How do you structure an essay?

To meet the marking criteria, you need to make sure you cover all of the assessment objectives. A well structured essay would do this effectively. For example, if one had the question, 'assess the presentation of kingship in Shakespeare's 'Richard II', you would need to think about language, structure, form, context, secondary criticism, and a general eloquence of writing. The best way to do this is to keep one point per paragraph, introduced by a topic sentence. The points would ideally be linked, so if you were to simply read the topic sentences in isolation it would be a sort of mini essay. Each paragraph (not exactly this structure but something similar) should start with the point, then bring in the extract, analysing its language, structure and form, and then bring in relevant context which adds significance to the extract, along with criticism that can further develop or challenge your point. A small conclusion at the end, summarising the essay, would be ideal, but it is the interpretation that is key, how one reaches the conclusion, rather than the conclusion itself.