How do I construct an effective argument in an exam essay?

When writing an exam essay the most important thing is not to rush in. Read the question carefully and make sure you understand its nuances. Take a few minutes to think of what points you can raise in response to the title and plan them out briefly, and order them so that they flow logically. Your introduction should concisely present your points, in the order they will be in the main body, and provide your overall answer to the question. It's important to briefly expand on your points, but save the detailed analysis and explanation for the main body of the essay. Your paragraphs should open with a strong topic sentence - a sentence that states what you will be arguing. You'll need to have a few quotes from the text memorized that you can use as evidence for your points, and an explanation of how these quotes illustrate your point. When you feel your point has been well illustrated, the closing of each paragraph should reaffirm your argument and provide a strong link to the next paragraph. The conclusion of the essay follows in a similar vein to the introduction, but be sure not to just repeat yourself. It's always good to close the essay by stating what your overall response to the question is.