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GCSE History Essay Techniques

20 mark history essay structure gcse

GCSE History essays are difficult. For many students taking GCSE History, how to structure your GCSE History essays and source responses are often the most challenging parts of the course. Learning core facts and remembering key dates for the GCSE History course are relatively straightforward. Analysing and evaluating the importance of various factors, reasons and causes are a lot more difficult and these skills take time to develop.

Below are some templates of how to structure your GCSE History essays and source based questions (N.B. the suggested timings may vary between exam boards, but the structure will remain the same).

What can you learn from source X about…..?

You need to make  two inferences , explained and supported with quotes if a written source or select details if it is a picture. Spend about 6 minutes on this 4 mark question

Describe how…..This is a describe / key features question

You need to make at least two statements that are well supported by own knowledge and presented in separate paragraphs. Say “Firstly….” then “Secondly…” Spend about 8 minutes on this 6 mark question

“Explain the effects of…” This is a consequence question

You need to clearly explain two or more consequences that are set out in separate paragraphs and are supported by well selected and relevant own knowledge. Show links between the consequences for full marks and assess the extent of change. How much of an impact did it have? Spend about 12 minutes on this 8 mark question

“How did X change between….” This is a change or development question.

You need to explain  two or more changes  that developed something or affected something, showing how one led to the other for full marks. You need to support your answer by bringing in your own knowledge and that you put each change in a separate paragraph. It is crucial that in your answer you refer to what the situation was like  before  to make it clear to the examiner that you understand what changed. Spend about 12 minutes on this 8 mark question

For further details about GCSE preparation, GCSE History essays, GCSE mock exams, GCSE Revision Booster courses or private tuition bespoke to your requirements, please contact us .

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GCSE History: How to Write a Strong Essay

Mastering essay writing and writing the best gcse history essay you can..

Writing a strong essay is an important skill for success in GCSE History. The ability to analyze and evaluate historical events, sources, and interpretations is essential to achieving good grades in this subject. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips and strategies for writing a strong essay in GCSE History, which will help you to demonstrate your understanding of the subject and achieve good grades.

Tip 1: Understand the Question

The first step in writing a strong essay is to fully understand the question. This means reading the question carefully and making sure that you understand what is being asked of you. Try to identify key words and phrases that will help guide your research and writing. This will ensure that your essay is focused and relevant to the question.

Tip 2: Research Thoroughly

Research is an essential part of writing a strong essay in GCSE History. Make sure to gather a wide range of sources, including primary and secondary sources, and evaluate them critically. It is important to consider different perspectives and interpretations of the historical event or topic you are writing about. This will help you to develop a well-informed and nuanced argument.

Tip 3: Plan Your Essay

Once you have completed your research, it's important to plan your essay. This includes outlining the main points you want to make, the evidence you will use to support them, and the structure of your essay. Having a plan will help you to stay focused and organized when writing your essay. It will also ensure that your essay has a clear and logical structure.

Tip 4: Use a Clear and Persuasive Argument

A strong essay in GCSE History should have a clear and persuasive argument. This means presenting a thesis statement and using evidence to support it. Make sure to use specific examples and evidence from your research to back up your argument. This will demonstrate your understanding of the subject and will make your essay more convincing.

Tip 5: Use Historical Terms and Concepts Correctly

GCSE History is a subject that requires a good understanding of historical terms and concepts. Make sure to use them correctly and in the right context. This will demonstrate your understanding of the subject and will make your essay more persuasive. It will also ensure that your essay is clear and easy to understand.

Tip 6: Proofread and Edit Your Work

Finally, it's important to proofread and edit your essay before submitting it. This means checking for spelling and grammar errors, making sure that your argument is clear and well-supported, and that you have cited your sources correctly. Proofreading and editing your essay will ensure that it is well-written and error-free.

Conclusion:

Writing a strong essay in GCSE History requires a good understanding of the question, thorough research, a clear and persuasive argument, the correct use of historical terms and concepts, and a careful proofreading and editing process. By following these six tips, you will be able to write a strong essay that demonstrates your understanding of the subject and will help you to achieve good grades in GCSE History. As the famous historian and writer, Barbara Tuchman, said, "Writing is thinking. To write well is to think clearly. That's why it's so hard." Keep practicing and keep improving!

How to write the best essay you can for GCSE History

It can be difficult to find tips on writing the best essay for gcse history; that's where ucademy comes in. ucademy is an educational community which lets you learn effectively using the leading evidence based techniques. you simply login to your ucademy course, and then you can follow the in-depth session(s) on the best ways to study and prepare for gcse and beyond.

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A Guide to Standard Grade History: Essay Writing

Authors Avatar

A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Essays in

Standard Grade History*

A Brief Guide

The Essays: Information

The essays at Standard Grade are worth eight marks. You may hear them being referred to as “8 Markers” or “8 Mark essays”. They contribute to your Knowledge and Understanding mark, and they will be in one of the three different contexts in the paper. You will be given a choice of two different questions.

What will the question be?

It is almost impossible to tell. I managed to predict the correct context AND question, but only out of sheer luck. They are designed to push you, and make sure that you know the course inside out. If you ever progress to Higher, you will find this is mostly the case as well.

How are the marks awarded?

Well, like so:

  • One mark for a reasonable introduction (1)
  • A mark for each coherent point. (Ie, not just any old drivel) (6)
  • One mark for a balanced conclusion. (1)

In order to achieve the full eight marks, you must meet the criteria above.

What do I do if I can’t answer the question?

Write down as much as you can that springs to mind. If you can make a decent introduction, you’ve already got a mark. Quite frankly, it would be rare if you didn’t know ANYTHING about the questions. Remember, this isn’t a test of your english skills, it’s a test of how much of the standard grade history course you know and can apply.

The essays have a really simple structure. It merely consists of an introduction, six essay points and then the conclusion. But, here we will go through step-by-step of the essay structure, to ensure that you know what to do.

Let’s assume that we are answering the 2008 essay question for this guide: “ (ii) Explain the impact upon people’s lives of immigration into Scotland”

Introduction

In the introduction, you always have to include the following:

  • A very stubble reference to the question, which means basically including the question. Briefly summarise what you are going to answer.
  • Background information on the topic at hand. You don’t need to write a whole story of “how it was before then”, just a brief summary.

Join now!

So, here is a introduction that I have written up that would be deemed as appropriate for the essay:

Life in Scotland was very different before masses of people started immigrating to Scotland. There was a lack of culture variety but, much more jobs were free and available for Scots . There were both positive and negative impacts that this had on the Scottish people, and the immigrants themselves.

This is a preview of the whole essay

Short, simple and varied. If you have the ability to balance out your essay with both positive and negative aspects about the subject at hand (given that it’s in the right context), then you will surely get full marks.

Essay Points

This is probably the hardest bit of the essay, but you’ll surprised how simple it actually is. This is where you have to recall your own knowledge, put it into essay form and more importantly, answer the question.

I’ve found that the following little formula helps:

For each point (paragraph) in your essay, I suggest you write in the following format:

  • (Joining word) These are good for liking up your essay. Things like: Firstly, secondly, moreover, furthermore, on the other hand, also, but, to further this point, in conclusion, lastly…these make your essay seem a lot more professional.
  • Point . When you start your paragraph, basically just say what happened/what formed/who done whatever. No waffle needed. Also, you must referrer to the question at some point in the essay!
  • Back-up/Evaluation . Why did that (your point) change peoples lives? Did it lead on to something else? How effective was it? Do you have any evidence? It’s not really enough to just tell a story of what happened, it’s much better to back up your point with some evidence or evaluation (or both!).

Note: If you are trying to have a varied essay, even out the points. If it’s a case of positive or negative, have three positive points and three negative points.

Here is the next six points of the essay written out with this formula.

Firstly , immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on Scots because when the Irish immigrated into Scotland, they helped with the development of the railway lines and canals. This proved to be an positive impact on peoples  lives in Scotland because it enabled transport for leisure and importing goods much more accessible, therefore helping the country as a whole.

Secondly, immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on Scots because Italians who immigrated managed to introduce a different variety of exotic and healthy foods into the typical Scottish diet . This proved to be an positive impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it improved the awful diet that the Scottish people had, which in turn, improved their health as a whole.

Furthermore , immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on the Scottish people because many experienced nurses and doctors immigrated to Scotland to help improve the health of the Scottish people.   This proved to be an positive impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it obviously helped make Scots much more healthier, and be able to have a more healthy life style.  

But on the other hand , immigration into Scotland had a negative impact on the Scottish people because hostility grew between both the Protestant and Catholic churches and the Jewish church . This proved to have an negative impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it led to many fights and disputes, therefore creating a cultural void in Scotland.

Moreover, immigration into Scotland had a negative impact on the immigrants because they were deemed responsible for taking up a lot of jobs, therefore leading to unemployment for Scots. This proved to have a negative impact on Scotland peoples lives in because it caused dispute between the groups, which still go on today.

Lastly , immigration into Scotland had a negative impact on the immigrants because sometimes they were unwelcome and Scots would harass them all the time. This proved to have a negative impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it gave an impression that Scotland was an unfriendly nation, which put off a lot of people from immigrating to Scotland.

As you can see, you don’t need to make it over complicated. But, here are some general tips for writing the essay points:

  • Try to make it sound professional. The people who will be marking your paper will be more than likely quite good at english. If you can include good sentence structure, grammar and punctuation, then you’ll be fine.
  • DO NOT WAFFLE. This gives an impression that you don’t know what you are writing about.
  • Never speak in first person. You only do this in the conclusion.
  • Remember to write the correct question number in the margin.
  • Remember to count how many points you have done, sometimes people forget this and end up doing eight by mistake, when you only need six.

So, you’ve finally got the worst part over with and your at the conclusion. This is a nice way to give your essay that good finishing touch. But, the key to a successful conclusion is to have:

  • A balancing summary.
  • A point from your essay that you think that contributes most to the factor being written about, and why you think it contributes the most.

Here is a sample conclusion.

In conclusion, I think that immigration had an negative impact on peoples lives in Scotland. Whilst some of the negatives stand out from the rest, the most negative impact would have to be the fact that immigrants were being deemed for taking up Scots’ jobs, therefore creating a cultural void that still exists today.

  • Write out as many practice essays as you can.
  • Memorize 6 things about each topic, and more.
  • Look over other essays and improve your technique, you will be amazed on how much you can pick up on.
  • In the exam, read the question carefully and pick the right question AND WRITE THE NUMBER IN THE MARGIN . If you don’t, you might not get any marks for your essay.
  • Reading never does any good! Make spider diagrams, write out the points or even read them out to yourself when revising and will definitely remember them.
  • Good luck, and remember to ask your teacher if you are struggling!

(Essay in full, answer to 2008 question “ Explain the impact upon people’s lives of immigration to Scotland ”)

Life in Scotland was very different before masses of people started immigrating to Scotland. There was a lack of culture variety but, much more jobs were free and available for Scots. There were both positive and negative impacts that this had on the Scottish people, and the immigrants themselves.

Firstly, immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on Scots because when the Irish immigrated into Scotland, they helped with the development of the railway lines and canals. This proved to be an positive impact on peoples  lives in Scotland because it enabled transport for leisure and importing goods much more accessible, therefore helping the country as a whole.

Secondly, immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on Scots because Italians who immigrated managed to introduce a different variety of exotic and healthy foods into the typical Scottish diet. This proved to be an positive impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it improved the awful diet that the Scottish people had, which in turn, improved their health as a whole.

Furthermore, immigration into Scotland had a positive impact on the Scottish people because many experienced nurses and doctors immigrated to Scotland to help improve the health of the Scottish people. This proved to be an positive impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it obviously helped make Scots much more healthier, and be able to have a more healthy life style.  

But on the other hand, immigration into Scotland had a negative impact on the Scottish people because hostility grew between both the Protestant and Catholic churches and the Jewish church. This proved to have an negative impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it led to many fights and disputes, therefore creating a cultural void in Scotland.

Lastly, immigration into Scotland had a negative impact on the immigrants because sometimes they were unwelcome and Scots would harass them all the time. This proved to have a negative impact on peoples lives in Scotland because it gave an impression that Scotland was an unfriendly nation, which put off a lot of people from immigrating to Scotland.

A Guide to Standard Grade History: Essay Writing

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Structuring the Essay ( AQA GCSE English Literature )

Revision note.

Nick

Answering just one essay question can seem daunting. However, examiners just want to see your ideas and opinions on the modern text you have studied. The guide below will enable you to best express these ideas and opinions in a way that will gain the highest marks. It includes guides on:

Answering the question

Planning your essay, writing your essay.

As Paper 2 requires you to answer three questions in 2hr 15min, you have 45 minutes to plan, write and check your modern text essay. A good rule of thumb is to spend:

  • 3 minutes analysing the question
  • 7-10 minutes planning
  • 26-32 minutes writing

It is always a good idea to use the rest of your time to review what you’ve written and to make any adjustments.

Students usually think that spending more time on the writing will gain more marks, but this isn't true: more essay doesn’t mean more marks! Examiners prefer shorter, well planned responses that have a clear argument throughout. Indeed, long essays that are unstructured and sprawling can in fact lose marks for being unfocused. Therefore, it is vital to always set aside time to write a plan.

Regardless of which modern text you study, the type of question you’ll need to write an essay for will be the same. You will be asked a question that asks you to analyse and write in detail about an aspect of the text. Your answer will need to address the text as a whole.

Completing the steps below will ensure you answer the question in the way that examiners are looking for.

6 key steps to answer the modern text exam question effectively:

1. The very first thing you should do once you open your exam paper is to look at the question:

  • This sounds obvious, but it’s really crucial to read through the question a few times 
  • Why is this important? Regardless of what subject you’re being examined in, the single-biggest mistake most students make in their exams is not reading the question through carefully enough that they answer the question they think they’re being asked, rather than the question they’ve actually been asked 
  • It’s especially important to get this right in your GCSE English Literature exams because you only have five essay questions to answer across two papers, so if you misread a question, you’re potentially costing yourself a large number of marks     

2 . Identify the keywords of the question:

modern-texts-master-1

  • The key words are the focus of the question: the specific themes, ideas or characters the examiners want you to focus on
  • For the above question, the key words of the question are “how Russell presents the importance of friendship”
  • This is the theme the examiners want you to explore in your essay
  • Do not be tempted to write a question on a related theme, even if you have revised more for it: this will affect your overall mark badly, as you won’t be directly answering the question! 
  • In the example above, the theme is about friendship, so make sure you plan and write an essay about friendship , rather than, for example, the role of family in the text:
  • Although this could be viewed as a related theme, your answer won’t be focused on the question and will lose you marks

3. Critically evaluate the idea or theme of the question in terms of the text as a whole

  • Think: what is this question asking, and what is it not asking?
  • It is asking you to explore ideas about friendship – a special relationship or bond that exists between people
  • The question is not asking you to explore any other themes
  • Again, writing about related ideas will actually lose you marks as you aren’t answering the exact question you have been set. The examiner isn’t going to reward you extra marks for information that is factually correct or demonstrates a great understanding of the text if the information is not relevant to the question being asked

Planning your essay is absolutely vital to achieve the highest marks. Examiners always stress that the best responses are those that have a logical, well-structured argument that comes with spending time planning an answer. This, in turn, will enable you to achieve the highest marks for each assessment objective. The main assessment objectives are:

It is important to remember how marks are distributed for each assessment objective: there are 12 marks for AO1, 12 marks for AO2 and 6 marks for AO3. The mark scheme places assessment objectives AO1 and AO2 as the key skills, therefore while AO3 must be addressed in your response, your essay should focus predominantly on AO1 and AO2.

  • Your plan should include all aspects of your response, covering all of the assessment objectives, but mainly focusing on AO1 and AO2:
  • Your overall argument, or thesis (AO1)
  • Your topic sentences for all your paragraphs (AO1)
  • The quotations you will be using and analysing from elsewhere in the text (AO1 & AO2)
  • A sense of why the writer has made the choices they have (AO2)
  • A sense of what contextual factors give further insight into the ideas and theme presented in the question (AO3)
  • Therefore, a plan may look like the following:

Russell presents the importance of friendship through several characters in Blood Brothers, especially Mickey and Edward whose friendship is central to the play. Russell chooses to contrast the power and beauty of their childhood friendship with its final collapse in adulthood, which results in their tragic ending. Their friendship highlights one of Russell’s key messages concerning social class, inequality and poverty which can have devastating consequences on people’s lives.

Russell initially depicts Mickey and Edward's friendship as strong despite their disparate social backgrounds, which underscores his message that natural human bonds and relationships are more important than societal norms and expectations.

“If you loved me you'd let me go out with Mickey”

Russell illustrates how Edward and Mickey are inextricably linked and their refusal to be separated is evident, for example, through Edward as he disobeys his mother’s instructions about associating with working-class friends like Mickey

Russell uses dramatic irony in his presentation of Mickey and Edward’s friendship as ‘blood brothers’, which enables the audience to be fully aware of their fate, which further adds to the tragic element of the play as the two boys do not fully understand the significance of their new brotherhood.

“Ey, we were born on the same day…that means we can be blood brothers”

Russell uses the omniscient Narrator at the beginning of the play to remind the audience of the impending fate of Mickey and Edward, which enables the audience to feel greater sympathy for them as they watch them spiral toward their tragic end

Russell demonstrates how friendships grow and evolve over time, however, the growing tensions between Mickey and Edward cause them to disastrously part ways, which reveals how external influences, such as class and poverty, can negatively affect the natural bonds of friendship.

“Well, how come you got everything…an’ I got nothin’?”

Russell depicts Mickey’s tragic decline into violence and depression and contrasts this with Edward’s prosperity and success, ending the play with the final collapse of their once close friendship

The play’s structure conveys the change in friendships; the irony of ‘blood brothers’; the contrast between other friendships in the play

influence of social class on friendships; ideas about appropriate behaviour amongst classes and sexes; social background to the characters’ lives; the influence of parents on friendships

Some other tips:

  • You do not need to include a counter-argument (disagreeing with the question/including paragraphs which begin “On the other hand”)
  • The questions have been designed to enable as many students as possible to write essays 
  • Examiners say that the inclusion of a counter-argument is often unnecessary and unhelpful
  • It can affect your AO1 mark negatively

Given the time pressure of the exam, there is always a temptation for students to do without a plan, especially if they feel they understand the focus of the question well. However, this is a mistake. 

The exam board states: “Where students have written a plan, there is often a sense of a coherent and organised response, for which references and quotations have been selected to support the student’s argument.”

What this means is that writing a plan not only enables you to achieve the highest AO1 marks (for organisation of argument) but also helps you select the most precise quotations and references, which will lead to more relevant analysis of writer’s methods (AO2).

Once you have read and evaluated the question and created a clear plan, you are ready to begin writing. Below is a guide detailing what to include.

Your essay should include:

  • An introduction with a thesis statement
  • A number of paragraphs (three is ideal!), each covering a separate point. It’s a great idea to start each paragraph with a topic sentence
  • A conclusion

Introduction

  • Your introduction should aim to clearly, and briefly, answer the question
  • The best way to do this is to include a thesis statement
  • A thesis statement is a short statement (one or two sentences) that summarises the main point or claim your argument is making
  • You should include the exact words from the question in your thesis statement
  • Examiners want to see your own opinion : your interpretation of what the writer is trying to show
  • Your thesis statement should also attempt to explain why you think the writer has presented their characters in the way that they have: what are they trying to say overall? What is their message?
  • A good way to think about this is to ask: what is the writer’s one big idea in terms of the characters or themes addressed in the question?
  • Include contextual ideas and perspectives to help explain the writer’s intentions
  • Including the writer’s message or one big idea helps create a “conceptualised response”, which examiners reward with the highest marks
  • An example of a thesis statement:

modern-texts-master-2

Thesis statement:

“Russell presents the importance of friendship through several characters in Blood Brothers, especially Mickey and Edward whose friendship is central to the play. Russell chooses to contrast the power and beauty of their childhood friendship with its final collapse in adulthood, which results in their tragic ending. Their friendship highlights one of Russell’s key messages concerning social class, inequality and poverty which can have devastating consequences on people’s lives.”

  • Introductions should not be too long, or include all the details of what each paragraph will include
  • You will not be rewarded for including the same information twice, so don’t waste time repeating yourself
  • Write your thesis in the third person, not the first person (don’t use “I”)
  • “I believe that Russell presents ideas about the importance of friendship …. ❌
  • “ Russell presents the importance of friendship through several characters … in order to illustrate …” ✅
  • Try to include three separate paragraphs that cover three separate points
  • This will ensure your response is to what examiners call the “full task”
  • Start each paragraph with a topic sentence
  • A topic sentence is an opening sentence which details the focus of its paragraph
  • It should include the words of the question
  • All topic sentences must relate to your thesis
  • They should be seen as sub-points that provide a more specific and narrower focus than your thesis statement
  • Everything that follows a topic sentence in a paragraph must support the point it makes

Example of a topic sentence:

“Russell initially depicts Mickey and Edward's friendship as strong despite their disparate social backgrounds, which underscores his message that natural human bonds and relationships are more important than societal norms and expectations.”

  • Beware of writing an overly structured paragraph which follows a set pattern
  • You may have learned PEE, PEAL, PEED, or other structures for your paragraphs
  • However, examiners often say that although these are excellent for learning what to include in essays, they can be limiting in an exam
  • Instead, be led by the ideas in the text, and prove your own argument (both the overall thesis and your topic sentences)
  • It is always a good idea to include a conclusion to your essay so that your essay reads as coherent and focused on answering the question throughout
  • This can result in improved marks for AO1
  • However, there is no need to spend a long time writing your conclusion
  • A conclusion for a modern text should only summarise the proof you have provided for your thesis
  • It only needs to be two or three sentences long
  • It should include the words of the question and your thesis
  • Remember, you do not get rewarded for including the same information twice

An example of a conclusion:

“To conclude, Russell presents friendship as a fundamental aspect of people’s lives and he demonstrates how these special relationships can be impacted by social inequality and injustice. Through Mickey and Edward, Russell argues that even the closest friendships - and by extension, all bonds between different groups in society - are tested, and potentially broken, by these inequalities.”

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Author: Nick

Nick is a graduate of the University of Cambridge and King’s College London. He started his career in journalism and publishing, working as an editor on a political magazine and a number of books, before training as an English teacher. After nearly 10 years working in London schools, where he held leadership positions in English departments and within a Sixth Form, he moved on to become an examiner and education consultant. With more than a decade of experience as a tutor, Nick specialises in English, but has also taught Politics, Classical Civilisation and Religious Studies.

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How much should you write for a 20 mark history essay (ocr)

I’m planning on writing 4 paragraphs + intro & conclusion.

How much are you meant to write for each point since my paragraphs are looking weirdly short…

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COMMENTS

  1. How should I structure a 20 mark essay?

    How should I structure a 20 mark essay? You should start with an introduction. The main aim of the introduction is to put the essay question into context, so that the examiner knows you are aware of the time period. However, even at this stage you should be presenting your line of argument- using words from the question can help you do this.

  2. How should I structure my GCSE History essay?

    When it comes to a GCSE History exam essay, it is important to have a clear structure to your argument. Do not simply write down everything you know about a specific topic, for example, if the question was 'Explain why the Battle of the Somme represented a military failure for the British', it is important you do not simply describe the battle ...

  3. GCSE History Essay Techniques

    MyTutorClub. January 20, 2015, 1:21 pm. GCSE History essays are difficult. For many students taking GCSE History, how to structure your GCSE History essays and source responses are often the most challenging parts of the course. Learning core facts and remembering key dates for the GCSE History course are relatively straightforward.

  4. How should I structure a history essay?

    How should I structure a history essay? GCSE history essays follow a general fromula so once you get the hand of it you should be able to write any essay. A short and precise introduction is necessary, the introduction should include both sides of the arguement and then your judgement (basically which side you are going to argue for).

  5. PDF How to Answer GCSE History Questions

    Q5 Explain why...? Based on 100 years. 12 The mark scheme for 12 mark explain questions is the same on all papers. Given 2 stimulus points. A level 4 answer = 'wide-ranging knowledge' = 3 PEEL paragraphs.

  6. GCSE History: How to Write a Strong Essay

    Tip 2: Research Thoroughly. Research is an essential part of writing a strong essay in GCSE History. Make sure to gather a wide range of sources, including primary and secondary sources, and evaluate them critically. It is important to consider different perspectives and interpretations of the historical event or topic you are writing about.

  7. AQA

    This will be an essay question requiring a judgement. It is an extended response which will give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is coherent, relevant, substantiated and logically structured.

  8. A Guide to Standard Grade History: Essay Writing

    A Brief Guide. The Essays: Information. The essays at Standard Grade are worth eight marks. You may hear them being referred to as "8 Markers" or "8 Mark essays". They contribute to your Knowledge and Understanding mark, and they will be in one of the three different contexts in the paper. You will be given a choice of two different ...

  9. GCSE History Revision Resources

    GCSE History Our extensive collection of resources is the perfect tool for students aiming to ace their exams and for teachers seeking reliable resources to support their students' learning journey. Here, you'll find an array of revision notes, topic questions, fully explained model answers, past exam papers and more, meticulously organised to simplify your search.

  10. AQA

    Answers and commentary: Paper 1 Section A Option A America, 1840-1895: Expansion and consolidation - Sample set 1. Published 20 Sep 2023 | PDF | 291 KB. Answers and commentary: Paper 1 Section A Option D America, 1920-1973: Opportunity and inequality - Sample set 1. Published 20 Sep 2023 | PDF | 277 KB.

  11. how do i structure a 20 marker for history (16 marks 4 spag )

    9. In my GCSE's I got a 9 in History, and I loved the structure our teachers taught us. In this style of question, we were taught to think of 3 really good points that you could talk about and easily write a paragraph on each point. In each paragraph, we would write an argument for and against our point in one paragraph.

  12. How do I get top marks in my GCSE History essay?

    A first step is to writing a good GCSE History essay is to read the question very carefully. However sophisticated your argument may be, if it does not answer the question it will not give you top marks. Consistency and focus are key requirements here.You also need to consider the different skills you need to demonstrate to the examiner. GCSE ...

  13. AQA GCSE History Types of Questions and how to answer them copy

    Study with Quizlet and memorise flashcards containing terms like How does Interpretation A differ from Interpretation B about...? Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B (4 marks), Why might the authors of Interpretations A and B have different interpretations about...? Explain your answer using Interpretations A and B and your own contextual knowledge. (4 marks), Which ...

  14. Structuring the Essay

    Revision notes on Structuring the Essay for the AQA GCSE English Literature syllabus, written by the English Literature experts at Save My Exams.

  15. Structuring the Essay

    Learn how to structure your essay for the AQA GCSE English Literature exam with our expert revision notes and examples.

  16. How much should you write for a 20 mark history essay (ocr)

    Bog standard 20 mark question structure for GCSE (probably somewhat applicable to A-level) was: (Explain key terms ) I agree with this statement because: X 2. I disagree with this statement because: X 2. Conclusion: X 1. I'm planning on writing 4 paragraphs + intro & conclusion.