How do I write a 25 mark politics essay in the exam?

As 25 markers need to be written in less than half an hour in the exam, getting all of your ideas down quickly is important.Because of this, it is well worth taking 5 minutes to plan your essay. This plan does not by any means need to be neat. You just need to ensure you have covered a few key areas in your plan (which you can then scribble out once you've written the essay!). Make sure you understand what the question means. Often, questions in the exam will be a reworded version of a question you have come across before, so don't be intimidated if you don't understand it at first. Beyond this, your plan might just be notes of key ideas you want to include in the exam, which you can tick off as you write the essay.In terms of the essay's content, aim for 3-4 key points and make sure you discuss both sides of the argument. It helps to think of the essay as a discussion between two people who disagree on the topic. After you've written what person A might say, think about what person B might reply.In addition to making sure your argument is balanced and critical, you need to ensure you include relevant examples from contemporary politics to illustrate your point. Your examples might be facts you've learnt in lessons, or they could be something you heard on the news. It is always worth thinking about recent news stories if you find yourself stuck for examples, as the politics exam will aim to be contemporary and relevant to the real world of politics.