What can I do to improve my essays?

Writing essays is all about showing the full breadth of your knowledge in the most concise, and precise, manner possible. Interrogate in detail the question that has been proposed and ensure that you only include information that supports your overall argument, or else risk meandering away from the topic at hand and losing focus. One of the best ways to stay on track is to structure your essay, placing the evidence that you have in a detailed plan, allowing you to breeze through the writing process.
Of course, this is much easier when you organise your primary research and secondary reading as you go. I personally like to colour code my notes so that I can see, at a glance, direct quotes (red), my own thoughts and analysis (dark blue), and paraphrasing (black). Therefore, when it comes to writing, I have all of my research laid out for me to piece together and form an argument. As long as you can back up your analysis with evidence in a cohesive manner, you're sure to succeed.