The characters get scared because someone is knocking on the door. In paragraph 24, it says "Three loud knocks break the silence. This time they sound against the hardwood of the bedroom door." This shows they got scared because someone was knocking on the door.   [ This is repetitive. It says the same thing in every sentence.]

Look at these not so good answers to "Where does the story take place? What kind of night is it?"

D. The story takes place in a teenager's bedroom on a stormy night. It says, "A teenager's bedroom at night. There is a storm outside." This shows that it was a teenager's bedroom on a stormy night.

E. The first paragraph tells us it was a teenager's bedroom on a stormy night.

Compared to

F. The story takes place in "a teenager’s bedroom on a stormy night" (1). The first paragraph also states that the audience can hear "thunder sounds in the distance" and that "lightning flashes outside the closed window" - a perfect setting for Cristina's story and for the events that would soon take place.

Scroll down for more STAAR related content.

STAAR Constructed Responses

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet" (Romeo and Juliet, Act II, scene ii).

There are different tools for different jobs: hammers, screwdrivers, and wrenches; paint brush, crayons, and pencils. There are different types of music, different types of dancing, different types of poetry.

And there are different types of writing.

Beginning this year, the STAAR test will have open-ended response questions that t he Texas Education Agency calls Short and Extended Constructed Responses. These are very much like the short answer response questions that you should be accustomed to writing. 

"House Bill 3906 established a “multiple choice cap,” meaning that no more than 75% of points on a STAAR test can be based on multiple choice questions. Texas educators are helping design new question types that reflect classroom test questions and allow students more ways to show their understanding. All possible new question types are being field-tested with students to ensure validity before they are incorporated into the redesigned summative tests beginning in spring 2023" ( STAAR Redesign, TEA ).

Important website and direct link to practice test (just click " sign-in"); TEA Presentation

Here's an example of a short constructed response question and answer:

Q: "Explain how Anthony's behavior in paragraphs 12 through 14 affects the resolution of the plot. Support your answer with evidence from the story"

A: Although Anthony thinks his grandfather's cooking is "just awful," he recalls his day with the grandfather and pretends to love the food "I... I... love it." Anthony's behavior leads to a positive resolution of the plot.

You'll be allowed to write up to 475 characters (not counting spaces) which is about 75 to 95 words.

Here's what the extended constructed response question looks like:

Q: Explain how Anthony's interactions with Grandpa help to develop a theme about how sharing experiences may lead to greater understanding between people.  

Write a well-organized informational essay that uses specific evidence from the story to support your answer.

Remember to -

clearly state your controlling idea

organize your writing

develop your ideas in detail

use evidence from the selection in your response

use correct spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar

Manage your time carefully so that you can - 

review the selection

plan your response

write your response

revise and edit your response

You'll be allowed to write up to 2,300 characters (not counting spaces) which is about 400 to 750 words.

The TEA answer key states: A correct response could involve a student providing an extended response explaining how Anthony learns new things about Grandpa as he spends the day with him, which leads to greater understanding. The student would need to provide thorough evidence from the selection to support this controlling idea.

Important website and direct link to practice test (just click sign-in); TEA Presentation

Reference management. Clean and simple.

How to write a thesis statement + examples

What is a thesis statement?

Is a thesis statement a question, how do you write a good thesis statement, how do i know if my thesis statement is good, examples of thesis statements, helpful resources on how to write a thesis statement, frequently asked questions about writing a thesis statement, related articles.

A thesis statement is the main argument of your paper or thesis.

The thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any piece of academic writing . It is a brief statement of your paper’s main argument. Essentially, you are stating what you will be writing about.

You can see your thesis statement as an answer to a question. While it also contains the question, it should really give an answer to the question with new information and not just restate or reiterate it.

Your thesis statement is part of your introduction. Learn more about how to write a good thesis introduction in our introduction guide .

A thesis statement is not a question. A statement must be arguable and provable through evidence and analysis. While your thesis might stem from a research question, it should be in the form of a statement.

Tip: A thesis statement is typically 1-2 sentences. For a longer project like a thesis, the statement may be several sentences or a paragraph.

A good thesis statement needs to do the following:

• Condense the main idea of your thesis into one or two sentences.
• Answer your project’s main research question.
• Clearly state your position in relation to the topic .
• Make an argument that requires support or evidence.

Once you have written down a thesis statement, check if it fulfills the following criteria:

• Your statement needs to be provable by evidence. As an argument, a thesis statement needs to be debatable.
• Your statement needs to be precise. Do not give away too much information in the thesis statement and do not load it with unnecessary information.
• Your statement cannot say that one solution is simply right or simply wrong as a matter of fact. You should draw upon verified facts to persuade the reader of your solution, but you cannot just declare something as right or wrong.

As previously mentioned, your thesis statement should answer a question.

If the question is:

What do you think the City of New York should do to reduce traffic congestion?

A good thesis statement restates the question and answers it:

In this paper, I will argue that the City of New York should focus on providing exclusive lanes for public transport and adaptive traffic signals to reduce traffic congestion by the year 2035.

Here is another example. If the question is:

How can we end poverty?

A good thesis statement should give more than one solution to the problem in question:

In this paper, I will argue that introducing universal basic income can help reduce poverty and positively impact the way we work.

• The Writing Center of the University of North Carolina has a list of questions to ask to see if your thesis is strong .

A thesis statement is part of the introduction of your paper. It is usually found in the first or second paragraph to let the reader know your research purpose from the beginning.

In general, a thesis statement should have one or two sentences. But the length really depends on the overall length of your project. Take a look at our guide about the length of thesis statements for more insight on this topic.

Here is a list of Thesis Statement Examples that will help you understand better how to write them.

Every good essay should include a thesis statement as part of its introduction, no matter the academic level. Of course, if you are a high school student you are not expected to have the same type of thesis as a PhD student.

Here is a great YouTube tutorial showing How To Write An Essay: Thesis Statements .

While Sandel argues that pursuing perfection through genetic engineering would decrease our sense of humility, he claims that the sense of solidarity we would lose is also important.

This thesis summarizes several points in Sandel’s argument, but it does not make a claim about how we should understand his argument. A reader who read Sandel’s argument would not also need to read an essay based on this descriptive thesis.  

Broad thesis (arguable, but difficult to support with evidence) 

Michael Sandel’s arguments about genetic engineering do not take into consideration all the relevant issues.

This is an arguable claim because it would be possible to argue against it by saying that Michael Sandel’s arguments do take all of the relevant issues into consideration. But the claim is too broad. Because the thesis does not specify which “issues” it is focused on—or why it matters if they are considered—readers won’t know what the rest of the essay will argue, and the writer won’t know what to focus on. If there is a particular issue that Sandel does not address, then a more specific version of the thesis would include that issue—hand an explanation of why it is important.  

Arguable thesis with analytical claim 

While Sandel argues persuasively that our instinct to “remake” (54) ourselves into something ever more perfect is a problem, his belief that we can always draw a line between what is medically necessary and what makes us simply “better than well” (51) is less convincing.

This is an arguable analytical claim. To argue for this claim, the essay writer will need to show how evidence from the article itself points to this interpretation. It’s also a reasonable scope for a thesis because it can be supported with evidence available in the text and is neither too broad nor too narrow.  

Arguable thesis with normative claim 

Given Sandel’s argument against genetic enhancement, we should not allow parents to decide on using Human Growth Hormone for their children.

This thesis tells us what we should do about a particular issue discussed in Sandel’s article, but it does not tell us how we should understand Sandel’s argument.  

Questions to ask about your thesis 

• Is the thesis truly arguable? Does it speak to a genuine dilemma in the source, or would most readers automatically agree with it?  
• Is the thesis too obvious? Again, would most or all readers agree with it without needing to see your argument?  
• Is the thesis complex enough to require a whole essay's worth of argument?  
• Is the thesis supportable with evidence from the text rather than with generalizations or outside research?  
• Would anyone want to read a paper in which this thesis was developed? That is, can you explain what this paper is adding to our understanding of a problem, question, or topic?
• picture_as_pdf Thesis

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Exam Strategies: Short Answer & Essay Exams

Essay exams involve a significant written component in which you are asked to discuss and expand on a topic.  These could include written responses in the form of a formal essay or a detailed short-answer response.

• Short answer vs essay questions

Preparing for an essay exam

Answering essay questions.

Check out our visual resources for " Test Taking Strategies: Short Answer & Essay Questions " below!

What is the difference between a short answer and an essay question?

• Both short-answer and essay questions ask you to demonstrate your knowledge of course material by relating your answer to concepts covered in the course.
• Essay questions require a thesis (argument) and supporting evidence (from course material - lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments) outlined in several paragraphs, including an introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Short-answer questions are more concise than essay answers - think of it as a “mini-essay” - and use a sentence or two to introduce your topic; select a few points to discuss; add a concluding sentence that sums up your response.
• Review your course material - look for themes within the topics covered, use these to prepare sample questions if your instructor has not given direction on what to expect from essay questions.
• Create outlines to answer your practice questions. Choose a definite argument or thesis statement and organize supporting evidence logically in body paragraphs. Try a mnemonic (like a rhyme or acronym) to help remember your outline.
• Practice! Using your outline, try using a timer to write a full response to your practice or sample questions within the exam time limit.
• Review the question carefully. Think about what it is asking - what are you expected to include?  What material or examples are relevant?
• Underline keywords in the question to identify the main topic and discussion areas.
• Plan your time. Keep an eye on the time allowed and how many essay questions you are required to answer. Consider the mark distribution to determine how much time to spend on each question or section.
• Make a plan. Take a few minutes to brainstorm and plan your response - jot down a brief outline to order your points and arguments before you start to write.
• Include a thesis statement in your introduction so that your argument is clear, even if you run out of time, and help structure your answer.
• Write a conclusion , even if brief - use this to bring your ideas together to answer the question and suggest the broader implications.
• Clearly and concisely answer the question :
• In your introduction, show that you understand the question and outline how you will answer it.
• Make one point or argument per paragraph and include one or two pieces of evidence or examples for each point.
• In your conclusion, summarize the arguments to answer the question.

"Test Taking Strategies: Short Answer & Essay Questions"

Does your next test have short answer or essay questions? Let's look at how to prepare for these type of questions, how to answer these types of questions, and strategies to keep in mind during the exam. Fight exam writer's block and achieve your best marks yet!

• "Test Taking Strategies: Short Answer & Essay Questions" PDF
• "Test Taking Strategies: Short Answer & Essay Questions" Video

Looking for more strategies and tips? Check out MUN's Academic Success Centre online!

Carnegie Mellon University. (n.d.). Successful exam strategies. Carnegie Mellon University: Student Academic Success. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://www.cmu.edu/student-success/other-resources/fast-facts/exam-strategies.pdf

Memorial University of Newfoundland. (n.d.). Exam strategies: Short answer & essay exams. Memorial University of Newfoundland: Academic Success Centre. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://www.mun.ca/munup/vssc/learning/exam-strategies-essays.php

Trent University. (n.d.). How to understand and answer free response or essay exam questions. Trent University: Academic Skills. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-study/prepare-and-write-exams/how-understand-and-answer-free-response-or-essay-exam

University of Queensland Australia. (n.d.). Exam tips. University of Queensland Australia: Student support, study skills. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/student-support/study-skills/exam-tips

University of Waterloo. (n.d.). Exam questions: Types, characteristics, and suggestions. University of Waterloo: Centre for Teaching Excellence. Retrieved April 1, 2022 from https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/developing-assignments/exams/questions-types-characteristics-suggestions

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Related Content

Application Essays

What this handout is about.

This handout will help you write and revise the personal statement required by many graduate programs, internships, and special academic programs.

Before you start writing

Because the application essay can have a critical effect upon your progress toward a career, you should spend significantly more time, thought, and effort on it than its typically brief length would suggest. It should reflect how you arrived at your professional goals, why the program is ideal for you, and what you bring to the program. Don’t make this a deadline task—now’s the time to write, read, rewrite, give to a reader, revise again, and on until the essay is clear, concise, and compelling. At the same time, don’t be afraid. You know most of the things you need to say already.

Read the instructions carefully. One of the basic tasks of the application essay is to follow the directions. If you don’t do what they ask, the reader may wonder if you will be able to follow directions in their program. Make sure you follow page and word limits exactly—err on the side of shortness, not length. The essay may take two forms:

• A one-page essay answering a general question
• Several short answers to more specific questions

Do some research before you start writing. Think about…

• The field. Why do you want to be a _____? No, really. Think about why you and you particularly want to enter that field. What are the benefits and what are the shortcomings? When did you become interested in the field and why? What path in that career interests you right now? Brainstorm and write these ideas out.
• The program. Why is this the program you want to be admitted to? What is special about the faculty, the courses offered, the placement record, the facilities you might be using? If you can’t think of anything particular, read the brochures they offer, go to events, or meet with a faculty member or student in the program. A word about honesty here—you may have a reason for choosing a program that wouldn’t necessarily sway your reader; for example, you want to live near the beach, or the program is the most prestigious and would look better on your resume. You don’t want to be completely straightforward in these cases and appear superficial, but skirting around them or lying can look even worse. Turn these aspects into positives. For example, you may want to go to a program in a particular location because it is a place that you know very well and have ties to, or because there is a need in your field there. Again, doing research on the program may reveal ways to legitimate even your most superficial and selfish reasons for applying.
• Yourself. What details or anecdotes would help your reader understand you? What makes you special? Is there something about your family, your education, your work/life experience, or your values that has shaped you and brought you to this career field? What motivates or interests you? Do you have special skills, like leadership, management, research, or communication? Why would the members of the program want to choose you over other applicants? Be honest with yourself and write down your ideas. If you are having trouble, ask a friend or relative to make a list of your strengths or unique qualities that you plan to read on your own (and not argue about immediately). Ask them to give you examples to back up their impressions (For example, if they say you are “caring,” ask them to describe an incident they remember in which they perceived you as caring).

Now, write a draft

This is a hard essay to write. It’s probably much more personal than any of the papers you have written for class because it’s about you, not World War II or planaria. You may want to start by just getting something—anything—on paper. Try freewriting. Think about the questions we asked above and the prompt for the essay, and then write for 15 or 30 minutes without stopping. What do you want your audience to know after reading your essay? What do you want them to feel? Don’t worry about grammar, punctuation, organization, or anything else. Just get out the ideas you have. For help getting started, see our handout on brainstorming .

Now, look at what you’ve written. Find the most relevant, memorable, concrete statements and focus in on them. Eliminate any generalizations or platitudes (“I’m a people person”, “Doctors save lives”, or “Mr. Calleson’s classes changed my life”), or anything that could be cut and pasted into anyone else’s application. Find what is specific to you about the ideas that generated those platitudes and express them more directly. Eliminate irrelevant issues (“I was a track star in high school, so I think I’ll make a good veterinarian.”) or issues that might be controversial for your reader (“My faith is the one true faith, and only nurses with that faith are worthwhile,” or “Lawyers who only care about money are evil.”).

Often, writers start out with generalizations as a way to get to the really meaningful statements, and that’s OK. Just make sure that you replace the generalizations with examples as you revise. A hint: you may find yourself writing a good, specific sentence right after a general, meaningless one. If you spot that, try to use the second sentence and delete the first.

Applications that have several short-answer essays require even more detail. Get straight to the point in every case, and address what they’ve asked you to address.

Now that you’ve generated some ideas, get a little bit pickier. It’s time to remember one of the most significant aspects of the application essay: your audience. Your readers may have thousands of essays to read, many or most of which will come from qualified applicants. This essay may be your best opportunity to communicate with the decision makers in the application process, and you don’t want to bore them, offend them, or make them feel you are wasting their time.

With this in mind:

• Do assure your audience that you understand and look forward to the challenges of the program and the field, not just the benefits.
• Do assure your audience that you understand exactly the nature of the work in the field and that you are prepared for it, psychologically and morally as well as educationally.
• Do assure your audience that you care about them and their time by writing a clear, organized, and concise essay.
• Do address any information about yourself and your application that needs to be explained (for example, weak grades or unusual coursework for your program). Include that information in your essay, and be straightforward about it. Your audience will be more impressed with your having learned from setbacks or having a unique approach than your failure to address those issues.
• Don’t waste space with information you have provided in the rest of the application. Every sentence should be effective and directly related to the rest of the essay. Don’t ramble or use fifteen words to express something you could say in eight.
• Don’t overstate your case for what you want to do, being so specific about your future goals that you come off as presumptuous or naïve (“I want to become a dentist so that I can train in wisdom tooth extraction, because I intend to focus my life’s work on taking 13 rather than 15 minutes per tooth.”). Your goals may change–show that such a change won’t devastate you.
• And, one more time, don’t write in cliches and platitudes. Every doctor wants to help save lives, every lawyer wants to work for justice—your reader has read these general cliches a million times.

Imagine the worst-case scenario (which may never come true—we’re talking hypothetically): the person who reads your essay has been in the field for decades. She is on the application committee because she has to be, and she’s read 48 essays so far that morning. You are number 49, and your reader is tired, bored, and thinking about lunch. How are you going to catch and keep her attention?

Assure your audience that you are capable academically, willing to stick to the program’s demands, and interesting to have around. For more tips, see our handout on audience .

Voice and style

The voice you use and the style in which you write can intrigue your audience. The voice you use in your essay should be yours. Remember when your high school English teacher said “never say ‘I’”? Here’s your chance to use all those “I”s you’ve been saving up. The narrative should reflect your perspective, experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Focusing on events or ideas may give your audience an indirect idea of how these things became important in forming your outlook, but many others have had equally compelling experiences. By simply talking about those events in your own voice, you put the emphasis on you rather than the event or idea. Look at this anecdote:

During the night shift at Wirth Memorial Hospital, a man walked into the Emergency Room wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. He seemed confused and was moaning in pain. One of the nurses ascertained that he had been swinging from tree branches in a local park and had hit his head when he fell out of a tree. This tragic tale signified the moment at which I realized psychiatry was the only career path I could take.

An interesting tale, yes, but what does it tell you about the narrator? The following example takes the same anecdote and recasts it to make the narrator more of a presence in the story:

I was working in the Emergency Room at Wirth Memorial Hospital one night when a man walked in wearing a monkey costume and holding his head. I could tell he was confused and in pain. After a nurse asked him a few questions, I listened in surprise as he explained that he had been a monkey all of his life and knew that it was time to live with his brothers in the trees. Like many other patients I would see that year, this man suffered from an illness that only a combination of psychological and medical care would effectively treat. I realized then that I wanted to be able to help people by using that particular combination of skills only a psychiatrist develops.

The voice you use should be approachable as well as intelligent. This essay is not the place to stun your reader with ten prepositional phrases (“the goal of my study of the field of law in the winter of my discontent can best be understood by the gathering of more information about my youth”) and thirty nouns (“the research and study of the motivation behind my insights into the field of dentistry contains many pitfalls and disappointments but even more joy and enlightenment”) per sentence. (Note: If you are having trouble forming clear sentences without all the prepositions and nouns, take a look at our handout on style .)

You may want to create an impression of expertise in the field by using specialized or technical language. But beware of this unless you really know what you are doing—a mistake will look twice as ignorant as not knowing the terms in the first place. Your audience may be smart, but you don’t want to make them turn to a dictionary or fall asleep between the first word and the period of your first sentence. Keep in mind that this is a personal statement. Would you think you were learning a lot about a person whose personal statement sounded like a journal article? Would you want to spend hours in a lab or on a committee with someone who shuns plain language?

Of course, you don’t want to be chatty to the point of making them think you only speak slang, either. Your audience may not know what “I kicked that lame-o to the curb for dissing my research project” means. Keep it casual enough to be easy to follow, but formal enough to be respectful of the audience’s intelligence.

Just use an honest voice and represent yourself as naturally as possible. It may help to think of the essay as a sort of face-to-face interview, only the interviewer isn’t actually present.

Too much style

A well-written, dramatic essay is much more memorable than one that fails to make an emotional impact on the reader. Good anecdotes and personal insights can really attract an audience’s attention. BUT be careful not to let your drama turn into melodrama. You want your reader to see your choices motivated by passion and drive, not hyperbole and a lack of reality. Don’t invent drama where there isn’t any, and don’t let the drama take over. Getting someone else to read your drafts can help you figure out when you’ve gone too far.

Taking risks

Many guides to writing application essays encourage you to take a risk, either by saying something off-beat or daring or by using a unique writing style. When done well, this strategy can work—your goal is to stand out from the rest of the applicants and taking a risk with your essay will help you do that. An essay that impresses your reader with your ability to think and express yourself in original ways and shows you really care about what you are saying is better than one that shows hesitancy, lack of imagination, or lack of interest.

But be warned: this strategy is a risk. If you don’t carefully consider what you are saying and how you are saying it, you may offend your readers or leave them with a bad impression of you as flaky, immature, or careless. Do not alienate your readers.

Some writers take risks by using irony (your suffering at the hands of a barbaric dentist led you to want to become a gentle one), beginning with a personal failure (that eventually leads to the writer’s overcoming it), or showing great imagination (one famous successful example involved a student who answered a prompt about past formative experiences by beginning with a basic answer—”I have volunteered at homeless shelters”—that evolved into a ridiculous one—”I have sealed the hole in the ozone layer with plastic wrap”). One student applying to an art program described the person he did not want to be, contrasting it with the person he thought he was and would develop into if accepted. Another person wrote an essay about her grandmother without directly linking her narrative to the fact that she was applying for medical school. Her essay was risky because it called on the reader to infer things about the student’s character and abilities from the story.

Assess your credentials and your likelihood of getting into the program before you choose to take a risk. If you have little chance of getting in, try something daring. If you are almost certainly guaranteed a spot, you have more flexibility. In any case, make sure that you answer the essay question in some identifiable way.

After you’ve written a draft

Get several people to read it and write their comments down. It is worthwhile to seek out someone in the field, perhaps a professor who has read such essays before. Give it to a friend, your mom, or a neighbor. The key is to get more than one point of view, and then compare these with your own. Remember, you are the one best equipped to judge how accurately you are representing yourself. For tips on putting this advice to good use, see our handout on getting feedback .

After you’ve received feedback, revise the essay. Put it away. Get it out and revise it again (you can see why we said to start right away—this process may take time). Get someone to read it again. Revise it again.

When you think it is totally finished, you are ready to proofread and format the essay. Check every sentence and punctuation mark. You cannot afford a careless error in this essay. (If you are not comfortable with your proofreading skills, check out our handout on editing and proofreading ).

If you find that your essay is too long, do not reformat it extensively to make it fit. Making readers deal with a nine-point font and quarter-inch margins will only irritate them. Figure out what material you can cut and cut it. For strategies for meeting word limits, see our handout on writing concisely .

Finally, proofread it again. We’re not kidding.

Other resources

Don’t be afraid to talk to professors or professionals in the field. Many of them would be flattered that you asked their advice, and they will have useful suggestions that others might not have. Also keep in mind that many colleges and professional programs offer websites addressing the personal statement. You can find them either through the website of the school to which you are applying or by searching under “personal statement” or “application essays” using a search engine.

If your schedule and ours permit, we invite you to come to the Writing Center. Be aware that during busy times in the semester, we limit students to a total of two visits to discuss application essays and personal statements (two visits per student, not per essay); we do this so that students working on papers for courses will have a better chance of being seen. Make an appointment or submit your essay to our online writing center (note that we cannot guarantee that an online tutor will help you in time).

For information on other aspects of the application process, you can consult the resources at University Career Services .

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Asher, Donald. 2012. Graduate Admissions Essays: Write Your Way Into the Graduate School of Your Choice , 4th ed. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

Curry, Boykin, Emily Angel Baer, and Brian Kasbar. 2003. Essays That Worked for College Applications: 50 Essays That Helped Students Get Into the Nation’s Top Colleges . New York: Ballantine Books.

Stelzer, Richard. 2002. How to Write a Winning Personal Statement for Graduate and Professional School , 3rd ed. Lawrenceville, NJ: Thomson Peterson.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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6 Tips for the Stanford Essays and Short Answers

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Stanford essay tips.

• Stanford Short Answer Tips
• Overall Writing Tips  

The Stanford application has two different types of essays this year. There are 3 long essays with a 250 word count limit and 5 short-answer essays with a 50 word count limit. 

Here are our expert tips for writing standout essays that will improve your chances of acceptance! Stick around until the end of the post for the most important tip.

With the different word counts in each prompt, you’ll want to approach writing each in different ways. 

1. Make your intro sentence strong.

The important thing to do with the 250-word essays is to make sure your introductory sentence is really strong. Unlike in longer essays or the common application essay, you can use a paragraph or two to build your points and captivate your audience. That isn’t the case here. In this essay, you can’t waste any time building a narrative. You have to come out in the beginning and grab your audience’s attention.

2. Maximize the word count.  

If your essay is 240 words or above, you’re good to go.. One or two extra words won’t drastically change your essay. But, if you have 25 or more words remaining, you could use that space to convey additional material. You could also enhance something you’ve already said, such as taking a couple of sentences and making them more “punchy” or fun to read.

Short Answer Tips

3. don’t sacrifice writing quality.  .

These essays are being assessed for writing quality the same way the longer essays are. The fact that they are so much shorter means they will be put under a microscope even more. 

4. Don’t waste time on detailed explanations.

If you can describe a concept or idea in shorter words, do that. Keep it concise and to the point. It is much more important to get your entire point across in a logical way than to focus on describing a detail that doesn’t fit into the larger picture of what you’re trying to say.

Overall Writing Tips

5. humanize yourself..

This is the most important tip. You want to show colleges that you are not just your college application; you’re not just a series of grades on a transcript or activities on a resume. Instead, you want to give the admissions committee almost a 3D picture of who you are as a person.

So from that perspective, try to have a mix of more fun and more serious answers. You don’t necessarily have to have everything super academic. For example, for the “historical event I want to witness” prompt, you don’t have to say “I want to go back to the signing of the Magna Carta.” If that genuinely interests you, that’s totally fine to say, but try to have some fun in your other responses. 

In fact, at a super-selective school like Stanford, they want you to have the grades and resume that say you’ve spent a lot of your waking life on the admissions process and academics, but they also don’t want to admit students who are trying too hard. It’s not exactly fair, but it’s unfortunately how selective admissions works.

6. Look at your essay with fresh eyes

Regardless of your writing process, the best way to approach editing your essay is with time. In between writing and editing your response, take a break. Whether it’s an hour, a day, or a week, looking at your materials with fresh eyes will be a huge benefit. You will find key points that are missing or areas that you can rewrite in a more concise or interesting way. 

Looking for more Stanford essay tips? Check out our full Stanford essay guide .

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Many college applications, including schools that use the Common Application , will ask you to write an essay in which you to elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. These essays are often short—150 words is typical—but you shouldn't underestimate their importance. The short answer essay is your opportunity to single out and discuss something that you love. While brief, the short answer provides the admissions folks with a window into your passions and what it is that makes you tick. The short answer section certainly carries less weight than the main personal essay, but it does matter. To make sure your short answer shines, steer clear of these common problems.

Unfortunately, it's easy to write a short paragraph that doesn't actually say anything. College applicants often answer the short answer in broad, unfocused terms. "Swimming has made me a better person." "I have taken more of a leadership role in my life because of theater." "Orchestra has impacted me in many positive ways." Phrases such as these really don't say much. How are you a better person? How are you a leader? How exactly has orchestra impacted you?

When you discuss the importance of an activity, do so in concrete and specific terms. Did swimming teach you leadership skills, or did your involvement in a sport make you much better at time management? Has playing a string instrument allowed you to meet different types of people and learn the true importance of collaboration? Make sure it's clear WHY the activity is important to you.

A short answer essay, by definition, is  short . There's no room to say the same thing twice. Surprisingly, however, many college applicants do just that. Check out Gwen's short answer to see an example of repetition that weakens the response.

Be careful not to say you love something over and over again. Dig in and provide some self-analysis. WHY do you love the activity? What separates it from other things that you do? In what specific ways have you grown because of the activity?

Clichés and Predictable Language

A short answer will sound tired and recycled if it begins to talk about the "thrill" of making the winning goal, the "heart and soul" that go into an activity, or the "joy of giving rather than receiving." If you can picture thousands of other college applicants using the same phrases and ideas, you need to sharpen your approach to your topic.

Make the essay personal and introspective, and all of that tired, over-used language should disappear. Remember the purpose of the short answer: the college admissions folks want to get to know you better. If you use generic and cliché language, you will have failed in that task.

Thesaurus Abuse

If you have a huge vocabulary, demonstrate your skill with your SAT verbal score. The best short answers employ language that is simple, clear, and engaging. Don't test the patience of your reader by bogging down your short answer with excessive and unnecessary multi-syllabic words.

Think about the type of writing you most enjoy to read. Is it filled with obscure and tongue-twisting language, or is the prose clear, engaging, and fluid?

When elaborating on an extracurricular activity , it's tempting to talk about how important you were to the group or team. Be careful. It's easy to sound like a braggart or egotist if you paint yourself as the hero who saved the team from defeat or solved all the personnel problems in the school play. The college admissions officers will be much more impressed with humility than hubris. See Doug's essay for an example of how ego can weaken a short answer.

Failure to Follow the Directions

An important skill needed for college success is an ability to read and follow instructions. If a college has asked you for a 150-word short answer essay, don't send them a 250-word essay. If the prompt asks you to write about a situation in which you gave back to your community, don't write about your love of softball. And, of course, if the prompt asks you to explain WHY an activity is important to you, do more than just describe the activity. 

Just because this is a short supplemental essay doesn't mean you should bang it out quickly without careful proof reading, editing, and revision. Every piece of writing that you submit to a college needs to be polished. Make sure your short answer essay is free of grammatical and punctuation errors, and spend some time improving the essay's style as well.

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• Bad Essay Topics for College Admissions
• 2020-21 Common Application Essay Option 4—Solving a Problem
• The 2021-22 Common Application Essay Prompts
• Addressing Diversity in a College Application Essay
• UC Personal Statement Prompt #1

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Short Answer & Essay Tests

Strategies, Ideas, and Recommendations from the faculty Development Literature

General Strategies

Save essay questions for testing higher levels of thought (application, synthesis, and evaluation), not recall facts. Appropriate tasks for essays include: Comparing: Identify the similarities and differences between Relating cause and effect: What are the major causes of...? What would be the most likely effects of...? Justifying: Explain why you agree or disagree with the following statement. Generalizing: State a set of principles that can explain the following events. Inferring: How would character X react to the following? Creating: what would happen if...? Applying: Describe a situation that illustrates the principle of. Analyzing: Find and correct the reasoning errors in the following passage. Evaluating: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of.

There are three drawbacks to giving students a choice. First, some students will waste time trying to decide which questions to answer. Second, you will not know whether all students are equally knowledgeable about all the topics covered on the test. Third, since some questions are likely to be harder than others, the test could be unfair.

Tests that ask only one question are less valid and reliable than those with a wider sampling of test items. In a fifty-minute class period, you may be able to pose three essay questions or ten short answer questions.

To reduce students' anxiety and help them see that you want them to do their best, give them pointers on how to take an essay exam. For example:

• Survey the entire test quickly, noting the directions and estimating the importance and difficulty of each question. If ideas or answers come to mind, jot them down quickly.
• Outline each answer before you begin to write. Jot down notes on important points, arrange them in a pattern, and add specific details under each point.

Writing Effective Test Questions

Avoid vague questions that could lead students to different interpretations. If you use the word "how" or "why" in an essay question, students will be better able to develop a clear thesis. As examples of essay and short-answer questions: Poor: What are three types of market organization? In what ways are they different from one another? Better: Define oligopoly. How does oligopoly differ from both perfect competition and monopoly in terms of number of firms, control over price, conditions of entry, cost structure, and long-term profitability? Poor: Name the principles that determined postwar American foreign policy. Better: Describe three principles on which American foreign policy was based between 1945 and 1960; illustrate each of the principles with two actions of the executive branch of government.

If you want students to consider certain aspects or issues in developing their answers, set them out in separate paragraph. Leave the questions on a line by itself.

Use your version to help you revise the question, as needed, and to estimate how much time students will need to complete the question. If you can answer the question in ten minutes, students will probably need twenty to thirty minutes. Use these estimates in determining the number of questions to ask on the exam. Give students advice on how much time to spend on each question.

Decide which specific facts or ideas a student must mention to earn full credit and how you will award partial credit. Below is an example of a holistic scoring rubric used to evaluate essays:

• Full credit-six points: The essay clearly states a position, provides support for the position, and raises a counterargument or objection and refutes it.
• Five points: The essay states a position, supports it, and raises a counterargument or objection and refutes it. The essay contains one or more of the following ragged edges: evidence is not uniformly persuasive, counterargument is not a serious threat to the position, some ideas seem out of place.
• Four points: The essay states a position and raises a counterargument, but neither is well developed. The objection or counterargument may lean toward the trivial. The essay also seems disorganized.
• Three points: The essay states a position, provides evidence supporting the position, and is well organized. However, the essay does not address possible objections or counterarguments. Thus, even though the essay may be better organized than the essay given four points, it should not receive more than three points.
• Two points: The essay states a position and provides some support but does not do it very well. Evidence is scanty, trivial, or general. The essay achieves it length largely through repetition of ideas and inclusion of irrelevant information.
• One point: The essay does not state the student's position on the issue. Instead, it restates the position presented in the question and summarizes evidence discussed in class or in the reading.

Try not to bias your grading by carrying over your perceptions about individual students. Some faculty ask students to put a number or pseudonym on the exam and to place that number / pseudonym on an index card that is turned in with the test, or have students write their names on the last page of the blue book or on the back of the test.

Before you begin grading, you will want an overview of the general level of performance and the range of students' responses.

Identify exams that are excellent, good, adequate, and poor. Use these papers to refresh your memory of the standards by which you are grading and to ensure fairness over the period of time you spend grading.

Shuffle papers before scoring the next question to distribute your fatigue factor randomly. By randomly shuffling papers you also avoid ordering effects.

Don't let handwriting, use of pen or pencil, format (for example, many lists), or other such factors influence your judgment about the intellectual quality of the response.

Write brief notes on strengths and weaknesses to indicate what students have done well and where they need to improve. The process of writing comments also keeps your attention focused on the response. And your comments will refresh your memory if a student wants to talk to you about the exam.

Focus on the organization and flow of the response, not on whether you agree or disagree with the students' ideas. Experiences faculty note, however, that students tend not to read their returned final exams, so you probably do not need to comment extensively on those.

Most faculty tire after reading ten or so responses. Take short breaks to keep up your concentration. Also, try to set limits on how long to spend on each paper so that you maintain you energy level and do not get overwhelmed. However, research suggests that you read all responses to a single question in one sitting to avoid extraneous factors influencing your grading (for example, time of day, temperature, and so on).

Wait two days or so and review a random set of exams without looking at the grades you assigned. Rereading helps you increase your reliability as a grader. If your two score differ, take the average.

This protects students' privacy when you return or they pick up their tests. Returning Essay Exams

A quick turnaround reinforces learning and capitalizes on students' interest in the results. Try to return tests within a week or so.

Give students a copy of the scoring guide or grading criteria you used. Let students know what a good answer included and the most common errors the class made. If you wish, read an example of a good answer and contrast it with a poor answer you created. Give students information on the distribution of scores so they know where they stand.

Some faculty break the class into small groups to discuss answers to the test. Unresolved questions are brought up to the class as a whole.

Ask students to tell you what was particularly difficult or unexpected. Find out how they prepared for the exam and what they wish they had done differently. Pass along to next year's class tips on the specific skills and strategies this class found effective.

Include a copy of the test with your annotations on ways to improve it, the mistakes students made in responding to various question, the distribution of students' performance, and comments that students made about the exam. If possible, keep copies of good and poor exams.

The Strategies, Ideas and Recommendations Here Come Primarily From:

Gross Davis, B. Tools for Teaching. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1993.

McKeachie, W. J. Teaching Tips. (10th ed.) Lexington, Mass.: Heath, 2002.

Walvoord, B. E. and Johnson Anderson, V. Effective Grading. San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1998.

And These Additional Sources... Brooks, P. Working in Subject A Courses. Berkeley: Subject A Program, University of California, 1990.

Cashin, W. E. "Improving Essay Tests." Idea Paper, no. 17. Manhattan: Center for Faculty

Evaluation and Development in Higher Education, Kansas State University, 1987.

Erickson, B. L., and Strommer, D. W. Teaching College Freshmen. San Francisco:

Jossey-Bass, 1991.

Fuhrmann, B. S. and Grasha, A. F. A Practical Handbook for College Teachers. Boston:

Little, Brown, 1983.

Jacobs, L. C. and Chase, C. I. Developing and Using Tests Effectively: A Guide for Faculty.

San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1992.

Jedrey, C. M. "Grading and Evaluation." In M. M. gullette (ed.), The Art and Craft of Teaching.

Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1984.

Lowman, J. Mastering the Techniques of Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1984.

Ory, J. C. Improving Your Test Questions. Urbana:

Office of Instructional Res., University of Illinois, 1985.

Tollefson, S. K. Encouraging Student Writing. Berkeley:

Office of Educational Development, University of California, 1988.

Unruh, D. Test Scoring manual: Guide for Developing and Scoring Course Examinations.

Los Angeles: Office of Instructional Development, University of California, 1988.

Walvoord, B. E. Helping Students Write Well: A Guide for Teachers in All Disciplines.

(2nded.) New York: Modern Language Association, 1986.

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Short Answers & Essay

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Dates and Deadlines

The short-answer questions invite you to share in your own words what you have done, who you are, and what you aspire to do in the future.

Remember that you have listed activities and accomplishments in your resume and background information, so take this opportunity to show your more personal side. We ask you to answer three questions:

• How will your Knight-Hennessy Scholars experience prepare you to realize your immediate and long-term intentions?   (250 word limit)
• Please tell us when you: a) made someone particularly proud of you, b) were most challenged, and c) fell short of expectations. (150 word limit combined)
• Please tell us eight improbable facts (things that are unlikely but true) about you. (150 word limit combined)

The essay prompt invites you to reflect deeply on your life’s journey and the people, events, and circumstances that have impacted it.

There is no right answer, topic, or format — only you can tell your own story — and yet we hope you will focus much less on what you have done and much more on who you are. The strongest essays balance introspection with recognition of external influences, and are so personal that no one else could have possibly written it. The essay topic:

• Connect the dots. How have the influences in your life shaped you?   (600 word limit)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q: what are improbable facts.

A: Improbable facts are aspects about you - experiences, beliefs, traits, skills, etc. - that seem unlikely but are true.  These could include: facts that people wouldn’t expect to be true and/or facts that others are surprised to learn about you. This does not mean a list of achievements. Use this as a way to show a different side of you. And have some fun!

Last updated October 11, 2023.

Find what you need to study

End of Course Exam: Short Answer and Long Essay

5 min read • september 7, 2020

Steven Kucklick

Overview of the End of Course Exam

We've made it! The end is finally here.

Image Courtesy of Giphy

And guess what, we've saved the easiest for last 💯!

The End of Course (EoC) Exam is putting to the test a lot of what you've done so far in the year. You'll see elements of the first four Big Ideas in all aspects of the EoC exam ✍️.

Overall, you should feel very comfortable doing what the EoC is asking you to do. It's pretty much a scaled down version of elements of PT 1 and PT 2 . Things like analyzing evidence, looking for line of reasoning, and arguing a thesis , all show up in the EoC.

Let's take a look at what you'll actually be doing along with some key points to take note of:

The exam is divided up into two sections

Three short answers questions 👌

One longer argumentative essay 👩🏾‍💻

You'll have two hours to complete both sections of the exam

You can complete the exam in any order that you choose

Before we dive into the nitty gritty, one thing to keep in mind is that the  rubrics  are short and to the point. This is great because it really highlights everything you need to do without getting too complicated. But, it can be tricky because there are so few points in the rubric so everything counts.

Alright! Let's check out each section.

Short Answer Questions

The first section that you'll see is the Short Answer Questions . Here you'll be given one argumentative article and asked to answer three questions.

The questions are:

• Identify the author's main idea , argument, or thesis . 🤔
• Explain the author’s line of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the connections between them. 🗣️
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author uses to support the claims made in the argument. 👨‍💼

These questions can be found in the  Course and Exam Description .

You do not need to get super fancy answering these questions. In fact, you should probably be able to answer the first question in just about a sentence. Again, make sure to read the rubrics to really understand how to get full points.

Let's go through each of these questions and talk about them. We'll be using the  2019 EoC Exam  as examples as we go through.

The first question asks you to identify the author's argument. This should be very simple! You are looking for the overall argument that the author is making.

Usually the author will have a thesis , but if they don't, just ask yourself what overall point the author is trying to make.

Keep in mind that you need to fully explain the author's argument. For example, take a look at Part A of the 2019 exam. The article is titled "Why the Voting Age Should be 17." You might read that and think "Oh! There's the author's argument." But, that is not the author's full argument.

Instead, you should explain why the author thinks 🤔 that. A more complete answer would say: "The author argues that the voting age should be lowered in order to increase voter participation, allow students to be more involved in their government, and strengthen the American democracy."

That answer still says what the title says, but goes in to way more detail.

In question 2, you need to analyze the author's claims and line of reasoning to determine if they support the overall argument the author is making.

Just like with question 1, you may be tempted to give an answer the doesn't fully answer the question. Do not just simply list the author's claims . Instead, you should work through each of the author's claims and explain how they either help or hurt the overall argument 🗣️.

It is better to write too much as opposed to too little here. Really, you should be aiming to write about a page or more.

The last question has you looking at the author's evidence. You need to evaluate its effectiveness in supporting the author's claims and analyze the credibility of the evidence.

Just like the claims , you should work through each piece of evidence the author gives, explain how well it supports the argument, and explain how credible it is 🤨.

I would recommend talking about the evidence as a whole. Is it all credible? Does some evidence do a good job of supporting the author's argument while others don't? This will help the question feel a little more organized and focused.

Long Essay Question

The Long Essay Question requires more time and planning than the Short Answer Questions . Generally, I recommend spending an hour and a half on part B.

Even though part B takes longer, what you are doing is fairly straight forward. Essentially, you are constructing an argument using two of four pieces of evidence that College Board provides.

All of the evidence is based around a central theme, but they all have different perspectives .

You are going to select two (minimally) of the four sources and present an argument that is not found in any of the sources. What this means is that if one source argues for 'A' and the other source argues for 'B,' then you need to argue for 'C.' Your argument should NOT 🙅🏽‍♀️ be the same as one of the pieces of evidence.

So, how do you write this thing? Here are the steps I would take to write the Long Essay Question.

• Read ALL of the evidence carefully. Find the central theme that is presented. 📕
• Think about what you want to argue that is different than the perspectives presented in the evidence. 👨🏽‍🏫
• Select the two (or more) pieces of evidence that you are going to use. ✌️
• Write your thesis ! ✍️
• Outline your essay, making sure to note your claims and how you connect your evidence to them. 🗒️
• Write, write, write! You should be well prepared to write without stopping to think about the direction your essay is heading in. 📜
• Read and revise if necessary‼️

A few things to note... College Board knows that you are writing on a topic that you might not be well informed on. They also know that you will only be using two pieces of evidence. Because of that, this does not need to be the most airtight argumentative essay you've ever written.

That being said, it should have all of the components of a good essay.

In Conclusion...

The best way to prepare for the End of Course exam is to read the rubrics and practice! You can find all the past exams along with sample responses and scoring notes  here . Use them to your advantage! Read the responses that scored high grades and recognize why they did well.

But just remember, you have been using these skills all year! You know how to do this. Be confident and don't stress!

Key Terms to Review ( 13 )

2019 EoC Exam

Arguing a Thesis

Argumentative Article

Author's Main Idea

Claims Connection to Evidence

End of Course (EoC) Exam

Perspectives

Thesis Statement

Stay Connected

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Essays & Short Answers

Summer/Fall 2025 Essay

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Please keep your essay between 500–650 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essays

All freshman Spring 2025 applicants must submit a required essay:

• UT Austin Required Essay in the Common App, or
• Topic A in ApplyTexas

Please keep your essay between 500–700 words (typically two to three paragraphs).

Spring 2025 Essay Topic

Tell us your story. What unique opportunities or challenges have you experienced throughout your high school career that have shaped who you are today?

Submitting Your Essay

You can submit your essays:

• In conjunction with your application.
• Using the Document Upload System in MyStatus.

*Students do not need to submit other Common App essays. We’ll only review what is required.

Short Answers

• Submit the required short answers to prompts in your admission application.
• Answers are limited to no more than 40 lines, or about 250–300 words per prompt, typically the length of one paragraph.

Summer/Fall 2025 Prompts

• Why are you interested in the major you indicated as your first-choice major?
• Think of all the activities — both in and outside of school — that you have been involved with during high school. Which one are you most proud of and why? ( Guidance for student s: This can include an extracurricular activity, a club/organization, volunteer activity, work or a family responsibility.)

Optional Short Answer

Please share background on events or special circumstances that you feel may have impacted your high school academic performance.

Spring 2025 Prompts

• Describe how your experiences, perspectives, talents, and/or your involvement in leadership activities (at your school, job, community or within your family) will help you to make an impact both in and out of the classroom while enrolled at UT.
• The core purpose of The University of Texas at Austin is, “To Transform Lives for the Benefit of Society.” Please share how you believe your experience at UT Austin will prepare you to “Change the World” after you graduate.

Submitting Your Short Answers

You can submit your short answers with either your Common App or Apply Texas application. Short answer responses must be completed in order to submit your application.

• Transfer applicants must submit one essay responding to Topic A.
• Applicants to the School of Architecture and Studio Art, Art Education and Art History are required to upload Topic D in addition to Topic A. 

Essay Topics

Topic a (required).

The statement of purpose will provide an opportunity to explain any extenuating circumstances that you feel could add value to your application. You may also want to explain unique aspects of your academic background or valued experiences you may have had that relate to your academic discipline. The statement of purpose is not meant to be a listing of accomplishments in high school/college or a record of your participation in school-related activities. Rather, this is your opportunity to address the admission committee directly and to let us know more about you as an individual, in a manner that your transcripts and the other application information cannot convey.

Topic D (School of Architecture majors and Studio Art, Art Education and Art History majors only)

Personal interaction with objects, images and spaces can be so powerful as to change the way one thinks about particular issues or topics. For your intended area of study (architecture, art history, studio art, visual art studies/art education), describe an experience where instruction in that area or your personal interaction with an object, image or space effected this type of change in your thinking. What did you do to act upon your new thinking and what have you done to prepare yourself for further study in this area?

Submitting Your Essay(s)

College Reality Check

How to Answer Short-Answer Questions in College Application

Short-answer questions specified in the Common App or Coalition App are answered with concise and specific responses that tackle the prompts without going beyond the word count limit. They are college-specific questions, which means that students applying to, say, Harvard University cannot provide the same answers to short-answer questions asked by, say, Carnegie Mellon University or Stanford University.

Read on if the colleges you are applying to require applicants to answer some short-answer questions.

In this post, we will talk about the reasons why some college admissions officers ask short-answer questions as well as how you are supposed to answer short-answer questions asked by some of the most popular institutions.

What are Short-Answer Questions?

Short-answer questions are prompts that require responses from college applicants using considerably fewer words than long-form essays, such as personal statements and supplemental essays. Some short answer essays have word limits ranging from 100 to 250, while others may specify exactly the number of words applicants may use, such as only 1 or 3.

Although requiring much fewer words than supplementals, short-answer questions are not any less difficult to answer since you will have to express yourself succinctly given that you have to stay within the word count limit.

What is the Primary Purpose of Short-Answer Questions?

The primary purpose of short-answer questions is for college admissions officers to gain additional insight into an applicant’s personality, experiences, interests and academic and career goals, which may not necessarily be covered by his or her application materials. It also allows them to see an applicant’s communication and writing skills.

In some instances, short-answer questions may serve as a tie-breaker when college admissions officers cannot decide which applicants with the same academic profiles they should admit.

Do All Colleges Require Short-Answer Questions?

Not all colleges and universities require short-answer questions. Some institutions that require them may no longer require long-form supplemental essays, while others may still do. Some schools may make it mandatory for applicants to answer short-answer questions, while others may present them as optional additions to their supplementals.

Here’s a resource by the College Board that provides you with guidance on what sort of writing questions you can expect within individual college questions — just click on the schools you are planning on applying to.

How to Answer Short-Answer Questions

When answering short-answer questions, understand each of the questions very well and determine what college admissions officers are looking for exactly. So, in other words, it’s important that you correctly address each and every prompt. It’s also a must that you answer short-answer questions without going beyond the word count limit.

Let’s talk about how to answer short-answer questions asked by some of the most popular colleges in the country:

Brown University

Brown’s short-answer questions can be very short — answers can range anywhere from a few words to a few sentences. For instance, the question “What 3 words best describe you?” should be answered in 3 words only, while the rest should be answered in no more than 100 words. There’s also a Brown short-answer question that should be answered in just 1 sentence.

The California Institute of Technology applicants are required to answer 3 short-answer questions. Topics range from STEM experiences, creativity and Caltech values that speak to them, and the word limit ranges from 100 to 400. There are 3 optional short-answer questions that let applicants show more of their personality plus 1 optional academic short-answer question.

Carnegie Mellon

Most colleges that accept the Common App and Coalition App require applicants to write a personal statement and some supplemental essays. Instead of writing a college-specific essay, Carnegie applicants are required to answer a series of short-answer questions to give everyone a chance to talk about their talents and interests.

Columbia University

As of this writing, there are 9 Columbia short-answer questions. Word limit can range from 100 to 150. Columbia asks short-answer questions to know about an applicant’s academic, extracurricular and intellectual interests. Of course, the Ivy League school also wants to learn about why an applicant feels that Columbia would be the perfect fit for his or her undergraduate education.

Cornell University

Other than the school-specific short-answer questions specified in the Common App and Coalition App, some applicants to Cornell may be given the opportunity to answer optional short-answer questions, depending on the college or department. The general consensus is that every opportunity for Cornell’s admissions officers to know the applicant more should be grabbed.

Duke University

Duke requires applicants to answer only 1 supplemental essay, which is just 250 words long. But there are 4 optional short-answer questions, whose maximum word count each is similar to that of the mandatory supplemental. Given that Duke has a low acceptance rate of 6%, it’s a good idea for applicants to shine by answering the optional short-answer questions.

Harvard University

Harvard itself says that your application to the Ivy League school isn’t complete without answering a series of short-answer questions. When answering Harvard short-answer questions, stick to the 200-word limit. Harvard advises applicants to reflect on how their experiences and extracurriculars have shaped them and how they will engage with others on campus.

Instead of asking applicants to answer some long-form essays in addition to the personal statement, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology requires them to answer several different short-answer questions. MIT advises applicants to talk about the things that inspire them and demonstrate that they are thoughtful individuals much like the institution’s attendees.

Princeton University

In addition to the 2 supplementals, Princeton applicants must also answer 3 short-answer questions, each with a 50-word limit. There are no wrong and right answers when it comes to short-answer questions. Applicants are also encouraged to be themselves given that short-answer questions are there to provide more insight into those who like to attend the Ivy League.

Rice University

After writing their personal statements, Rice applicants must also write additional school-specific essays — 1 long essay and 2 short-answer questions. The short-answer questions have a 150-word limit, and applicants should grab this opportunity to demonstrate their interest in attending for they are asked about the program of their choosing and the Rice experience they want.

Stanford University

Stanford applicants must answer a total of 5 short-answer questions, each with a 50-word limit. A couple of those ask applicants to specify a date and list 5 things. Rather than just mentioning an event and enumerating things, applicants are encouraged to elaborate to allow Stanford’s admissions officers to see aspects of themselves that their applications may have stifled.

Texas A&M University

It was only in 2020 when Texas A&M started requiring applicants to answer short-answer questions. Some programs, such as engineering, require applicants to answer additional short-answer questions. According to Texas A&M itself, applicants must also apply the same amount of thought and care when answering short-answer questions as supplemental essays.

UC Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley refers to short-answer questions as personal insight questions, and applicants’ answers to them are reviewed by both admissions and scholarships officers. According to UC Berkeley itself, it uses short-answer questions in the admissions process in many ways, including deciding between 2 applicants with very similar academic records.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a unique approach to short-answer questions: instead of the applicants giving complete free-response answers, they are asked to fill in the blanks using 25 words or less. Some examples of these fill-in-the-blank types of short-answer questions include “The quality I most admire in myself” and “One protagonist I identify with”.

Yale University

The number of short-answer questions Yale applicants must answer can vary, depending on the application platform used. For instance, those who are using QuestBridge will have to answer 3, while those who are using the Common App or Coalition App will have to answer 7. All Yale short-answer questions are personal, and applicants are encouraged to reflect deeply.

Independent Education Consultant, Editor-in-chief. I have a graduate degree in Electrical Engineering and training in College Counseling. Member of American School Counselor Association (ASCA).

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• Duke University
• Pratt School of Engineering

Short Answer Essays

Short essay questions are required—post your responses in the application

AI for Product Innovation

• In what way do you think artificial intelligence is (or will be) changing your field or industry?
• Please tell us about your motivation for applying to the AI for Product Innovation graduate program or certificate – what do you hope to get out of the experience?
• If you could apply AI to build anything to solve a significant problem in the world, what problem would you choose to solve and what might you build?

Biomedical Engineering

• Why are you applying for the MEng program in biomedical engineering at Duke University?
• How will the MEng program help you to achieve the next goal?
• Why are you selecting the Duke MEng program over the Duke MS program?

Civil Engineering

• What is your definition of personal success? 
• How do you think the Master’s program at Duke University will help you on the path to success as you define it?

Climate & Sustainability Engineering

Computational mechanics & scientific computing, cybersecurity.

• What activity or experience, not in your resume/CV, sets you apart from other Cyber applicants? (Note that “good grades” typically do not set candidates apart.)
• What was the most complicated thing you’ve ever designed/built, either physical or virtual?  Please describe it here
• In your opinion, what do you feel is the most pressing Cyber need or opportunity?  How do you see yourself addressing this?

Design & Technology Innovation

• Tell us about a project you worked on (professional or personal) and walk us through how you leveraged design and innovation methods during it, for success or failure. Highlight and explain some key decisions you made throughout.
• Describe what you hope to be working on in ten years. How and why do you think the program will help you achieve that?

Please select one of these principles and explain how you hope to contribute and grow regarding that principle at Duke.

Electrical & Computer Engineering

• What have you done in the past that makes you well suited to the Duke ECE MEng program?
• What is it about Duke's ECE MEng Program that attracted your attention and got you to apply?  What do you think you will be able to do with what you learn in the Duke ECE MEng program?
• Also, if applicable, indicate your interest in attending as a part-time student

Environmental Engineering

Financial technology.

• FinTech is all about creating new and innovative solutions, in your opinion what is the most creative fintech solution of the past 20 years and why do you consider it the most creative?
• Often successful FinTech solutions are new, but sometimes they are new applications of existing solutions. What was the most creative solution to a problem that you’ve ever designed/built, either physical or virtual?  Please include details.
• The emergence of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms in recent years could cause significant changes to traditional banking systems and financial markets. These platforms operate on a blockchain, allowing for peer-to-peer transactions without intermediaries. As a prospective Fintech graduate student, you are presented with the following hypothetical scenario

•    What would it look like if you were to design a bridge between this new DeFi platform and traditional financial institutions? The bridge should prioritize seamless integration and mutual growth for both sectors."

Game Design, Development & Innovation

• Your unique perspectives, experiences and passions will impact the Masters in Game Design, Development, and Innovation program. How will you contribute to the diversity of the cohort, enhance the overall learning experience, and help the program grow?
• What was the most complicated project, either physical or virtual, game or other project, that you’ve ever designed/built?  Describe any challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Please describe it here and, if applicable, include a link to an online portfolio, or feel free to provide a link to other media as part of your response.
• What new technology or games do you hope to develop? How will this program help you reach your career aspirations?

Materials Science & Engineering

• What was the most complicated thing you’ve ever designed/built, either physical or virtual?  Please describe it here and include a link to an online portfolio of your work or a well-labeled graphic as part of the response.
• What do you think the most important problems engineers should solve are and why? How do you find yourself contributing to big ideas?
• How do you feel Duke will assist you on your path to personal success and how will you contribute to the success of our community? Please give specific examples from what you have learned about our school.

Mechanical Engineering

Medical technology design.

• Why are you applying for the Master of Engineering in MedTech Design?
• How will the MEng program in MedTech Design help you to achieve your goals?
• Please explain any experience you’ve had in design, either through coursework and internships.

Photonics & Optical Sciences

• Why do you want to study photonics at Duke?
• Why is the program right for you, and why are you right for the program?
• How will Duke help you meet your future goals?

Risk Engineering

Screen Rant

Today's connections hints & answers for april 27, 2024 (puzzle #320).

Ring in the weekend with the newest Connections puzzle. If you need help we've got the hints and spoilers to get you through today's game.

April 27th has some brand new Connections for you to solve and even though the categories aren't too difficult in today's game, we still scored a loss. Sometimes your brain just gets too hung up on incorrect matches and next thing you know all the attempts have been spent. But that's okay, every loss is a learning experience, and we'll come back tomorrow better than ever.

One of the better tips for solving a Connections puzzle is to simply slow down. Sometimes, like we did today, you get so excited trying to score a category that doesn't exist. Taking time, and focusing on the actual connections between the words, could mean the difference between a win and a loss. Another option is to just read below and cheat, it's cool, we won't tell anyone.

8 NYT Tiles Strategies To Score Huge Combos

Today's connections category hints, april 27 #320.

Before we fully spoil today's Connections answers we wanted to provide the categories as a form of hint. Sometimes just knowing what is expected can help you match up the right words.

Today's Connections Answers

Yellow answers: revealed & explained.

We did score the yellow category today as our first win, but not before wasting an attempt or two trying to make DIGEST and SWALLOW work. After we accepted that failure, we saw the proper connection starting with BELIEVE and ACCEPT. The other two fell into place quickly.

Green Answers: Revealed & Explained

Another category in the win column for us today was the green category. We scored this second and it was a fairly easy mix of things. OUTAGE and SURGE were the first two words that caught our eye, followed quickly by SPIKE. SHORT didn't take long after, but we did waste another attempt trying to match SHORT with BRIEF.

5 Letter Words Wordle Hasn't Used Yet (Updated Daily)

Blue answers: revealed & explained.

We sadly didn't get to score the blue, or purple, categories today and just ended up wasting our last few attempts on incorrect threads. Summary is a good category though and I suppose if we knew what was expected we could have scored a bit better here.

Purple Answers: Revealed & Explained

You know, normally in these Connections articles we try to have fun and keep things light. Oftentimes joking around or going off in unrelated directions. But today is different, today was simply a loss and that's okay, it's a good lesson to learn. However, if you do enjoy a little chuckle with your daily answers here's Screen Rant' s newest Pitch Meeting starring the hilarious Ryan George​​​​​​. Pop the answers into your game, get that win, and relax for a few minutes of funny.

Other Games Like Connections

After your game of Connections , why not check out some of these other amazing browser-based games? From the classic Wordle to the nigh-impossible Password Game , there's something for every skill level. It's super easy, barely an inconvenience.

Connections