Read all questions before you write and underline the active verbs
Answer your most confident question first
Make a brief outline
Use the number/letter labelling format in your response
Have a thesis statement, even if it is just restating the question
Use specific, relevant examples to support thesis
If you do not know the facts to your examples, then do not use them
Do not use statements that are implausible, can’t be proven, or don’t relate to question
Avoid generalizations unless you have no other information
Do not impose your opinion
SPEED Strategy - What are the social, political, economic, environmental, and/or demographic issues of the question?
Remember to use "because" to help with explain. Why? How? Because..
Only use abbreviations after you have stated the concept in long-form, ex. Total fertility rate (TFR)
If you make a single mistake just draw a line through your mistake or just place a big "X" over a paragraph. Graders are not allowed to use that info against you.
Write as if you are trying to teach a 6th grader this information.
ELABORATE. ELABORATE. ELABORATE
Multiple Choice Strategies
Read the entire question
Underline key words and look for correspondence between words in question and answer
Use the process of elimination
Go with your first instinct
Make only educated guesses
Beware of negative questions (NOT, EXCEPT)
"All of the above" - if you know 2 or 3 options seem correct, then "all of the above" is a strong possibility
Double negatives create the equivalent positive statement
If two options are opposite each other, chances are one of them is correct
Do not leave any question blank
Be aware of the time limit
Do not Christmas tree. Choose one letter and go with it