How do I write and structure a good essay?

The key to writing a good essay is a clarity in structure that you follow throughout your writing. Laying this out in the introductory paragraph will help both you and your reader understand where you want the essay to go, and the outcome you wish to achieve having written it. A top-quality essay will start with your thesis statement. Usually no longer than a sentence, your thesis encapsulates the subject matter of your essay and how you are going to explore this throughout your essay. Now that you have this, you can start writing! Each following paragraph should have one main point, supported by evidence from the text and contextualised, that focuses on answering the question you have been asked. A valuable trick in keeping your essay entirely relevant is linking the last sentence of each paragraph back to your thesis statement to make sure it’s really clear why you have made this point and how it contributes to your overall argument. Remember, be selective with your ideas- less is more, so pick the most important of your points and thoroughly explain your ideas. It is much better to have fewer, well explained points, than rush through more points trying to cover too much ground. Ask yourself why this example is significant, what does it tell us about the ideas explored by the text, and how it relates to your overall argument. Another important thing to remember when writing a good essay is clarity in vocabulary, are you using a sentence when a few words would do? Don’t be afraid of using short sentences, it usually prevents you from overcomplicating your ideas. Make sure you are completely comfortable with the vocabulary you are using- it’s much better to use more simplistic language than misusing words. Further, make sure you have made your ideas clear to the reader, don’t assume they know as much about the text as you do! Finally, when writing your conclusion, try not to introduce anything new that might feel rushed or not relevant to your essay. Your conclusion should reach a final judgement of the ideas you have explored throughout your essay and demonstrate what you have learned from writing it. Remember, the essay isn’t necessarily a test but a chance for you to demonstrate the new ideas you have enjoyed discovering about your texts.