How should you approach an examination essay question?

Performing well in an A-Level History exam is as much about essay technique as it is about knowledge, and half the battle occurs before you even start writing. No matter how much you know, if you cannot harness your knowledge to the question, you will not achieve a top grade. Thus, when faced with an exam question (and a slowly ticking clock) it is essential not to panic, or to start writing straight away. Examiners want to see candidates write answers that are relevant to the question being asked, something that requires a close evaluation of the question itself. Read through the question carefully; what terms have been used that may require further definition in your introduction? What are the “key words” that tell us the issue to be considered, and “topic words” that tell us the subject matter at hand? Thinking about the question is key and, even when a question appears to be asking for a simple list, try to remember that examiners are looking for evidence of critical thought. For example: A question that asks ‘What were the causes of the English Civil War?’ is unlikely to be asking you merely to list all possible reasons that the civil war broke out, and may well be asking you to evaluate these possible causes and determine which was the most important. Interrogating the terms of the question can be the work of just a minute or two, yet should have already helped you highlight the issues you need to address in your essay. The next essential stage before starting your essay is planning. Examiners are looking for clarity and precision in a top answer and without a plan it is all too easy to lose focus and include irrelevant material. Think about what your plan needs to contain (an introduction, three sections, and a conclusion) and how you might make the overall question more manageable. Can you break it down into smaller questions? Do you need to look at the question thematically – highlighting the social, political and economic factors? Are there contrasting historiographical lines of interpretation that could be pitted against one another? Each section of your essay has a specific purpose that should stand out clearly in your plan. The introduction is there to outline the parameters of the question. It defines the key terms of the question, establishes the relevant time-frame, and tells the reader how you have deemed it prudent to tackle the question (i.e. the factors you are going to discuss). It is also the place where you introduce your underlying line of argument, or perhaps voice alternative lines of argument, that you will substantiate later in the essay. A strong introduction should lay out the themes that you will follow for the rest of the essay. The ‘middle sections’ or central paragraphs should each address a different aspect of the question and offer evidence accordingly. Ideally when planning the central paragraphs you should write a sentence for each that encapsulates the main purpose or argument of that paragraph. You should then find three supporting points of evidence for this point. Once you have planned your essay, these paragraphs should almost write themselves. It is just a question of filling in the gaps.