Official instructions for essay writting

[Nisar Ali]

Analyzing the official instructions given in past essay papers, the following things stand visible. After every couple of years, instructions have been revised. In the years not listed, what was approximately said was ‘Write an essay on any one of the following topics’. Following are the years yielding useful instructions.

1973-1978
- Make an outline for writing an essay on any one of the following subjects.
- Write the essay on the subject you have selected more or less on the basis of the outline you have drawn. Develop your ideas logically, at same time, marshaling your facts and data in such a manner in the writing as is not only convincing but also comprehensive.

1978-1983
- Make an outline for writing an essay on any one of the following topics.
- Write the essay, based on your outline.

1989, 1991, 1992,
- Write an essay on any one of the following subjects, first making an outline.

2000 - 2003, 2006
- Write a comprehensive and analytical essay on any one of the following topics.

2004-2005
- Write a comprehensive and analytical essay on any one of the topics listed below. Your composition may be preceded with a brief outline, classifying salient aspects/ points of the subject.

- 2008
Write a COMPREHENSIVE ESSAY (2500-3500) on any ONE of the give topics. Make sure you use forms of discourse e.g. description, narration, illustration etc.

- 2012
Make an outline and write a Comprehensive Essay (2500-3500) words on any ONE of the given topics. Make sure you use different forms of discourse e.g. exposition, argumentation, description and narration. Credit will be given for organization, relevance and clarity.

From the above instructions, following points become worthy of attention:

1. Outline
a. Brief outline, classifying salient aspects/ points of the subject.
2. Logical development of ideas
3. Comprehensive, analytical and convincing
4. Using different forms of discourse e.g. description, narration, illustration, exposition, argumentation
5. Credit is given for organization, relevance and clarity.

I think it is since 2008 that they have been explicitly mentioning the word requirement of the essay, at 2500-3500.