Intermediate Year Structure Quiz

1. Good structure… (select all that apply)

is crucial to developing a strong argument

helps your analysis come across with more nuance

means you can incorporate literature confidently

is a key part of any assessment (not just essays)

2. Good structure is not… (select all that apply)

an afterthought

a simple formula

clunky and jarring sentences

always linking back to the question at the end of each paragraph

3. Key parts of an argument are… (select all that apply)

a clear introduction that introduces key ideas, themes, or questions

an introduction that immediately introduces key terms and then gets on with it right away

a body which has bullet pointed ideas or lots of subheadings

a body where ideas flow logically and naturally, developing as the essay progresses

a conclusion which sums up the argument, points to the wider importance of your argument, and leaves the reader with a final important message

a conclusion which lists all your paragraphs again to make your point clear

4. Good structure links to a strong argument because… (select all that apply)

it lets you use PEEL paragraphs

it lets your argument develop over the course of the essay

it gives your analysis space to be properly deployed with room to breathe

it makes your complicated argument really obvious and basic

5. Structuring properly also helps you work in primary sources by…

integrating your analysis to drive your main argument and give it room to breathe/be developed with nuance

letting you list them so the reader knows how many you have included

giving you the chance to lump them all together so it’s clear where the source analysis is happening

making it nice and ordered when using quotes from sources

6. Well structured sentences are also a key part of good structure. This naturally varies based on writing style and your own original voice, but well structured sentences are generally…

clear and concise without compromising sophistication of argument or analytical nuance

short and sweet: lots of brief sentences are snappy and keep the reader interested and your analysis tight

quite long with multiple clauses so your loquacious tone can really shine or so your analysis is really developed and wordy

not the main thing to think about: sentences will be what they will be as long as their meaning is obvious

7. One way to think of structure is like an hourglass with a broad top and bottom (the introduction and conclusion) then a narrow middle (the body). Why might this help?

a narrow body means you can make lots of specific points to show off that you know the topic well

a big introduction lets you talk lots about how other historians have written about this

a wide conclusion leaves things interesting and mysterious, making the reader engaged

an introduction and conclusion that are broad help place your specific intervention in the topic within wider debates and make your argument interesting even if the reader has less interest in your specific points

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Department of History

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