Short answer

• These can range from simple definitions to a couple of paragraphs. Look at past exam papers to find out what is expected.
• Identify key concepts and definitions. Look at course readings as well as lecture notes to find these.
• Prepare examples or other supporting evidence for each concept where possible. 
• Organise key concepts by theme or topic headings, and revise them one topic at a time. This is likely to help you remember the information.

Examples of answers to short answer questions [Unversity of Wisconsin]

• Analyse the question carefully, underlining key instruction and topic words.
• Think of what points, keywords, phrases and ideas the examiner is expecting.
• How many marks is the question worth?
• How much space do you have to write?
• Leave one or two lines after each answer in case you remember something important later.
• Organise ideas logically.
• Provide sufficient information to answer the question, but do not include extra, irrelevant information.