How do you structure a 12 mark question?

An easy way to break down a 12 mark essay question is to split it into four sections, and think of each as being worth 3 marks.

Paragraphs 1 & 2
The question will usually ask you to refer to the religion you have studied, so the first two paragraphs should focus on this.

Tip! Try to give the two paragraphs a different point. For example, if you have studied Christianity, you may wish to consider a Roman Catholic viewpoint in the first paragraph, and a Church of England or liberal perspective in the second.

Paragraph 3
For your third paragraph, it is usually a good idea to try and give a secular (non-religious) viewpoint in order to make sure your essay considers a wide range of perspectives.

Conclusion
For the final paragraph, you are usually required to give your own opinion. The most important thing for this is to clearly explain and back up what you are arguing. Your argument is also far more likely to be stronger if you pick a side rather than sitting on the fence.
Although writing your genuine opinion is ideal, if you can't make up your mind then it's best to simply choose the side you think you can argue for most strongly.

Overall, it is important to remember that this is an essay question, so you need to discuss both sides of the argument, and not just focus on one all the way through. You can do this within your two religion paragraphs.

For example, either:
- Give opposing views of two different denominations, or;
- Use your secular paragraph to argue against the religious standpoint.

Just try to make sure your essay is as balanced as possible, before you reach your own conclusion in your opinion paragraph.

Notes on structure:
- It is important to structure your individual paragraphs well; where possible, try and follow the PEE structure (Point, Evidence, Explain). State the point you are making, give an example to illustrate it, and explain how this example relates to the point you are making.

- Above all, do not forget to focus on the question and keep everything you write relevant. It's easy to panic in an exam and just write out everything you remember on the topic as quickly as possible, but this will not get you marks; a clear, structured answer that focuses purely on the exact question is easy for an examiner to read and gives you the best possible chance of getting full marks.