Timed essays at undergraduate advice

2

I am in 2nd year of Psychology (BSc) and our main format of exam is timed essays. We are given two options of essay questions that relate to one lecture in the module. We have to include citations from the lecturer (they helpfully don't cite their lectures so we have to find them on our own) as well as wider reading. These timed essays are open book and online so my current strategy has been mindmaps and including citations for each branch with a full list aside so I can copy and paste it into the final. Nonetheless, I'd quite like advice from people who've done well in essays in the past or made major improvements. What was it that pushed your essay up? I cant seem to get out of the 60-65 bracket and the feedback we get is not extensive at all...Literally, ANYTHING.

Reply 1

De Montfort University

Official Rep

17

Original post

by Jesskmw

I am in 2nd year of Psychology (BSc) and our main format of exam is timed essays. We are given two options of essay questions that relate to one lecture in the module. We have to include citations from the lecturer (they helpfully don't cite their lectures so we have to find them on our own) as well as wider reading. These timed essays are open book and online so my current strategy has been mindmaps and including citations for each branch with a full list aside so I can copy and paste it into the final. Nonetheless, I'd quite like advice from people who've done well in essays in the past or made major improvements. What was it that pushed your essay up? I cant seem to get out of the 60-65 bracket and the feedback we get is not extensive at all...Literally, ANYTHING.

Hey there 😃

This type of exam can definitely be stressful 😅 I’ve been there myself.

What worked best for me was starting by making clear, structured notes based on the lecture materials. Then, I would look up journal articles that discussed the same theories and research covered in the lectures. Reading those articles in depth really helped me expand my notes with extra, relevant theory and evidence (including proper citations) 📚

With a solid set of notes for each topic, I had a strong and reliable resource to use during the exam.

My biggest tip for writing a strong essay is to focus on forming critical arguments — don’t just describe the theories, but really engage with them. Support your points with research evidence, and always try to weigh up different perspectives. That’s where the extra reading comes in clutch! When you’ve got solid journal articles, it’s much easier to back up your arguments with credible studies 🤗

At the end of the day, essays like these are all about showing both your knowledge and your ability to think critically, balancing theory with real evidence and analysis. You’ve got this! ✨

I hope it will be helpful 💪 Feel free to reach out if you have any questions 😉 You can also chat with me or other students directly through The Ambassador Platform.

Take care,

Julia
Psychology student
De Montfort University

Reply 2

University of Salford Student Rep

Official Rep

13

Original post

by Jesskmw

I am in 2nd year of Psychology (BSc) and our main format of exam is timed essays. We are given two options of essay questions that relate to one lecture in the module. We have to include citations from the lecturer (they helpfully don't cite their lectures so we have to find them on our own) as well as wider reading. These timed essays are open book and online so my current strategy has been mindmaps and including citations for each branch with a full list aside so I can copy and paste it into the final. Nonetheless, I'd quite like advice from people who've done well in essays in the past or made major improvements. What was it that pushed your essay up? I cant seem to get out of the 60-65 bracket and the feedback we get is not extensive at all...Literally, ANYTHING.

Hi @Jesskmw ! 😊

Sounds like you're doing great so far! I can really relate to trying to reach them higher boundaries 😅

This is a hard one to give advice on as the expectations of your university and lecturers may be different to others and my own. It can be really tough to know how to improve without feedback, I know I have really valued this as a resource throughout my studies. For my course I'm encouraged to arrange a meeting with whoever has marked my assignments for more in-depth feedback and to have a good chat about how I can improve or where I have missed out on marks - this is usually by dropping them an email and booking a 1:1 (online or in-person depending on what's available). I'd really encourage seeing if this is possible for yourself at all, or if not then you could try contacting the module leader, or your course/programme leader. We also have a personal tutor assigned to us who can provide support so this could be something to look into as well. Even if you can't book in a meeting, then maybe they could answer some questions via email too. If you're struggling to get feedback or getting support in this way, I really recommend reaching out to your course/programme leader and asking how you can get some help with this, or they may point you to someone who can help advise further 😄

I also recommend looking at the mark scheme for this exam if you have one available to you, might be called an 'essay rubric' or something similar. This can explain the weighting of marks, the difference between the grade boundaries and give some idea of which areas need the most focus. If you can't find one wherever you find your course resources, definitely drop your module leader/programme leader an email to see if they can help.

Here's some tips from my experience too, but I do want to stress that these are from my personal experiences and studies, and what your lecturers are wanting to see may be different so definitely double check with them for your own work! 😊

1. Planning a clear structure, and focusing on developing clear arguments which clearly progress and formulate into a really strong back and forth argument overall. I really try think about how my main points progress through the whole body of the essay and the argument I am presenting. This is easier said than done, particularly in the format of timed essays, so getting a really good plan together is a really useful tool.
2. References - some really useful feedback I received was that to reach the higher boundaries this is about more than just referencing some information, and really how I use my references and doing this in considered ways to add to, enhance, explain and further your arguments/discussion.
3. Critical analysis...this is such an important aspect and skill to learn within a degree. I find the more I engage with what I am reading and give myself time to reflect and re-read the content, the easier I find this. Take some time to think about the questions or thoughts you have on the content, note them down as you read and see what you can come up with.

Good luck with your exam, I'm sure you'll do great! Remember the university is there to help you so don't worry about reaching out to them to see how you can achieve your best ☺️

Becky
University of Salford Student Rep

Timed essays at undergraduate advice

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