From my experience, essay questions take some creativity. However you should keep the answers systematic and clear. I just found some steps for answering such questions from Monash University’s site which might be of use for you. You can also use these for short-answer questions.
- Handling the question. Find any points, assumptions (if any), and clues in the questions.
- Planning. Plan your answers before you write, remember to answer all things asked.
- Paragraph structure. Answer in right sequences and clear sentences.
- Pay attention to language and sentence structure.
- Logical connectives. Check your words, especially when you use signposting words/phrases, repetition, ideas, reworded, and redirected.
Check the tips here.