Criterion A: Essay Framework

At a glance

By the time you submit your essay, you should be able to say “yes” to all three:

• My research question is clear, focused and consistently written.

• My research methods are suitable for my subject and my question.

• My essay has a logical structure that helps the reader follow my argument.

If any one of these is weak or missing, you will lose marks in Criterion A, even if the rest of the essay is strong.

Research question

Your research question is the starting point for Criterion A.

What examiners look for

• A question that is focused, not vague or very broad.

• A question that can realistically be answered in up to 4,000 words.

• A question that fits your subject or interdisciplinary pathway.

• A question that leads to analysis and argument, not simple description.

• The same wording of the question on the title page, in the introduction, and in the conclusion.

Check your research question!

Ask yourself:

• Can I explain this question in one or two clear sentences to someone else?

• If I only describe, list or narrate, would that answer the question, or do I need to argue and evaluate?

• Would a specialist in this subject agree that the question belongs in this discipline?

If the answer to any of these is “no”, you probably need to refine the question.

Research methods

Criterion A also looks at whether your way of investigating the question makes sense.

What examiners look for

• Methods that are appropriate for the subject and the question.

• A clear explanation of what you did, how you did it, and why you chose that approach.

• A realistic plan using resources and data you can actually access.

• Awareness of limitations and possible bias in your methods.

Examples:

• In sciences, this might involve carefully planned experiments, with control of variables and repeated trials.

• In history, it might involve source analysis of primary and secondary documents.

• In languages and humanities, it might involve close reading, comparative analysis or textual commentary.

• In an interdisciplinary essay, you should explain how methods from both subjects work together to answer the question.

Ask yourself:

• Have I chosen methods that a teacher of this subject would recognise as academically valid? 

• Have I briefly explained my methods in the essay itself, not just in my notes?

Structure

Finally, Criterion A considers whether your essay is organised in a way that makes sense.

What examiners look for

• A purposeful introduction that sets the context, explains the focus, and introduces the research question.

• A main body organised into clear sections that develop your line of argument step by step.

• Smooth signposting so the reader always knows why each section is there.

• A conclusion that answers the research question and follows from your analysis, without introducing new evidence.

Although formal presentation is no longer a separate criterion, a confused structure will still reduce your mark in Criterion A.

Ask yourself:

• If I write my section headings as a list, do they show a clear journey from question to answer?

• Could someone who has not studied this topic follow my argument without getting lost?