Tips for CSS/PMS Essay Writing

    

The CSS is one of the most competitive and challenging exams in Pakistan. It requires a high level of knowledge, skills and aptitude to qualify for the civil service. One of the most important components of the CSS exam is essay writing, which carries 100 marks out of a total of 1200 marks. The essay writing tests the candidates' ability to express their thoughts, opinions and arguments in a clear, coherent and logical manner. The essay writing also reflects the candidates' personality, vision and values.

 However, many candidates struggle with essay writing and fail to score well on this paper. This can be due to various reasons, such as lack of preparation, poor time management, weak vocabulary, grammatical errors, irrelevant content, etc. Therefore, it is essential to learn some tips and techniques to improve your essay writing skills and impress the examiners.

 

Tips and techniques for CSS/PMS exam essay writing

 1. Choose your topic wisely. Generally, an essay paper gives you a choice of 10 topics for essay writing, out of which you have to select one. You should choose a topic that you are familiar with, interested in and have sufficient knowledge about. You should also avoid choosing a topic that is too broad, too narrow, too controversial or too complex. You should also consider current affairs, social issues and national interests while choosing your topic.

 2. Make an outline for the essay. Making an outline helps you to organize your ideas. When you make an outline, you are essentially forcing yourself to think about the essay in a structured way. This helps you to identify the main points of your argument, as well as the supporting evidence you will need to present. It helps you to avoid going off on tangents. When you are writing an essay, it is easy to get sidetracked by interesting but irrelevant information. An outline can help you to stay on track and focus on the most important points. The outline helps you to write a more concise and coherent essay. When you have an outline, you know exactly what you want to say and in what order you want to say it. This makes it easier to write a clear and concise essay that flows smoothly from one point to the next. It helps you to save time. When you have an outline, you can simply fill in the details as you write your essay. This saves you time from having to brainstorm and organize your thoughts as you write.

3. Plan your essay structure. Before you start writing your essay, you should plan your essay structure. You should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion for your essay. The introduction should introduce your topic, state your thesis statement and give an overview of your main arguments. The body should consist of several paragraphs, each supporting one of your main arguments with relevant facts, examples and evidence. The conclusion should summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement and give a final remark or recommendation.

 4. Write clearly and concisely. You should write your essay clearly and concisely, using simple and precise language. You should avoid using jargon, slang, abbreviations or acronyms that may confuse the readers. You should also refrain from using long and complex sentences that may lose the readers' attention or interest. Use transition words and phrases to connect your sentences and paragraphs and create a smooth flow of ideas.

 5. Follow the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation. You should follow the rules of grammar, spelling and punctuation while writing your essay. You should avoid making grammatical errors such as subject-verb agreement, tense consistency, pronoun reference, etc. You should also avoid making spelling errors such as typos, homophones, etc. You should also use punctuation marks such as commas, periods, colons, semicolons, etc correctly and appropriately.

 6. Proofread and edit your essay. After you finish writing your essay, you should proofread and edit your essay carefully. You should check for any errors or mistakes in your content, structure, language or presentation. You should also check for any duplication or repetition in your essay. You should make sure that your essay is original, unique and authentic. You should also make sure that your essay meets the word limit and the format requirements of the CSS/PMS.

 Following these tips and techniques can improve your essay writing skills and score well in the CSS/PMS exams. Remember that practice makes perfect, so you should practice writing essays on different topics regularly before the exam day. You should also read some sample essays and feedback from previous candidates to learn from their strengths and weaknesses. You should also seek guidance from experts or mentors who can help you with your essay writing.