The Accuplacer essay checklist tells you what examiners want to see in your essay.

Examiners look at the five following aspects of your written work if you are asked to write an essay as part of the exam:

1. Mechanics - "Mechanics" means grammar. So, the examiners will look to see whether your essay has any grammatical mistakes.

2. Structure - This refers to the structure of your individual sentences. The Accuplacer examiners want to see that you can use a good variety of sentence structures that contain a wide array of verb tenses.

3. Organization - The examiners also look to see whether your entire essay is well-structured. Your essay should have a good introductory paragraph that contains a thesis statement, also known as the statement of purpose of the essay. You should finish the essay with a strong concluding paragraph. In addition, the paragraphs of your main body should should be well-organized, using phrase linkers and subordinating and coordinating conjunctions.

4. Development - You need to develop your ideas in your essay. This means that you need to give reasons and examples to support your viewpoints.

5. Focus - The message of your essay must be clear. Your essay must demonstrate a logical progression of thought and have a good written flow. You should not discuss items that are only loosely related or unrealted to the essay topic.

Go to the Accuplacer Essay Writing Page