1. Planning and Structuring Essays

2. Session Aims
Know how to break down a question Understand how to generate, organise and develop content General Tips

3. Unpicking Questions
There will always be key words in a question, and unpicking them will help you to know exactly what the examiner wants you to do. In any scenario, the very first stage is to spend some time unpicking the question and making sure that you are clear about how to move forward.

4. How does Shelley present the idea of duality in the novel?
Stage 1: unpick the question
How does Shelley present the idea of duality in the novel?
Show/ share
What are the views she’s presenting/ why?
What techniques are being used? How does she show us her views?
Content/ what I’m focusing my essay on
So, what is the author’s view of duality and how is this view shown through the language/ structures used in the novel?

5. Unpicking Questions - Top-Tip
It is always a good idea to have a go at rewording/ paraphrasing the question. This might help you to understand, in your words, what it is you are being asked to do.

6. Psychology:
Outline and evaluate one or more research studies which have investigated the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
Explain and discuss the effectiveness/ implications of any studies I know of which are about how accurate eyewitness testimony is.
History:
How successful was the Directory in restoring stability to France in the years 1795 to 1799?
Discuss the Directory’s work in restoring stability in France in and consider how effective it was.

7. Session Aims
Know how to break down a question Understand how to generate, organise and develop content General Tips

8. Generating Ideas
Here, you need to focus on the topic of the question and recall everything you have been taught about it. For example: How does Shelley present the idea of duality in the novel? – the topic is DUALITY Outline and evaluate one or more research studies which have investigated the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. – the topic is EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY

9. How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
Stage 2: generate ideas
How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
George and Lennie sticking together
Playing Solitaire
Loneliness
Migrant workers/ always on the move
Candy’s relationship with his dog
Crooks – alone
Curley’s Wife – looking for company

10. Generating Ideas - Top Tip
You don’t need to worry about structure at this stage – just get as many ideas as you can think of down on the page. You can cut ideas out later, once you’ve started to organise your content.

11. Organising Ideas
Once you’ve got as many ideas as you can think of, start to decide which ones you can combine to create a strong argument. Look back at the question again to remind yourself of what it is you are writing about. At this stage, you can delete/ cross out any surplus ideas that you’re not going to be able to write about. Then you need to consider which ideas go well together and what order they would make most sense in.

12. How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
Stage 3: organise ideas
How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
George and Lennie sticking together 2
Playing Solitaire
Loneliness
Migrant workers/ always on the move 1
Candy’s relationship with his dog 3
Crooks – alone 5
Curley’s Wife – looking for company 4

13. Organising Ideas - Top Tip
You might have ideas that you can group together or that form a natural development of each other. You might also want to consider writing about the ideas in a chronological way, so that your essay develops along with the text/ case-study/ historical event.

14. Developing Ideas
This is the part where you need to consider the ‘how’ bit of the question or the ‘evaluate’ section. This is where you need to be identifying and exploring the evidence, quotes, case-study data, sources etc. As well as being able to provide the evidence, you need to be able to comment on how it is relevant to the question and to be able to offer your own critical exploration of it.

15. How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
Stage 4: develop ideas
How is the theme of loneliness explored in the novella?
“laid a Solitaire hand” – solitaire – root word ‘solitary’ - alone
George and Lennie sticking together 2
Playing Solitaire
Loneliness
Migrant workers/ always on the move 1
Candy’s relationship with his dog 3
Crooks – alone 5
Adjective “red” – links to danger/ attention seeking
Curley’s Wife – looking for company 4

16. Developing Ideas - Top Tip
Don’t include an idea if you can’t: - explore how it is important - link it to the question - back it up with evidence - develop an interpretation

17. Introduction
Your introduction is usually a re-wording of the question. In an exam scenario, don’t waste time explaining how you will answer the question, just get straight to it:
Outline and evaluate one or more research studies which have investigated the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
The accuracy of eyewitness testimony was explored in a research study in 1995 by…
How does Shelley present the idea of duality in the novel?
The idea of duality is first introduced in Chapter 4 when Shelley…
It is also common to introduce some wider context or an overview of the topic in your opening paragraph. Only do so if it is relevant and if it is there to support your answer or to prove you have a close understanding of the significance of the topic you have been asked to write about.

18. Example
“The main purpose of Gothic fiction is to break normal moral and social codes.” Discuss. It is certainly true that many works of Gothic fiction manifest the transgression of normal moral and social codes as their major theme. Their emphasis on female sexuality, their breaking of the boundaries between life and death and their shocking displays of immoral religious characters would all suggest that this is indeed the case. However it is also important to consider other major aspects of the genre that might be considered equally important in purpose, such as its fascination with the supernatural, portrayal of artificial humanity and its satirical social attacks. This essay will explore these conflicting purposes with reference to several different Gothic texts to discover what might best be described as the ‘main’ purpose of the genre.

19. Main Body
Use a chain of paragraphs to EXPLORE and DEVELOP your argument.
You will probably have about 4/5 main topics/ ideas to discuss. Too many, and you wont have time to explore in enough detail.
Your structure needs to be logical. Imagine you are the person reading the essay – can you follow the argument?
Use a TOPIC SENTENCE at the start of each paragraph. The topic sentence is the bit that outlines what the rest of the paragraph is going to explore:
According to Freud, religion acts as a crutch for people seeking structure and fulfilment within social groups. The case-study in question, however, suggests that…

20. Conclusion
Revisit the question.
Provide an overview of the arguments you have made.
Make an independent comment/ show your own personal interpretation or (informed) view.
Link to context/ wider relevance of what you are writing about.
(American Dream/ general effects of Industrial Revolution/ significance of a historical period/ movement)

21. Session Aims
Know how to break down a question Understand how to generate, organise and develop content General Tips

22. General Tips
Use PEAL to structure each paragraph. The ‘L’ is a link back to the question or wider relevance. This will help your essay to flow and act as a sign-post for the examiner. Make sure that each point (ideas generated on mind-map) feeds into or links sensibly with the next. This WILL take some consideration and planning. Write neatly! Proof read with your finger!

23. Finally… Do not: start with, ‘In this essay I am going to…’
make assumptions. Words like ‘might’, ‘could’, ‘perhaps’, show that you are considering an interpretation and that you’re aware that there is more than one perspective
make up quotes/ facts/ dates. The examiner is an expert and will not be impressed!
tell the examiner what they already know. Tell them your opinion/ understanding of/ interpretation of/ evaluation of what they already know. They have already read the novel, case-study, history books!