The principal problem with the typical student essay is that it does not answer the question asked.

A question such as “What was the principal cause of the English Civil War?” will be interpreted as meaning, at best, “List some possible causes of the English Civil War” or, at worst, “Write down everything you think you know about the English Civil War”. Rarely will an undergraduate actually do what the question is inviting him or her to do and address the specific inquiry set.

So how should you answer such a question? I would recommend a strategy with the helpful memorable acronym of DOPE (see right).

DOPE is particularly well suited for the arts but can be employed with equal effectiveness in the sciences. One final tip. Humour. Don’t try it. Wait until you are a newspaper columnist.

— Tim Hames taught at Oxford University, 1989-96

Define the question at the outset, exploiting any ambiguities or omissions to your advantage. In this instance, point out that there was not one civil war but at least two and probably three distinct contests between 1642 and 1651 and that the struggle did not merely involve England and the English but, pivotally, Scotland (and later Ireland)

Outline the options. Briefly note the main theories about the causes of the civil war, such as economics and the alleged rise of a new middle class, the personal conduct of Charles I as monarch and the influence of religion

Produce an argument in favour of one of these (it does not matter which, as long as the material is well marshalled), preferably citing a relevant scholar/source or two (in this case, if religion is picked, the works of Conrad Russell, such as The Fall of the British Monarchies 1637-1642, might be appropriate)

End succinctly, ideally making a point that is related to the question asked but reaches beyond it – for instance, noting that religion did not cease to be a divisive issue in English society with the death of Charles I but would continue to be so during the Cromwell period and after the Restoration of the monarchy

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