What is TSA Section 2?
Some Oxford courses require candidates to take Oxford TSA Section 2 alongside Section 1: Experimental Psychology, PPL, PPE, Human Sciences and Geography. You have half an hour to write an essay from a choice of 4 questions, and you are limited to 2 sides of A4. Admissions tutors are looking to see a well-structured and well-argued essay that addresses objections to your argument and pays strong attention to the question. Keep reading our TOP 10 Tips for TSA Section Oxford 2 to discover more details.
What are the questions like?
The questions give you as much room to argue as possible. They could be on any topic that encourages debate. Some questions might be more relevant to your degree choice than others, but you are free to answer any of them.
Tips for Oxford TSA Section 2: How is it marked?
The admissions tutors at Oxford see the tests and they will have their own ways of marking it. You may not find out how you did in the essay, but it will be part of their considerations about whether to give you an interview, or offer you a place. The same criteria apply across the board – you want to write an essay that is thoughtful and well-argued and has a clear structure.
Here’s top 10 Tips for TSA Oxford Section 2 you’ll appreciate!
1. Practice is key
Regardless of whether you are studying essay-based A-levels or not, the TSA essay is a skill of its own and will require plenty of practice. There’s lots of TSA past papers, so use them to practice to time to figure out how much you can write in half an hour. It’s probably best to handwrite practice essays as the real thing is handwritten.
2. Don’t write too much
The space limit is part of what the TSA is testing you on. It’s not a case of writing as much as you can, but rather writing a concise and well thought-out argument. Going over the space limit tells whoever is reading your essay that you haven’t planned it very well. Tutors prefer a short and well thought out essay to one that is as long as possible but lacking in consideration. Your test centre may offer you more paper if you want it, but part of the test is to keep your essay concise so just because you can have more space to write does not mean you should use it!
3. The questions are not looking for simple answers
Some questions might have an obvious answer, but that doesn’t mean your answer can be simple. You still have to argue your point and address counter-arguments, even if you feel your conclusion states the obvious.
4. Be opinionated
You might get asked questions on some controversial issues, and it’s important to take a stance for the essay. It’s not enough to give a vague conclusion along the lines of ‘it depends’ or ‘maybe’ (unless you have several arguments of substance to justify why you are saying that!). Even if you don’t feel very strongly either way about the question, pick a position to defend and justify it.
5. Make sure to consider objections and counter-arguments
An important part of an argumentative essay is to recognise and meet any objections or counter-arguments. Consider what someone who opposed your view might say about your points and your response to that opposition. You’re not just promoting your conclusion, you’re also defending it from people who disagree.
6. Plan
It doesn’t need to be detailed, but it’s important to plan your essay. Briefly outline each paragraph and what you want to say. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes, if that, and your essay will flow better. Especially since time and words are limited, you need to know what you want to say so you can consider the space you have to do it in, and don’t end up running out of time or words. It might even help to put timings on your plan, so you can remind yourself to wrap up a point and move on to the next one. Our TSA Online Course has tips and tricks for essay planning.
7. Keep up with UK and global events
At least some of the questions on the TSA will be fairly topical – Section 2 previously had some about COVID, for instance. If you’re aware of these kinds of significant events, and try to form opinions on them before you even get into the test, you’ll find it much easier to write an essay about them if they do come up.
8. Answer the question
This might sound obvious, but it’s important to keep in mind. Read the question carefully and think about what it means before you start writing, and make sure each point you make links to the question. It can be tempting to try and spin it so you’re writing an essay for the question you would have wanted rather than what came up, but you shouldn’t do this. Admissions tutors mark essays all the time – they will notice if your answer is not answering the question set.
9. Define the terms of your argument
Many questions might leave certain aspects up to interpretation, so you should define any important concepts that you will base your argument upon. Your introduction is a good place to do this, so the reader immediately knows the specifics of what you will base your argument upon.
10. Clarity is key
You might think that Oxford tutors are looking for people who sound really smart by using lots of long words and complicated language. This is not the case. Keep your sentences on the short side and use clear rather than flowery vocabulary. Using fancy language will not make you sound smart if all it does is make your essay hard to read. Remember, tutors are marking loads of Section 2 essays – make your essay easy to follow, they’ll probably appreciate it!
Tips for TSA Section 2: Conclusion
TSA section 2 can be a challenge, but with good preparation you’ll be able to write a great essay. If you’re looking for extra support, Our 1-1 TSA tutoring service can help you fine tune those essay skills to succeed in TSA section 2!
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