Study the essays that have already won
Stuck on an idea, or unsure how to approach the topic? The fastest way to understand the standard is to read essays that have already succeeded — and work out exactly what makes them work.
What a winning essay teaches you
Structure
How a top essay is built — and how it sustains one argument to the end.
Argument
How a clear thesis is developed with evidence rather than assertion.
Approach
Different ways strong writers open up the same demanding question.
Topic choice
How winners pick a question they can genuinely say something new about.
2023 winners, by discipline
A sample of award-winning titles. The full essays are published on the official site — read them, then read them again as a writer.
Build the argument, then the research
The hardest parts of a John Locke essay are framing the question and researching it well. We share practical tools and reading lists to help you search the literature, organise sources and structure a stronger argument.
How our coaching uses them →What winning essays have in common
A sharp thesis
They commit early to one clear claim and never lose sight of it.
Depth over breadth
They say a great deal about a little, rather than a little about a great deal.
Honest with objections
They take the strongest counter-argument seriously — and answer it.
A distinct voice
They read like a person thinking, not a textbook summarising.
How to study a winning essay
- 01Find the thesis
Underline the single sentence that states the claim. Notice how early it appears.
- 02Map the moves
Mark how each paragraph advances the argument and how the transitions carry you.
- 03Watch the counter-argument
See where the writer raises an objection — and how they handle it without hedging.