How to plan for an analytical essay.

Planning. Teachers love this word. But many teachers just expect students to be able to plan and don’t bother teaching this as a vital skill which can help in all subject areas.

One of the most common things I hear from my students is ‘I don’t like planning, so I never plan’. It may feel like a chore and seem to be a waste of valuable exam time when you are under so much pressure, but believe me, it works!!! Once you figure out your individual planning style, you will be able to write amazing essays easily.

Planning is totally unique to you. It doesn’t have to be neat and won’t be marked by the examiner. However, an examiner may look over your planning if you don’t finish your essay, so it’s a good way to show them what you HAD planned to write.

Here are my top tips for planning success:

  • Highlight the keywords in the question.

  • Make sure you have a clear line of argument (thesis statement).

  • Underline the quotations that you will use to support your points. (Don’t waste time writing them out.)

  • Experiment with different ways of planning, e.g., brainstorm, bullet point, lists, random words, colours-whatever works for you! Remember, planning is personal and specific to you.

  • Aim to spend around 15% of your time planning in an exam. For example, for a one-hour exam, ten mins should be allowed at the beginning for planning.

  • Make notes of any key words that you want to include.

  • Stick to your plan! Don’t ignore your ideas once you have planned, otherwise you have wasted your time. Tick them off as you write your response to ensure you haven’t missed anything.

I hope this helps you to change your mindset towards planning. Please get in touch if you’d like more help in this area.


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The transition to secondary school.