What type of questions require students to write long narratives in response to shorter prompts?

Essay questions require students to write long narratives in response to shorter prompts. This form of assessment is designed to evaluate a student's ability to articulate their thoughts and provide in-depth analysis or argumentation on a given topic. In an essay question, the prompt typically presents a specific issue, scenario, or question that necessitates a comprehensive response, allowing students to demonstrate their understanding, critical thinking skills, and ability to organize their ideas coherently.

The nature of essay questions encourages detailed exploration of subjects, enabling instructors to assess not only the factual knowledge of the student but also their ability to synthesize information and express it in a structured format. This format contrasts with multiple choice, true/false, and short answer questions, which require more concise responses and do not allow for the same level of depth and elaboration.