Introduction and standard training method for the essay test


1.
Attitude toward the essay test
Overcome Anxiety by Reading Digests
Why I Chose the College Entrance Essay Exam Questions

2.
How to read the passage and thesis
Example Problem: 2012 Seoul National University Humanities Essay
Tips for Planning Your Time
Let's understand the connected topics by connecting them.
Background knowledge is not required

3.
How to design an answer
The 'A' and 'B' Relationships in Essay Tests
[Question 1] Focus on the answer design question and topic.
[Question 2] Don't be intimidated by the answer design formulas and graphs.
[Question 3] The more difficult the answer design, the more important it is to stick to the basics.

4.
How to write sentences in the answer sheet
Write short sentences and cut out the frills.
If you read roughly, you will write roughly.
The second button was buttoned wrong
Arrows that missed the target
[Question 1] Sample answer: A well-built house is one that does not collapse.
[Question 2] Sample answer The tone of the answer resembles the tone of the topic.
[Question 3] Example answer: Even if the topic is complex, the answer should be simple.

5.
How to edit your own writing
Self-directed editing
The oral interview is no different from the essay test.


In conclusion, thoughts are powerful.

You can do it by yourself!
Self-directed essay test training method

1.
A practical lecture on argumentative writing by Yoo Si-min, a leading author of logical writing.

Representative Korean author Yoo Si-min, who revealed the secrets of logical writing in [Yoo Si-min's Writing Special Lecture], has returned with a 'practical' special lecture for students preparing for exam writing.
'Exam writing' refers to university entrance exams, corporate employee entrance exams, national agency qualification exams, and entrance exams for professional educational institutions such as law schools, and can broadly include descriptive midterm and final exams administered by universities.
In fact, millions of test takers need essay writing skills.


Test writing is special in many ways.
It is difficult to write with a happy heart because you have to compete to determine success or failure.
It's not just a competition for fun, but it puts a lot of pressure on me because the outcome can change the course of my life.
Moreover, unlike ordinary writing, all elements, including method, environment, time, and information, are extremely limited.
_ From the text [Attitude toward essay exams]

The author concluded that [Yoo Si-min's Special Lecture on Writing], which covers general writing theory, alone cannot sufficiently address the concerns and difficulties of essay-writing test takers due to the nature of test writing.
So, I wrote [Yoo Si-min's Essay Special Lecture] based on my personal experience of trying to get a master's degree while studying abroad in Germany, the realization I had while helping my daughter prepare for the college entrance essay test, and my experience giving essay lectures to youth in seven locations across the country in 2014.
This book deeply explores the 'test writing training method' summarized in Chapter 8 of [Yoo Si-min's Writing Special Lecture], and presents a 'standard training method' that can be applied to all types of essay tests except for the 'science' mathematics essay test.


2.
A "standard training method" for all essay test takers, from college entrance essays to job essays.

Not all essay tests are created equal.
From college entrance essays to job-seeking essays, essay tests vary greatly in type and difficulty.
Depending on the characteristics of the implementing agency and the purpose of the test, the grading criteria also differ considerably.
That's why it seems nearly impossible to create a "standard training method" that works for all essay tests.
However, the author presents a new alternative to essay writing textbooks by solving the 2012 Seoul National University Humanities Department exam questions, which can be considered as a 'typical' essay question.

There are two reasons why I chose this problem.
First, the college entrance essay is a standard form of test writing.
Second, the 2012 Seoul National University exam questions are the standard format for humanities essays.
To master the standard training method, you must also choose test questions that are close to the standard.
(…)
This book does not provide the 'right answer' to any specific essay test question.
It simply provides guidance on standard test writing training methods.
Showing example answers is not an end in itself, but merely a means to guide the training method.
Any type of essay test can be addressed by applying this standard training method.
_ From the text [Standard training method for essay test]

The author demonstrates an optimized training method applicable to all types of essay tests by personally solving three questions and eight related essay questions.
Readers can cultivate a power of thought that will not easily crumble simply by following the author's way of thinking and reasoning process as he seeks answers to each topic.
It is about acquiring humanistic thinking skills and logical reasoning skills that are like a 'panacea' to deal with any writing test.
In this way, [Yoo Si-min's Essay Special Lecture] is not a makeshift solution like most essay textbooks, but contains a solid 'right method' that attacks the essence of the essay test.


3.
[Yoo Si-min's Essay Special Lecture]: Build Confidence with Just One Reading

[Yoo Si-min's Essay Special Lecture] is a practical self-study book that addresses the special challenge of the essay test.
Since essay writing is a type of writing, anyone who has read a lot of books, thought deeply, and written consistently will be able to get a good score on the essay test without any preparation.
But such people are not common.
When the essay test is approaching, only then do I regret neglecting my usual writing.
The author wrote “Yoo Si-min’s Special Lecture on Essay Writing” for the majority of students who are so ordinary.


For most test takers, there isn't much time left until the exam day.
Therefore, if it takes a long time to prepare to improve your skills or if the method is not guaranteed to be effective, it is difficult to blindly follow it.
Therefore, the author proposes a new learning method that can be effective to a certain extent in a 'very short period of time': focusing on the presented text and thesis 'without background knowledge' and 'self-directed editing' training.
They say there is no royal road to writing, but [Yoo Si-min's Essay Special Lecture] presents a well-founded 'royal road' to writing essays.
As the author hopes, this book will help many essay-taking students overcome their anxiety and provide practical, realistic, and specific help.


The idea that you can't write an essay properly if you lack background knowledge is a misconception.
It is also a mistake to think that you can write well just by having background knowledge.
Background knowledge is not a necessary element in test writing.
Don't be afraid if the presentation and thesis cover topics you're unfamiliar with.
It's okay to lack background knowledge.
The problem is that people feel fear because they lack background knowledge.
Moreover, background knowledge can be a medicine if used well, but it can also be a deadly poison if used wrongly.
In that case, it might be better to have no background knowledge.
_ From the text [How to read the given text and thesis]

Whether you use past exam questions or expected questions, practice should not end with just writing down the answers.
While writing the answer itself is important, the experience of correcting your own answer is even more important.
It is much more effective to discuss with colleagues and edit on your own than to receive so-called 'one-on-one editing' guidance from others.
The reason is clear.
In real life, you can't get advice and guidance from others.
Only self-directed editing, where students correct and improve their own answers, is permitted.
You should practice the behaviors that are allowed in the exam room, why practice the prohibited behaviors?
_ From the text [How to edit your own writing]