This is an overview on how to construct an academic essay for any subject matter.

[edit] Steps

Examine the topic for your essay. This is easier if you are assigned a topic with a specific text. If it is an open ended essay, choose a topic you know you can find plenty of legitimate resources for research.
Write your thesis. A thesis in an academic essay is usually written at the end of the introduction. It is the statement you intend to prove with the rest of the essay. For example, you can use a certain action by a literary character as ground that he or she is insane, and expand upon it.
Write an outline. An outline is an organized list of points you wish to make in your essay, in the order they make sense and should be written. Getting your thoughts organized before hand makes writing the actual essay much quicker and easier, since you know what direction you're going in.
Write the first draft of the essay. This will not be the final product, so you should not treat it as such. Write what first comes to mind following your outline, it is okay if it doesn't meet the length requirements quite yet.
Divide your thoughts into paragraphs. Each point on your outline should be its own paragraph. A paragraph should contain a minimum of 3 sentances to stand on its own.
Write the second draft. Beef up any paragraphs that don't provide much information or argument. Additional research may help you in this process.
Use transitional phrases. A transitional phrase eases the reader from one paragraph to the next. If your outline was written well, these phrases should link the content in one paragraph to the next.
Write your final draft. Be sure this is in the correct format (see Tips). Use both the computer's spellcheck, and read it over yourself as well. If you are unsure of your spelling or grammar, have a friend, classmate or family member read it before you print the copy you plan on handing in.

[edit] Tips

Be sure to use the correct format for citing research and structuring your paper. Most teachers and professors require you to use MLA format.
Take a break! You may think of something genius to write while raiding the fridge or taking your dog for a walk.
Manage your time. Unless you are REALLY good at writing quick papers under stress, make sure to give yourself plenty of uninterrupted time to complete your assignment.
Do not mess with the font and/or margins to make your paper look longer. Most teachers and professors can tell, and some will actually deduct points for it. Just stick to the defaults.
Use proper English. 2 is not a word. It is a symbol denoting a quantity of two. This is not an email or text to your friends. It is an academic paper.
If you find yourself using the same words over and over again, use a thesaurus! If you don't own a physical one, there are plenty online. In fact, your word processing program likely has a thesaurus built in. Just ensure that you know how to use the synonym that you choose well before inserting it into your text.

[edit] Warnings

DO NOT PLAGIARIZE. Your readers expect the writing to be your own, with your ideas and your words. If you use the words or ideas of others and don't indicate where they came from, you're misleading your readers. It's dishonest--a form of cheating, and it's usually easy to see. There are various search engines and applications that allow teachers and professors to input your paper in and search to see where you got your information from. This can result in failure, withdrawal from the course, and even suspension or expulsion. If you are unsure about something you have written being your own words or idea, just cite it from your research materials. Citations will save you.