PCAT Exam: The Writing Prompt / Writing The Essay

The writing section of the PCAT allows the test taker thirty minutes to write a problem/solution essay. The test will provide a prompt for the test taker outlining a problem, then will ask the test taker to describe a possible solution. The writing section of the PCAT does not include spellcheck or grammar check, but it does offer basic commands such as “cut,” “copy,” and “paste.”

The writing prompt content is divided into three different possibilities. Below is a bulleted list of the content objectives with specific examples:

Health Issues

- Public Health
- Medicine
- Nutrition
- Fitness
- Prevention
- Treatments
- Therapies
- Medications
- Drugs
- Attitudes

Science Issues

- Research
- Theories
- Findings
- Applications
- Controversies
- Education
- Attitudes

Social, Cultural, or Political Issues

- Beliefs
- Attitudes
- Behaviors
- Trends
- Laws
- Policies


Writing the Essay

Brainstorming
One of the most important steps in writing an essay is prewriting. Before drafting an essay, it’s helpful to think about the topic for a moment or two, in order to gain a more solid understanding of what the task is. Then, spending about five minutes jotting down the immediate ideas that could work for the essay is recommended. This is a way to get some words on the page, and it offers a reference for ideas for when drafting. Scratch paper is provided for writers to use for any prewriting techniques such as webbing, free writing, or listing. The goal is to simply get ideas out of the mind and onto the page.

Considering Opposing Viewpoints
In the planning stage, it’s important to consider all aspects of the topic, including different viewpoints on the subject. There are more than two ways to look at a topic, and a strong argument considers those opposing viewpoints. Considering opposing viewpoints can help writers present a fair, balanced, and informed essay that shows consideration for all readers. This approach can also strengthen an argument by recognizing and potentially refuting the opposing viewpoint(s).
Drawing from personal experience may help to support ideas. For example, if the goal for writing is a personal narrative, then the story should be from the writer’s own life. Many writers find it helpful to draw from personal experience, even in an essay that is not strictly narrative. Personal anecdotes or short stories can help to illustrate a point in other types of essays as well.

Moving from Brainstorming to Planning
Once the ideas are on the page, it’s time to turn them into a solid plan for the essay. The best ideas from the brainstorming stage can then be developed into a more formal outline. An outline typically has one main point (the thesis) and at least three sub-points that support the main point.

Here’s an example:

Main Idea
- Point #1
- Point #2
- Point #3

Of course, there will be details under each point, but this approach is often the best when dealing with timed writing.

Staying on Track
Basing the essay on the outline aids in both organization and coherence. The goal is to ensure that there is enough time to develop each sub-point in the essay, roughly spending an equal amount of time on each idea. Keeping an eye on the time will help. If there are fifteen minutes left to draft the essay, then it makes sense to spend about 5 minutes on each of the ideas. Staying on task is critical to success, and timing out the parts of the essay can help writers avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Parts of the Essay
The introduction should do a few important things:
- Establish the topic of the essay in original wording (i.e., not just repeating the prompt)
- Clarify the significance/importance of the topic or purpose for writing (a brief overview without too many details)
- Offer a thesis statement that identifies the writer’s own viewpoint on the topic (typically one-two brief sentences as a clear, concise explanation of the main point on the topic)

Body paragraphs reflect the ideas developed in the outline.

Three or four points is probably sufficient for a short essay, and they should include the following:
- A topic sentence that identifies the sub-point (e.g., a reason why, a way how, a cause or effect)
- A detailed explanation of the point, explaining why the writer thinks this point is valid 
- Illustrative examples, such as personal examples or real-world examples, that support and validate the point (i.e., “prove” the point)
- A concluding sentence that connects the examples, reasoning, and analysis to the point being made

The conclusion, or final paragraph, should be brief and should reiterate the focus, clarifying why the discussion is significant or important. It is important to avoid adding specific details or new ideas to this paragraph. The purpose of the conclusion is to sum up what has been said to bring the discussion to a close.

Have a plan
Writing an essay can be overwhelming, and performance panic is a natural response. The outline serves as a basis for the writing and it helps writers stay focused. Getting stuck can also happen, and it’s helpful to remember that brainstorming can be done at any time during the writing process. Following the steps of the writing process is the best defense against writer’s block.

Timed essays can be particularly stressful, but assessors are trained to recognize the necessary planning and thinking for these timed efforts.

Using the plan above and sticking to it helps with time management. Timing each part of the process helps writers stay on track. Sometimes writers try to cover too much in their essays. If time seems to be running out, this is an opportunity to determine whether all of the ideas in the outline are necessary. Three body paragraphs is sufficient, and more than that is probably too much to cover in a short essay.
 

More isn’t always better in writing. A strong essay will be clear and concise. It will avoid unnecessary or repetitive details. It is better to have a concise, five-paragraph essay that makes a clear point, than a ten-paragraph essay that doesn’t. The goal is to write one to two pages of quality writing. Paragraphs should also reflect balance; if the introduction goes to the bottom of the first page, the writing may be going off-track or be repetitive. It’s best to fall into the one to two page range, but a complete, well-developed essay is the ultimate goal.

The Final Steps
Leaving a few minutes at the end to revise and proofread offers an opportunity for writers to polish things up. Writers can often identify problems by putting themselves in the reader’s shoes—it’s a movement from the mindset of writer to the mindset of editor. Reading aloud is often a great strategy to identify grammatical errors and confusing wording. The goal is to have a clean, clear copy of the essay.

The following areas should be considered when proofreading:
- Sentence fragments
- Awkward sentence structure
- Run-on sentences
- Incorrect word choice
- Grammatical agreement errors
- Spelling errors
- Punctuation errors
- Capitalization errors

The Short Overview
The essay may seem challenging, but following these steps can help writers focus:
- Take one or two minutes to think about the topic.
- Generate some ideas through brainstorming (three to four minutes).
- Organize ideas into a brief outline.
- Selecting just three to four main points to cover in the essay (eventually the body paragraphs).

Develop the essay in parts:
- Introduction paragraph, with an intro to the topic and main points
- Viewpoint on the subject at the end of the introduction
- Body paragraphs have a main point and support of that point
- Brief conclusion highlighting the main points and closing
- Read over the essay (last five minutes).
- Look for any obvious errors, making sure that the writing makes sense.