How to write answers in philosophy examinations

Philosophy is a subject that is-well-all too theoretical. This fact leads parents and students to believe that writing exams in philosophy is next to bragging (in writing). It is a common misconception that if you can stretch compact, precise statements  into lengthy, dreary paragraphs-you will have no difficulty in acing the exam papers. Though this has some truth attached to it, still, philosophy is not only about this. Possessing good writing skills will definitely give you an edge, combined with a decent vocabulary, but writing exams in philosophy involves more than this. 

It is more about understanding the subject, than it is commonly understood to be. Mere flowery vocabulary won't help you get much far. 

So how to grab good scores in philosophy papers? It is not as hard as it might seem. 

First off, understanding is the key to success. Without getting to the bottom of what the author (indirectly, the philosopher) is trying to say, you cannot rely solely upon your ability to stretch sentences. And once you have understood, you will not have to do it. Try to catch hold of the essence of the concept. Every philosophical school has some basic fundamental idea around which their whole philosophy revolves. Getting hold of that idea will take you far on the path of good grades.

Once you have understood that basic idea, try to connect it with the other offshoot ideas that the philosophy presents. This will not be a big problem as you have already mastered the fundamental.

One of the most important points to be kept in mind is that-most questions demand a critical analysis of the philosophy i. e. you have to report the original central points of the philosophy and then discuss their positives and negatives. So once you have understood the philosophy, put your self in the position of a critic and question the idea from various view points. Then again, switch your position to that of the philosopher and then devise counter arguments for those questions.

Lastly, structure your answer properly-first the facts, then the criticisms.

If you follow the above simple steps, you won't have to worry about earning better grades. And it might even be possible that you actually start liking the subject!