How do I effectively structure an essay?

Read the text 2 -3 times. The first read is to experience the text as intended and to jot down your first impressions, the following reads are where you get to do some critical digging! Make sure that you understand the question. Break down the question and look for the inherent tension – there is always a debate to be had! If you are presented with an essay statement it may be useful to turn it into a question instead. When planning and researching your essay explore what critics have said about the text (such as through Google Scholar), do you agree or disagree? Whilst this opens you up to different perspectives it also allows you to engage with the critical conversation and discover your own original take -your opinion matters! Introduction: Once you have set the tone and responded to the question in broad terms get specific and establish your main argument. Main Body: Work with the text, it has all the answers you need and through examining the text closely you can show off your skills and interesting ideas. Actively argue the question by ensuring that each point is extending your argument by providing a new perspective. Always ask yourself why the point you are making matters and then make sure that you have explained the answer effectively to the reader. At the end of every paragraph make sure you link back to the question. Conclusion: Be bold and confident in your conclusions. Summarise your argument, but avoid repeating yourself. The conclusion should reiterate your key points in relation to the question, but the exact terminology that you use to express these points should be different to that used in the rest of your essay. A strong conclusion resolves an argument by tying the key points of your essay together and showing their collective relevance to the question. Try not to introduce new ideas and check that your essay has done what it set out to do in the introduction. The last few sentences should highlight the broader implications of your essay e.g. Through purging her identities, Medea reconnects with her divine heritage at the expense of patriarchal figures, be that husband or state and ultimately these sacrifices wound her too. However, it is Medea’s body to reclaim and with it attain divinity. Proofread & Edit!