Brainstorm before writing your essay.
Instructors often use question-and-answer essays, sometimes referred to as document-based question essays or extended-response essays, to check for reading comprehension and to assess the student's ability to interpret and analyze information. Usually, the instructor will assign questions to include in the essay, although sometimes the students are expected to formulate questions based on what they feel is relevant information in the text.
Instructions
1. Read the document you were assigned to write your essay about. It might be a historical document, a literary work or a chapter in a textbook. Read the question, if there is one.
2. Brainstorm on paper a list of the main ideas and themes in the document, as well as the important people, settings and time periods. Ask yourself questions about those ideas and themes. Write those questions down, if you need to come up with questions. Choose the strongest questions to use in your essay.
3. Write your questions down on a new sheet of paper, leaving plenty of space between the questions. Organize the information you noted beneath the appropriate questions.
4. Write an answer to each question, referencing the information you placed beneath the question to accomplish this. This will be your thesis statement, and every question must have one. The thesis statement must fully address the question; for example, if the question asked you to compare and contrast, you must address both of those elements in your thesis statement.
5. Write several supporting sentences after your thesis statement, again referencing the information you organized beneath the question after your brainstorming work. Make sure all the information you use not only directly relates to your thesis statement but also proves it. Don't include information that doesn't relate or that seems to contradict your answer, unless you immediately refute it.
6. Introduce quotes into your supporting sentences from the text that support your claims, but avoid padding your essay with superlong quotes.
7. Conclude your responses to each question with a summary of your points and position. Reiterate your opinions, but make sure not to simply restate your thesis statement. Your rough draft is now complete.
8. Rewrite your question and answer essay, polishing your work and correcting grammatical and spelling errors.
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