I am looking for essay writing tips that have really worked for you. Some people plan every paragraph first, while others write a rough draft and fix it later. I used to do the second, and my essays often had good ideas but no clear argument.

What helped me was writing my main argument in one sentence before starting, then checking each paragraph against it. It saved me a lot of rewriting.

What are your best essay writing tips? How do you handle introductions, referencing and editing when time is short? Advice from UK university students is especially welcome.

Thanks in advance!