1. Create an Outline
To write a good essay, it is essential to create an outline by jotting down the main points to be developed in the draft. This ensures a logical flow, helps with proper structuring, and prevents the risk of leaving out important points or presenting them in the wrong order. Consider the outline as your plan, with clear steps to guide you through the process and make executing your ideas easier.
Creating an outline involves selecting and organizing key points to be included in the three-part structure of your essay. This practice serves several important purposes:
- It allows the writer to get an overview of the key topics, arguments, and discussion points to be covered, as well as the scope and depth of the analysis.
- It helps avoid veering off-topic, redundancy, or overlooking essential points, ensuring a balanced argument.
- Having an outline also ensures efficient time management when writing, reducing the risk of an unbalanced or poorly organized essay.


2. Allocate Time Wisely
During the exam, time will pass by incredibly fast, and you might not even complete half of your essay or finish the conclusion before time runs out. This could drastically lower your score due to an incomplete response.
To prevent wasting too much or too little time, you should allocate specific time slots for the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay. How much time should each part take? Typically, the body should take up about half the time, with the introduction and conclusion taking up the remaining time. Adjust your timing based on the duration of the exam.


3. Focus on the Introduction
A great essay is one that maintains consistency and logical flow across its three sections: the introduction, body, and conclusion. Among these, the introduction is especially important. When facing a writing prompt, many students often struggle the most with crafting the introduction. Some may not know where or how to begin.
A strong introduction leaves a positive impression on the teacher, so it is worth spending time drafting a concise and engaging opening. There are many ways to start an essay, such as using comparisons or moving from general to specific ideas. You can also enhance your introduction by incorporating a quote or a meaningful statement to capture the reader’s attention.


4. Ensure Relevant Content and Provide Appropriate References
This is the most crucial and challenging section, which also carries the most weight in your grade. The body of the essay must strictly follow the prompt's requirements, covering all the necessary content. You need to address every point thoroughly, while ensuring that each idea is balanced and well-developed. Avoid having one idea too detailed while others are vague or rushed, as this will disrupt the harmony and flow of your essay.
Additionally, to earn higher marks, you should focus on incorporating well-chosen quotes or references into your writing, properly citing the source (where the quote comes from, and if it’s a quote, include the person’s name).
This not only shows that you are well-read and knowledgeable, but also demonstrates strong writing skills and research abilities. When used appropriately, citations can add value to your essay, but be careful not to overuse them or rely too heavily on quoting others.


5. Clear handwriting, neat presentation
No matter how good your content is, if the presentation is not appealing, it can result in lost points or a lower score, making a good impression on the grader more difficult.
You should practice your handwriting—while it may not be beautiful, it must be legible and easy to read, and the layout should be tidy. Avoid any erasing, overstriking, or random cross-outs in your work… as this can create disjointedness between sentences and suggests a lack of attention to detail in presentation.


6. The ability to adapt others' ideas into your own
To achieve this, you need to read extensively. Then, jot down notes in a notebook, so you can easily refer to them when needed. It's a good idea to read and reread, as you might remember the essence of the content, which can later serve as valuable references for your writing.
You need to understand that writing an essay is like preparing a dish; it requires ingredients, cooking, and seasoning to make it flavorful and appealing. Every person has their own thoughts and writing style; you should refine your skills, learn techniques, and adapt great ideas into your own work to progressively improve your writing ability and diversify your knowledge base.


7. Check spelling and grammar
“Storms and tempests cannot compare to the challenges of Vietnamese grammar.” This may not be too difficult, but it requires practice to master; no one becomes proficient without dedicated effort. After completing your essay, don't rush to submit it to the teacher. Instead, read through your entire work again to check for any spelling errors.
A critical expectation in essay writing is to avoid even the smallest spelling mistakes. Your writing must adhere to proper Vietnamese standards and should not include abbreviations. Any spelling errors can create a negative impression and fail to inspire confidence in the grader. This is a crucial step that cannot be overlooked!


8. Reading Books
Books are an invaluable treasure for humanity, holding a vast collection of knowledge. Not only that, but books also encapsulate valuable life experiences. By regularly reading books, you accumulate a rich wealth of knowledge. To write a good essay, the first thing you need to do is read books. These can include textbooks, model essays, reference books, and more.
First, you need to find a book genre that matches your interests to avoid boredom and monotony. It’s possible that during the first couple of days, you might feel sleepy when reading... However, after gradually building the habit of reading, even just a little each day, you will find that reading is incredibly beneficial.
Your enthusiasm and enjoyment will grow as you discover a beautiful passage, an interesting quote, or sometimes simply a unique use of words or punctuation that leaves deep thoughts in the reader's mind. Each time you read, you gain new insights and experiences; the more you read, the more you want to explore the subject in depth. As the saying goes, “persistent effort yields lasting results, and hard work pays off.”


9. Keeping Up with Social News
Where does social news come from? It stems from following TV channels, newspapers, the internet, and more. By keeping up with daily news, you'll quickly acquire a well-rounded understanding of information, which is quite useful for writing essays on social issues. The information you gather will serve as vital, dynamic evidence that is closely tied to real-world events and holds a strong persuasive power over readers.
To make this work, you must first evaluate the credibility of the information before incorporating it into your writing. Not all information can be used as evidence; you need to ensure its accuracy. It’s recommended to source your information from reputable, official news outlets. The quality of the information you present not only impacts you but also influences those who receive it. Pay attention to this important step!


10. Carefully read the question before starting the exam
Instead of rushing into solving the exam once receiving the question, many students believe that it is important to read the entire exam question first. This helps in planning the approach and time allocation for answering the question efficiently. It also ensures that the responses are clear, coherent, and grammatically correct. Special attention should be given to the emotional tone in the writing.
This is a crucial step to take before starting the exam. Carefully read and understand the exact requirements of the question to ensure you address it correctly and avoid straying off-topic or being too vague.


