Let the question determine the structure
A structure should help the reader follow the investigation. Before choosing headings, identify the main decisions or competing explanations the essay needs to examine.
Confirm the required format and length with the supervisor. An essay-based project and a project built around another product may have different written requirements.
Introduction and research context
Explain the question, its boundaries and why it is worth investigating. Define terms that materially affect the answer and indicate the approach to the evidence.
Avoid using the introduction as a long history of the topic. Include the context the reader needs to understand the investigation.
Develop the argument through evidence
Group the main sections around analytical purposes: testing an explanation, comparing approaches or evaluating a claim. Within each, show what the evidence supports and where it is limited.
A literature summary tells the reader what others have said. Your analysis explains how those positions relate to the question and to one another.
Conclusion, references and bibliography
Answer the research question to the extent your evidence permits. Explain the most important limitations and avoid introducing new unsupported claims.
Use the referencing system agreed with your school consistently. A bibliography identifies the sources; in-text references or footnotes show where specific material came from. Keep those records during research so you can check them accurately.
Check your school’s current specification and supervisor guidance. AQA’s qualification overview illustrates one awarding body’s requirements; formats and criteria can differ.