I'm struggling to boost my essay grades to a 2:1. Could you give me any tips?

The best tip I can give you is this:At GCSE and A Levels, we were taught to write essays in an argument style, right? You take your question, write 3 points 'for', 3 points 'against', and a conclusion. The points didn't necessarily need to interact or relate to one another, they just had to a) show two different sides, and b) use the P-E-E-L method (let me know if you haven't heard of this - it's genius). At University, you're expected to do the same kind of thing, but at a much more advanced method. The difference, is that your points 'for' and 'against' all need to link on from, and interact with one another - almost as if you're having an argument with yourself. Then you come to the main conclusion, based on the strongest arguments you've made throughout the essay. When I was planning an essay, I would always think of it this way:Main point 1ArgumentCounter-argumentMini-conclusion (i.e. is the main point as strong as we'd thought?)I'd then go through this pattern for each of my points - maybe even adding more layers of arguments and counter-arguments if the discussion allowed. In this way, your essay sounds much more sophisticated, and shows a deeper level of understanding and engagement with the topic. Try finding your arguments from different sources, and even adding your own to show creativity and analytical skills. Once I'd cracked this formula, I found it much easier to get solid 2:1s in my essays. If you'd like, we can also go through an essay plan together as an example of how you'd put this into practice!