Entering the Essay

Instructions are shown above a text input box, referred to as the essay response box, reading:

The response box where you will type your essay will appear in the bottom portion of the split screen.

Enter text below to practice using the essay response box. What you type here in this tutorial will NOT be saved or scored.

(Note, this practice function will be available only during the test's tutorial.)

There is a character counter in the footer of the essay response box that reads: Character limit: 0/500

The presentation explains:

The topic(s) are displayed in the top section of the split screen. Any text entered into the response box is retained if you navigate to another screen.

As you enter text into the response box, let text wrap naturally and only type a return when you want to start a new paragraph. You may use the delete key to delete text and you may use the standard Ctrl+C for copy, Ctrl+X for cut, and Ctrl+V for paste. By default, the essay response area is set to Insert mode. This means that text will automatically be inserted where your cursor is positioned. If you accidentally hit the "Insert" key on your keyboard, you will be switched to Overstrike mode. Overstrike mode replaces existing text as you type, one character at a time. To turn off Overstrike mode, hit the "Insert" key to toggle back to Insert mode.

A limit has been set to the number of characters allowed for your response. This number will be noted within the actual test. As you type, a character count will appear at the bottom of the response box. Note that when the text reaches the bottom of the response box, a scroll bar on the response box is activated to accommodate additional text up to the character limit.

You can enter text into the sample response box to the left. After you are done, click Next on the Toolbar to finish the Tutorial.

NOTE: For exams with topic selection, if you wish to switch essay topics, you must click Previous to return to the topic selection screen and change your selection by clicking on the appropriate button.