How should a history essay be structured, and how long should it be?

The general structure of a history essay should follow a similar pattern, in that it will start with a brief introduction outlining the general argument of the essay, and then move onto a series of points to consider, and then finish with a concluding statement that reflects your argument. The points to consider could be two points supporting the argument and two points going against the argument, but perhaps a better way of doing it would be to try and split the argument into themes, such as economic, political, social, military, religious and so on.The length of the essay should be tailored to the amount of time allowed to answer a question in an exam, as you do not want to be running out of time in the exam. Depth of argument rather than breadth would also be recommended, so it is often better to write shorter, in depth essays than longer ones.

KM
Answered by Kit M. History tutor

3709 Views

See similar History A Level tutors

Related History A Level answers

All answers ▸

"Margaret Thatcher biggest successes were in foreign policy" Assess the validity of this view.


How do I talk about the provenance and relevance of a primary source?


Describe the most important elements of the National Socialist (Nazi) ideology using examples!


What is the best way to conclude an essay?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning