How should I structure my essays?

Bearing in mind that you will have no more than 30-45 minutes to write an essay, your answer will have to be concise and selective. Answers that score highly are those that directly address the question. This makes the introduction very important, where you have to be clear at setting out your argument and your points. At the beginning of each paragraph in the body of the essay, the first sentence should set out what you are arguing in that paragraph and how it links to the question. The rest of the paragraph should provide evidence and analysis to support your claim. At the end in the conclusion, you can summarise your points wholistically, draw links between them, and most importantly, show how you have answered the question with your argument.

AD

Related History A Level answers

All answers ▸

In the years 1955-1962, Nikita Khrushchev was genuinely committed to peaceful coexistence. Assess the validity of this view.


How far do you agree that the Heath government was unsuccessful because of circumstances out of its control?


To what extent was Stalin’s treatment of opposition a divergence from Lenin’s approach? Answer with reference to the years 1917-41.


Why did Harry Truman win the 1948 presidential election?