How do I write essays? Sample question: Was the Treaty of Versailles too harsh?

Knowing how to write a good essay is key to achieving higher grades. The principle point is that you must avoid simply 'telling a story' and instead, use this knowledge of events to present a set of arguments which respond clearly to the question. Marks are given for argument, evidence and analysis. In the introduction, you want to do three things. You want to demonstrate historical knowledge regarding the question e.g. in a sentence, explain what the Treaty of Versailles was and when. You must then respond directly to the question: 'It was too harsh upon the Germans..../It was not harsh enough.' You then briefly explain why, 'as it was humiliating, extremely punishing and unfair to Germany.' The essay is made up of paragraphs. Each paragraph must begin with an argument (POINT) "The treaty was harsh as it stripped Germany's military" followed by (EVIDENCE) "Germany could only have an army of 100,000 men". You must then have an (EXPLANATION) "Germany was a proud military nation so this was very humiliating. Germans also felt that the military was too small to defend themselves, so left them feeling weak." This format will avoid you simply writing down facts about the treaty without showing their relevance to the question.