How should I plan an essay in an exam?

Taking 5 minutes to write a plan gives you the best possible chance of writing a good essay. It may seem tempting to go straight into writing given the time pressure but this does more harm than good, as you are unlikely to keep to a structure and may end up losing focus. The basic structure should always be the same: Introduction/ Point One/ Point Two/ Point Three (a fourth if you have spare time)/ Conclusion. You should read the exam question once, and then a second time highlighting the key words to make sure you know what they are asking of you. At this point, you need to decide your main argument, which will directly answer the question. An example could be “How does Mary Shelley present science in Frankenstein?”. In your introduction, you should give a clear response to this question, such as: “In Frankenstein, Shelley presents science in an ambiguous way, suggesting that it can be a force for good but has the potential to become dangerous if individuals act irresponsibly”. You should then plan three key points (all related to this central argument) that you will be able to back up with evidence from the text. You shouldn’t waste time writing anything in full at this point, but make sure you write enough in note form that you won’t forget any points or quotations that could get you marks. Writing a plan should also remind you to leave time for a brief conclusion. Your conclusion should not introduce any new ideas, but neither should it directly repeat your introduction. It should show how your analysis in the main body of the essay has developed your initial answer to the question. An example might be: “Through Victor Frankenstein’s actions, Shelley demonstrates the threat that science poses to humanity. My analysis of the novel, however, has shown that it is the isolated actions of individual men, whose over-ambition could be checked by the involvement of female characters, that causes destruction. Therefore, the overall presentation of science itself is not entirely pessimistic, as the potential is shown for a different way of interacting with science that does not lead to ruin.” The main benefit of the plan, then, is that you will stay on topic and progress through a structured argument, preventing you from making an error that many students make – writing everything they know about the theme mentioned in the question.