Essay writing can study one meh? That’s something we heard a lot as students and now, as tutors. True, essay writing is not something you can study by reading a textbook and remembering facts. However, you can study for it and improve your essay writing for JC General Paper. It’s not just about talent or luck – it’s about hard work and smart work!
General Paper is one of those love-or-hate subjects in JC, because there’s no escaping it (unless you go for its even more challenging big brother, Knowledge and Inquiry). If you are good at it, it is instant points for you. But if you are bad at it, it’s going to put an ugly mark on your A Level cert.
So, while we are on the subject of General Paper essay writing, here are some of our favourite tips on how to actually study for the GP essay component. Don’t say we never share hor!
1. Engage with current affairs daily
The ‘general’ in GP refers to general knowledge. Essay questions typically revolve around a few realms of topics, as outlined by the Singapore Examinations and Assessments Board (SEAB):
- Historical, social, cultural, economic, political and philosophical topics
- Science including its history, philosophy, general principles, current developments and applications
- Mathematical and geographical topics
- Literature and language
- Arts and crafts
- Topics of local interest and global concern
There’s no way you can study and be prepared for every topic under the sun. But a good way to prepare is by catching up on the news daily. We love the suggestion of following popular news accounts on your social media accounts, so you will conveniently see news updates throughout your day.
Try to take note of recurring themes, hot-button issues, and debatable topics. When you read something you find interesting or which you think can be used as supporting example for a topic, make a note of it so you can go back to it later.
2. Debate hot-button topics with friends or family
Unlike an expository essay which is more objective and informative, a good General Paper essay is about formulating a persuasive argument with a balanced point of view. That means you can’t just push your argument forward without considering the opposing perspective.
Explore different perspectives to an issue by speaking about them often with friends or family. Joining a group JC GP Tuition class may also offer you another platform to think and discuss about popular topics with your tutor and classmates.
One useful brainstorming framework for expanding your view to the different stakeholders and angles of looking at an issue is “SPERM”, which stands for:
S: Social
P: Political
E: Economic / Educational / Environmental
R: Race & Religion
M: Media / Morality
3. Practise analysing question keywords
Having good general knowledge and argumentative skills is not enough if you are not answering the question correctly. GP essay questions can be worded in very tricky ways, and you need to pick out the keywords and respond to it appropriately to get your marks.
If you find that writing out-of-point essays is a big issue for you, spend some time just analysing questions and highlighting the keywords.
Look out for:
- Absolutes (e.g. never, always)
- Question word (e.g. Do you agree? Compare… Consider the view… Is this true? Discuss… Should…?)
- Words signalling the topic
- Words that you need to define (e.g. freedom, responsibility, power, happiness)
4. Practise writing essay outlines
The content of your GP essay makes up 30 out of 50 marks; so, having a sound argument is highly crucial. To avoid going out of point or running out of examples midway through your essay, our GP tutors recommend planning out your essay before you start to write.
You can hone your essay structuring skills by practising writing essay outlines when you study for GP. This helps you verbalise the different arguments surrounding a topic, and organise them into a coherent essay.
Remember, GP essays need to be well-supported with evidence and examples. This is time to whip out your stash of notes you take from the news! You can also use historical examples, anecdotes, statistics, or findings from reputable research journals.
Different schools and teachers recommend different essay structures with different orders of supporting and opposing arguments. But regardless of their order, each essay outline should include:
Thesis statement
2-3 Supporting points, each including:
- Point
- Explanation
- Examples or Evidence
- Link back
1-2 Opposing points, each including:
- Opposing point
- Counter argument
Conclusion
5. Analyse well-written GP essays
When you can recognise and identify what makes another essay well-written, you can apply those skills to your own essay. With the model essays that your school provides or that you get from an assessment book, you shouldn’t try to memorise every one of them. Instead, try to understand what makes them good.
Besides the content and arguments, pay attention to how they are written. After all, 20 marks is set aside for good language in your GP essay! Build a list of phrases to use for signposting, agreeing and disagreeing, and presenting counterarguments.
Conclusion
Now, the next time you are tempted to think that you can just ‘wing’ your GP exams, don’t! If you follow the steps above diligently, there is a very good chance that you will see a marked improvement in your GP grade. But here is a huge caveat: You have to start early and work consistently!
Another thing that would help immensely is getting feedback and one-on-one guidance for your writing. In Future Academy’s GP Tuition classes, the small group format makes it conducive for group discussions as well as individual consultations. With the best of both worlds in an engaging and interactive class, learning GP will feel less like a burden and more like fun!