What are the most important rules to remember for an English Literature essay?

There are several key elements of any English literature essay which are essential to producing a coherent and strong piece of work. The first is to back up any claim you make; evidence is always required as it shows you fully understand the text and question. The best way to ensure this is to follow PEEL (point, evidence, explanation, link) as this will make each paragraph structured, clear and concise. Secondly, if you are including secondary material (i.e critical opinion or scholarly opinion) then engage with it. Do not simply include it for the sake of it, respond to it. If you disagree with a particular point a scholar has made then state your reasons why, again always making sure you have provided evidence for your claim. Also, don't rely on quotes. You can show that you have fully understood the text without having to rely on quotaions, be selective to show that you have understood not only the text but also the question and what is relevant.

One of the most important aspects is to remember the rule, Breadth not Depth. This simply means that you do not need to cover ample areas or make excessive points in your essay. Instead, choose three or four points that you are confident on and explore them deeply and critically. Finally, one of the most basic yet often forgotten aspect of an essay is to be efficient in your writing. Everything you write has to work to strengthen your essay as a whole so everything must be relevant and important. Avoid rambling and try to make your point as eloquently yet effectively as you can. These rules, once practiced, will surely help you to formulate essays of a very high standard.