Student has asked the following: is there a recommended way to structure an essay for an exam and what do I need to make sure I include in each paragraph?

(I would make sure, prior to teaching every student, that I have detailed knowledge regarding the specific exam board that they are on in order to give the most relevant response to a question like this)Answer:In terms of structuring your essay it is always wise to consider the time you have in order to set yourself a realistic goal for the amount of paragraphs you intend to write. My biggest tip would be to take 10 minutes at the start to carefully plan your response and not rush into it. Usually, however, I'd suggest two or three extended and really well argued points as well as a strong introduction that lays out your argument and a short, punchy conclusion to wrap up what you have said in your essay. Sticking to a structure like this gets a lot easier when you do papers at home under the time restrictions; it will eventually become something that you do automatically. Paragraph wise, I would massively recommend taking a checklist approach just to make sure that you do include everything that will help you get the best grade possible. I always wrote down the following at the top of my paper:Clear topic sentenceContextTextual quotationClose textual analysisCritical quotationComparison points (if required) As a result, when I had finished each paragraph I would use my list to check that I'd hit all the criteria that the examiner was demanding. If you'd find it helpful we can go through each of the things on the list so that you get a clearer idea of what they are and when to use them. Try giving this approach a go but if it doesn't work then we can come up with another way - it's absolutely no problem. Hope this helps :)