The Exam

The exam will have three parts:

1. Identifications: In this part, you'll be given a list of several items from the works. Your job will be to choose some of the items (3 out of 6, say) and name the source and speaker. You'll also have to explain (briefly, in no more than two or three sentences) how the item relates to the broader themes of the work as whole.

2. Essay I: In this part, you'll be given a choice of essay topics about one of the works. You'll want to use specific examples from the work in question, so it won't hurt to have a good handle on the main characters and concepts of each of the works.

3. Essay II: In this part, you'll be given another choice of essay topics. Here, you'll be asked to compare and contrast the three works we've studied. A good essay will be like a good paper: it'll be well-organized with a central point and that point will be developed in each new paragraph. A good essay will be specific, using particular examples from each work. And a good essay will offer fresh insight into the question instead of rehashing the same old.

See the library's Exams on Reserve page for a couple of examples from Freshman Studies gone by.