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Diplomat Thursday, September 15, 2005 01:40 PM

Most important paper (Essay)
 
Essay writing is the first and most important paper in CSS examination. There is a general perception that one should prepare all other 11 subjects but no need of any thorough preparation for essay writing. I totally disagree with all those who think that either one cannot or one should not prepare for this particular paper. Essay writing needs at least as much preparation and attention as any other subject, if not more than other subjects.

I have met many individuals who have even attempted CSS but they don’t know what essay really is. This is the main reason that every year around 60 to 70 % candidates fail to get 40 marks in essay paper. When such candidates come out of examination hall they show off by telling their friends that they wrote 23 pages and when after a few months they get their marks sheets they are shocked to see that they just have 23 marks in essay. Marks like 10, 20 and 25 are quite common in essay writing. For your surprise sometime candidates get zero. This happens when one has totally misunderstood and misjudged meaning of proposition.

Now the question arises how to proceed and prepare? The answer is one should develop a crystal-clear view about essay and essay writing. In an earlier post I have recommended en.wikipedia.org , I would suggest all those who are preparing for CSS that they must visit

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/essay[/url]

Some of you might have seen past papers of essay and might have thought that it is an easy paper as one has maximum choices as compare to any other paper. It is a fact that one may have 10 propositions to choose from but I think most of you had not paid heed to a note written in all of past papers, it is

“Write a comprehensive and analytical essay on one of the following topics:”

As far as the word comprehensive is concerned it is quite clear that one has to write several pages but what is the real meaning of word analytical in essay writing. For your information there are several types of essays and analytical essay is a specific type. If you will write an excellent essay but it is not analytical then it is quite likely that you will get less than 40. I will suggest that you should research web and find out what are analytical essays. You can view my post for having an idea of analytical essays.

[url]http://www.cssforum.com.pk/showthread.php?p=2648#post2648[/url]

Essay writing is a pure art and like any other art it really needs thorough and extensive practice and preparation. I personally know people who are expert and professional essay writers and they are earning thousands of dollars by selling their essays on the web.

From my point of view your command on English language is the most significant ingredient for qualifying CSS. If on the basis of several years of education and studies you have developed a sublime expression in written English then you have got a fair chance to qualify CSS. Those who are weak in English or have pathetic written expression it is simply not possible to qualify. They should better improve their English and then think of appearing in CSS.

As I have worked as a Concept & Creative Writer in an Internet Marketing Company so I have got a fair idea of what essay writing is. Some seniors have given tips on essay writing but I don’t think anyone has raised such points. I will be sharing some other insights about essay writing and other papers in future so do continue with me and let me know your opinions about my views.

Waheed khattak Wednesday, April 19, 2006 10:52 PM

U should have come up with some more concrete suggestions for new aspirants, dear.

verve 0f 0racle Thursday, April 20, 2006 04:11 PM

salam,


Waheed why don’t you come up with new some more concrete suggestions for new aspirants instead of just advising other, dear after all you are a qualified guy- a CSP!

Karrar Friday, April 21, 2006 05:00 AM

I would like to add some tips about Essay Writing.....apart from the typical and conventional tips about the intro, body and ending part of the essay.

One very very very important task in it is ....BRAINSTORMING.....!....and most of the people giving tips about essays either ignore mentioning it or don't think it as too important or take it for granted that people inherently indulge in brainstorming.

BRAINSTORMING means that the moment, a topic for essay is presented before you, you have to start thinking about it and think as much and as diverse as possible and during this thinking process whatever words, phrases or ideas come to your mind, write them down on a piece of paper. Remember that u have to be imaginative and diverse but too much diversity may lead to diversion from the topic.
This Brainstorming session takes 10 to 15 minutes at the most for an Essay paper of 3 hours.

After this........you then have to make an outline of the Essay.....And i have been advised by some CSS qualifiers that one should make an elaborate and a bit lengthy outline, stretching over 2 to 3 pages. Yes...I know that such an idea would scare you off.....but a lengthy outline can be made by mentioning almost all the important points in it, even if that point is discussed in the body of the Essay in hardly 2 lines ;)

While making an outline and hence the whole Essay, one should try to answer the 5 Ws and 1 H (i.e. What, Why, When, Where, Who, How) of the Essay Topic. e.g. if there is an Essay on Democracy.....one can answer the following questions:

WHAT is democracy
WHEN did democracy start and its historical evolution
WHERE did democracy start and WHERE is it prevalent now a days (and many other questions flow from this question)
WHY democracy originated.....the causes of its growth etc
WHO were the proponents and the opponents of democracy; WHO are the supporters of democracy in this era etc etc
HOW democracy can be flourished etc.

Apart from this many other aspects of a topic can also be discussed but the 5 W and 1 H should at least be answered.....or in some cases, one can selectively answer some of the Ws and the H. It depends on the topic.

I do not think so that i need to emphasize upon a good and innovative opening.....The opening can be a quotation, any scene (although i usually start with the portrayal of a scene cuz memorizing quotes can be a hell ov a job) or any other opening method.

Phir one more thing is that instead of being rhetorical and tooo assertive, one should be logical, rational and moderate and UNBIASED!

Also, extensive reading (reading anything u can lay ur hands on) helps a lot and expressive and good vocabulary adds to the beauty of ur essay.

Phir comes the end part......here also i don't need to empahsize that it should be an impressive one too......it can be imaginative and innovative....usually a cliched ending is ending by presenting recommendations or your own suggestions....yhe bhi chal jaata hai, if u r left with little time to finish your essay.

Time management and ESSAY MANAGEMENT is very important. itni likhein jitnaa aap 3 hours mein sameit sakein......i would suggest that on the brainstorming and outline writing thing, do not spend more than 30 minutes. Even 40 minutes is allowed but not more than that....u need at least 2 hours to write a 20 pages Essay in the paper......

n yes! quantity also counts to some extent!....i presume that one should write 20 pages in the paper, excluding the 3 page outline...agar outline ko milaaya tau phir 23 pages kaa Essay honaa chahiyey.

n trust me...if u have ample ideas on the topic, u would find even 20 pages very less for writing the essay completely in 3 hours.

n also, do not try to dodge the examiner by drawing margins on the paper and writing in big and large fonts (types)....although your writing should be clear and legible and big enough for the Examiner.

Bus....abhi tau itni hi mind mein aa raha hai......:)

I would appreciate if someone can add to these points.

Adil Memon Friday, April 21, 2006 05:52 AM

@ Karrar
 
SIR - Salaam,

Kaise hain aap? (This style of yours is dashing, I am considering of adopting it.)

Thanks for the tips. They are exactly like what I have been suggested.

My seniors further suggested me to make short sentences.

Reasons: They minimize the chances of errors. They are easier to handle.

Avoid aggressive usage of vocabulary in pursuit of impressing the examiner. Sometimes you might end up using words whose proper meanings either you do not understand or you might commit the crime of using them improperly.

The examiner would just encircle such usages and those circles would put a bad impression while the marking phase.

So use a simple word rather than a complex word. [I][Also supported by Sa'adat Ali Shah, author of Exploring the World of English][/I]

As regards the brainstorming part, they agree with you there as well. They assigned 30 mins. (max) for the brainstorming part and suggested not to pick up the pen to write the essay before proper planning (noting down the points and making the outline) - and once you've planned the essay well, dont' stop while you write :D!

Outlines are too important. They give a sense of direction. The ones who don't make outlines are often caught guilty of digression.

Outlines further help in giving a 'complete' look in in the essay. You might have missed an important point in the outlines, but if you have discussed all your outlined points in your essay, the essay qualifies the definition of a 'complete essay'.

Also, they have strictly prohibited a candidate from switching topics once the have begun. According to them, crossing the answer copy is an unethical practice. [This was a suggestion of a CSP(2003) with merit number 26. Actually the guy had himself crossed his essay while attempting his PMS exams. And surprisingly, he failed in his PMS. Perhaps because he had to pass CSS. I feel sorry for him. :D]

Hence, the emphasis on proper planning prior to writing.

[Ficklemindedness is to be limited to the planning part only.]

Further, a candidate should practice writing essays on blank sheets (sheets without margins to write on). It is my personal observation that if you use good quality paper (not the photostat one), you would be able to write more beautifully. Use an ink pen with good quality ink (darker inks tend to resist the pen's smooth motion, so, avoid it).

During practice, one should have a strict vigilance on the moving sticks of the clock. Limiting oneself to 3 hours, as in exams, would be a good idea at the advanced stages of practice. [At the beginning stages you can take however long you want. With the passage of time, you'll have command over writing and the time span will shorten by itself].

This is how a candidate gets used to handling time-constraint pressures.

Get your essays checked from some experienced person. He could be helpful in renovating sentence structures (if required).

NOTE: Before writing this I presume that the candidate does not have serious grammatical shortcomings in his style.

Brother Karrar, thats what I could add right now. In case you have some conflicting views about any point, we could settle the matter from under the table ;)

Regards,

Karrar Friday, April 21, 2006 04:12 PM

To Adil Memon
 
Sir...
Thanx for appreciating my style....:)
Waisay agar aap bhi MIRC aur MSN ki khaak chaanein tau phir aisay kaiii styles aap ko aa jaaein gay :P ;)

Ur ideas about the Essay are more than sufficient and quite complete.....i won't say prefect cuz there is always room for improvement :)

n surely I don't disagree with any point of urs...

rather i thank you for augmenting my ideas and adding to my knowledge...:)

and do not mind my frequent smileys.....cuz yeh aadat bhi mujhay MIRC aur MSN say lageee huwi hai....

u take care

Qurratulain Friday, April 21, 2006 11:55 PM

Good work Karrar and Adil,

I'm much impressed to see such wonderful work here.But I'd like to add some more.

1- Between 'Brainstorming' and 'Outlining', there should be an element of 'Narrowing' . Actually 'Brainstorming' results in maximum possible diverse ideas and facts. it is not necessary that one should include all the points(result of brainstorming) in the essay, instead the most important and closely related facts should be given the preference. 'Narraowing' allows unnecessary data to be omitted.( it'll take hardly five minutes or less)

2- 'Sequencing' is the essence of essay writing. Outline in a sequence gimmicks the readers attention. along with sequenced outline, the structure of essay should be in the same manner.(Sequencing and Narrowing can be done simultaneously)


Regards
Qurat

Adil Memon Sunday, April 23, 2006 01:05 AM

SIR - Salaam,

Sir Karrar, thanks for granting me the permission to emulate your style.

Miss Qurat, thanks for complementing our suggestions. I missed to put light on that aspect.

And by the way, the word 'woderful' is also nice. Hahahah!! 'WODERFUL' :evil

Never mind.

Sir Khurram, it's our pleasure to draw commendation from you.

Regards,

akbar911 Thursday, October 18, 2007 10:10 PM

!
 
Salam,
I hope you are okay. I am planning to give my CSS exam in the future and I really need to speak to someone who can let me know more about it. Can you please help me? Please reply back.

Thanks alot

lucid_oo7@yahoo.com Thursday, October 18, 2007 10:30 PM

salam

can u tel me wat is "commons"

is it name of batch ...coz i heard from dpo n dco saying that im from so n so common.............

wats it n how is it given n how in the website it i sbeing provided to the members


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