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Coursework Training
Handbook
Cambridge IGCSE®
History
0470
Cambridge Secondary 2
Cambridge International Examinations retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered Centres
are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give
permission to Centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal
use within a Centre.
® IGCSE is the registered trademark of Cambridge International Examinations.
© Cambridge International Examinations 2013
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 1
Advice and guidance
Accreditation
Contents of the handbook
Section 1: The coursework component ............................................................................... 5
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
The structure and content of coursework
The nature of the assessment objectives
Constructing coursework tasks
Circumstances under which learners complete coursework and the role of the teacher
Support provided for teachers by Cambridge
Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school............................................. 15
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
When to do coursework?
Choosing a topic area
Designing a scheme of work
Teaching and learning for coursework
Section 3: Marking coursework ......................................................................................... 19
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Some basic points
Main features of the mark scheme
Using the mark scheme
Annotation of coursework
Internal standardisation
Internal moderation
Section 4: Managing the administration of coursework ..................................................... 21
4.1 Recording and despatching of marks
4.2 The sample of work for external moderation
Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor ....................................... 23
5.1 Marked sample
5.2 Accreditation sample A
5.3 Accreditation sample B
Appendices ...................................................................................................................... 39
Appendix 1: The generic mark scheme
Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
Appendix 3: The Individual Candidate Record Card
Appendix 4: The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Introduction
Introduction
Advice and guidance
This handbook is a guide to the delivery of Component 3 (Coursework) of (0470) Cambridge IGCSE®
History. It contains the following:
•
details of the coursework requirements
•
an explanation of the assessment objectives
•
advice on setting coursework assignments
•
examples of coursework schemes used by schools
•
advice on marking coursework
•
a marked example of learners’ work
•
unmarked examples of learners’ work to be used for accreditation purposes.
Accreditation
In addition to the general guidance, this handbook also provides an accreditation route for teachers wishing
to mark (0470) Cambridge IGCSE History. If you are seeking accreditation through the completion of
this training handbook, it is important that you read through the whole publication before attempting the
accreditation tasks.
To obtain accreditation the following tasks must be completed and any marks, comments or required
responses recorded on copies of the forms provided in Section 5. These must then be sent to Cambridge
for appraisal, together with copies of your annotated coursework samples and the Cover Sheet provided.
(You will find the postal address on the Cover Sheet). Scanned forms and samples can also be emailed to
info@cie.org.uk with ‘IGCSE Teacher Accreditation’ in the subject line.
The accreditation test comprises the following tasks:
•
set three coursework titles. For each title provide a brief explanation of how it gives candidates both the
scope and opportunity to measure significance.
•
mark two coursework answers (Answers A and B). Please give each answer a level and a mark. Provide
brief summative comments explaining why the answer has been placed into a particular level. Also
provide marginal comments throughout the answer commenting on how the answer is developing.
Alternatively teachers can seek accreditation by submitting a Curriculum Vitae (CV) to Cambridge for
appraisal. Details about this approach are available in the Cambridge Administrative Guide.
Ensure that your CV includes the following information:
•
positions held and roles carried out whilst in those positions
•
qualifications
•
teaching experience (including examination boards and syllabuses)
•
experience of coursework, moderation and moderation training
•
any further relevant experience.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
1
Introduction
Please allow between four and six weeks for the Moderator to assess the work that you submit and for
Cambridge to inform you of the outcome.
You will be informed by post whether you have achieved accredited status. If you are successful you will
receive a Certificate. If the Moderator feels that more practice is required, you will receive a letter informing
you of this and inviting you to resubmit. A Moderator’s Report will accompany the letter providing guidance
in cases where accreditation has not been achieved, and feedback will be provided where the application
has been successful. Please ensure you leave sufficient time to carry out any resubmissions that may be
required.
Please note it is not usual practice for Cambridge to inform teachers or schools of accreditation outcomes
over the telephone or by email.
If accreditation is not awarded by the Moderator on one particular occasion this does not mean a teacher
cannot continue to teach but it would be inadvisable for them to be in a position to moderate the marking of
other teachers for this component until accreditation is awarded. You may re-submit work for assessment
as many times as is necessary for accreditation to be awarded. There is, however, a charge each time for
doing so.
Please ensure once you have received confirmation of your accredited status, that your Centre registers
you with Cambridge using the Teacher Assessment Form 1. This can be filled in electronically from the
Cambridge website www.cie.org.uk. Just put Teacher Assessment Form 1 in the search field in the top
right of the screen.
Please find below a summary of each section of the handbook.
Contents of the handbook
Section 1: The coursework component
This section provides a comprehensive explanation of the key features of Cambridge IGCSE History
coursework.
The section includes:
2
•
an explanation of the structure and content of the coursework option including what learners have to do
and what their completed work should look like. This is the place to start if you wish to understand the
basic nature and requirements of coursework
•
an explanation of the assessment objectives and how they can be met. This section explores the
nature of what learners need to do at a deeper level. It contains guidance about what qualities would
be expected in a good piece of extended writing and what is meant by terms such as ‘significance’,
‘relevance’, ‘deployment’ and ‘argument’ which appear in the mark schemes
•
guidance on how to construct coursework questions. It is essential that the questions that are set
enable learners to demonstrate the skills and understandings in the mark scheme. This section provides
guidance about this important feature of the teacher’s role in coursework
•
an explanation of the circumstances under which learners complete the work. Coursework is different
from both examinations and controlled assessment and this section explains how. It also provides
guidance on the role and responsibilities of the teacher while learners are completing their work
•
an explanation of the support provided by Cambridge to teachers who have chosen the coursework
option.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Introduction
Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school
This section offers advice that is particularly useful for those teaching this qualification for the first time,
including:
•
when, during the two year course, it is best to begin coursework
•
what considerations to bear in mind when choosing a topic for coursework
•
how to develop a scheme of work for coursework
•
some ideas for teaching and learning relating to coursework, especially in terms of developing the skills
and understandings that learners will need. For example, the concept of ‘significance’.
Section 3: Marking coursework
This section aims to familiarise you with the mark scheme and how to apply it, and offers some good
practice advice on internal moderation. It provides:
•
an explanation of the main features of the generic mark scheme
•
advice on how to apply the mark scheme using a ‘best fit’ approach through a holistic reading of the
answers
•
advice on annotating coursework and how to conduct internal moderation.
Section 4: Managing the administration of coursework
This section offers an explanation of the administrative processes relating to the coursework component
and includes:
•
advice on how to record and despatch marks and an explanation of all the forms that need to be
completed
•
an explanation of how external moderation works and the teacher’s part in this.
Section 5: How to get coursework assessor accreditation
This section provides instructions on the accreditation task and includes:
•
Marked Sample
•
Accreditation Sample A
•
Accreditation Sample B
•
Accreditation Cover Sheet and Mark Sheets
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Introduction
4
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 1: The coursework component
Section 1: The coursework component
1.1 The structure and content of coursework
1.1.1 Content
Component 3 of IGCSE History requires that candidates produce one piece of extended writing (up to
2000 words in length). This can be based either on a Depth Study selected from the syllabus (that is from
those studied for Component 1) or one devised by the Centre. The latter is sometimes used by Centres
in countries that are not represented amongst the Depth Studies listed in the syllabus for Component 1.
However, the content of a Centre-devised Depth Study must not overlap with any of the core content that
learners are studying for Paper 1.
In addition, a Centre-devised Depth Study must be approved by Cambridge in advance and should be
comparable in amount and demand to the Depth Studies in the syllabus. It is expected that during a twoyear course of study, about 12 weeks would be spent on the teaching and learning of the Depth Study and
on the completion of the coursework in total.
1.1.2 The task
Learners must complete one question on the chosen Depth Study set by the teacher. The question does
not have to cover all aspects of the Depth Study, for example, it could focus on a major individual or
development from within the Study. However, it must allow learners to draw on and demonstrate their
broad contextual knowledge and understanding of the Depth Study as a whole.
The question set for coursework, or the issues within it, should not be directly addressed during the
teaching and learning of the Depth Study.
The question should be focused on the issue of ‘significance’. The significance of an individual, a group, an
organisation, an event, a development, a policy, or even an idea may be used.
The task must be set as one question. It should not be broken down into a series of smaller questions.
It is very common for all the learners in a Centre to complete the same question. However, it is permissible
for different Depth Studies to be allocated to different teaching sets within the same Centre. Questions
would be appropriate to the particular Depth Study being studied in each case. It is theoretically possible
for every learner within a Centre to answer a different question but this is not advised. Where different
questions are used, it is important that the questions are comparable in what they demand and in what they
allow learners to do.
1.1.3 Candidates’ responses
Candidates’ responses should be no longer than 2000 words in length. Any part of the answer beyond 2000
words will not be assessed. Coursework may be produced in class or in the candidate’s own time. However,
the Centre must ensure that coursework is the candidate’s own work.
Candidates should select relevant material and organise and deploy it relevantly to answer the question.
They should also develop, explain and support their own arguments and judgements. They should try and
avoid description and narrative, and focus on producing a clear and supported answer to the question.
Learners should therefore be encouraged to develop and use their own arguments, judgements and points
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 1: The coursework component
of view. In order to access all the marks available, candidates will need to produce an extended piece of
writing. It is permissible for weaker candidates, however, to use sub-headings.
Learners should not be encouraged to use the generic mark scheme as a checklist. They should, instead, try
and write a focused, informed and well-argued answer to the question. It is important that they understand
that the markers and moderators are not interested in how much candidates know or can write; they are
only interested in how well they have used their knowledge and information to answer the question.
Coursework must be the learner’s own work. Any quotations, copied or paraphrased material must be fully
acknowledged. This can be done within the text of the answer or in footnotes.
Once coursework has been assessed, learners are not allowed to repeat the task or redraft their work.
1.1.4 Marking and moderating
The generic mark scheme in the syllabus booklet (pages 36–7) must be used for marking coursework.
Alternative versions of this mark scheme must not be used. Coursework is marked out of 40 marks by
the Centre and externally moderated by a Cambridge Moderator. The approximate weightings of the
Assessment Objectives are:
AO1 15 marks, AO2 25 marks.
1.1.5 Other issues
Teachers may not undertake coursework until they have been accredited by Cambridge. Accreditation
usually follows the successful completion of the activities to be found in the latter part of this handbook.
1.2 The nature of the assessment objectives
1.2.1 Assessment objective 1
This assessment objective as it relates to coursework is about the ability to select relevant material, and
then organise and deploy it relevantly for a particular question.
The skill of selection
When starting their coursework the first task for learners will be to think about what the question is asking
and what answering it will involve. They can then begin to select what material might be useful and relevant.
Most learners will have access to their knowledge of the topic, their classwork, textbooks and perhaps
reference books and the internet. They need to select examples from all this content that will be useful and
relevant. This stage of the process is vital because the challenge for most learners will be to provide an
answer to the question within 2000 words.
For example, if a learner is asked to explain ways in which Hitler was significant in the rise of the Nazis
and the consolidation of their power, they might choose to include in their answer (among other things)
Hitler’s use of the Reichstag Fire and the Night of the Long Knives. It would not, however, be wise to write
a narrative of the years 1924 to 1934. Learners should understand that a comprehensive answer to the
question is not expected when only 2000 words are available. They need to select what they regard as the
most important features that allow them to construct and support an argument about significance.
Answers that use two or three aspects (of significance) relevantly and in depth will always score
higher marks than answers that try and cover many more aspects because each will be dealt with only
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Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 1: The coursework component
superficially. It should be noted that ‘relevant’ is a key word in the mark scheme. Coursework that contains
substantial sections of irrelevant material e.g., long-winded descriptive introductions, will be failing against
one of the key criteria and this will affect the level into which it can be placed.
The skill of deployment
Once learners have selected some relevant material and examples from the given context, they need to
think about how they are going to deploy these relevantly to answer the question. It is not uncommon to
read work where the learners have chosen relevant material and good examples but have not used them in
the right way. Sometimes this is because they have used them for a description or a narrative.
Learners need to remember that their central task is to answer the question. Every paragraph should
help towards this. It should be helping to drive the answer along. The material and examples selected by
the learner should be used in this way – to help drive the argument. Thus Hitler’s use of the Reichstag Fire,
mentioned above, should be used as an example of how Hitler manipulated situations in a skilful way to help
strengthen the Nazi position. To describe what happened is not enough. To assert that it was important to
the Nazis is not enough. Providing an explanation of how it helped strengthen the Nazi position is key.
However, it is also important that learners remember that they are not explaining the importance of
the Reichstag Fire for its own sake. They are explaining it as one element in a bigger explanation of the
significance of Hitler’s contribution to the consolidation of Nazi power.
The skill of organisation
It is possible for answers to demonstrate good, relevantly deployed material but still fail to articulate an
effective answer. Answers need to be well-organised and coherent (more is said about this later). They need
to tackle the question in a logical order, having identified how the material builds up and supports the main
thrust of their argument. Above all, as the answer proceeds, a clear and consistent argument should be
emerging.
For example, let’s consider the question ‘Assess how far Stresemann was significant to Germany in the
1920s and early 1930s’. A learner might divide an answer into four parts:
(i) examining what happened before Stresemann,
(ii) considering how far Stresemann changed what was already happening (and how far he was responsible
for these changes),
(iii) considering what happened after Stresemann’s death to establish how long-lasting or deep his changes/
improvements were,
(iv) reaching an overall assessment of his significance based on the earlier section.
1.2.2 Assessment objective 2
Argument and judgement
It is important that learners develop their views and arguments. A moderator will not be impressed by all
the learners in a Centre using exactly the same views and arguments. Learners should be encouraged to
understand that there are no right answers to their coursework question. The same question will produce
dozens of different answers, all of them valid. However, learners also need to understand that their views
need to be supported with argument that itself is informed by sound and accurate knowledge, relevant and
well-chosen examples, and good understanding of the history. The latter will include the learners’ grasp of
concepts such as causation and change and of peoples’ ideas, beliefs and intentions at the time. Above all,
learners need to have some understanding of the concept of significance.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 1: The coursework component
The concept of ‘significance’
It is important that teachers, learners and moderators share a common understanding of how the concept
of significance should be used in coursework. Assessing significance involves a broader judgement than
assessing importance and goes further than questions of causation.
For example, a question that asks how important Lenin was in the success of the October Revolution would
involve a learner in comparing the importance of Lenin with that of other factors such as Trotsky or the
weakness of the Provisional Government. The question turns into a causation question and answers explain
the causes of the success of the Revolution (i.e. a specific incident or event).
A question that asks about the significance of Lenin in Russian history from 1917 to 1930 is a question about
his importance over time and relates to a whole range of issues from which the learner must select. A good
approach to this question might be:
•
to assess Lenin’s impact from 1917 to 1924 (one way of doing this would be to compare how much
Lenin changed things, which would involve some comparison with the period before 1917);
•
compare Lenin’s contribution in bringing about these changes with the contribution of other factors;
•
and assess how long-lasting Lenin’s contribution was after his death up until 1930.
When measuring significance learners should try and measure it across time (impact at the time) and over
time (longer-term impact). This can be shown in diagrammatic form as a cross.
Criteria can then be used to help measure the extent of significance. These might include the following:
Significance at the time (impact)
width of impact
8
•
how many people, groups or institutions were affected?
•
which different types of people were affected (e.g. rich/poor)?
•
were men/women affected to the same degree?
•
were different parts of the country/world affected in the same way?
•
how wide, geographically, was the impact?
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 1: The coursework component
depth of impact
•
how deeply were people’s lives, beliefs and attitudes affected?
•
how far were other aspects, e.g. institutions, power relationships, changed?
•
for how long were people affected?
•
how important was it to people?
•
how powerful was the impact?
•
what kind of reaction was caused?
•
how far was it remarked on by people at the time?
nature of impact
•
how far was it beneficial?
•
how typical or unique?
•
how expected/unexpected?
•
how reported/how received?
•
how iconic/symbolic?
Significance over time (relationship to other events)
•
how much of a change occurred between what went before and what came after, e.g. how far was it a
turning point?
•
how much continuity occurred between what went before and what came after, e.g. how far was it part
of a trend?
•
how far did it affect things in the longer term, e.g. was it a false dawn, how long did the impact last?
Conclusions and points of view – different approaches
It is important that learners demonstrate a clear direction of purpose in their analysis as this helps to build a
context within which they can evaluate the facts and arrive at their own interpretation.
One of the advantages of coursework is that it provides learners with an opportunity to carefully plan
their work and produce a rough draft. Therefore, they should be in a position of knowing what their overall
argument and point of view is before they start writing the final draft.
Learners should indicate their main viewpoint and argument before they start writing the final draft. One
approach is to state this in the opening paragraph of the coursework. This gives focus and direction to the
rest of the answer in which the learner justifies their point of view.
For example, taking our Stresemann question from the ‘Skill of organisation’ paragraph above, a learner
could begin by stating that they are going to argue that Stresemann was not very significant for Germany.
Such an approach would need to take careful note of the command words in the question in order to answer
effectively and remain focused. In the Stresemann question the command is to ‘assess how far’. If this is
ignored, the answer could become one-sided and fail to deal with alternative arguments. The learner would
need to explain arguments that support Stresemann’s significance and then argue why these are not as
convincing as the opposing arguments.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 1: The coursework component
The force of the argument is drawn from the opposition of one view against another. If the learner were
to argue that Stresemann’s significance was weak and the significance of other factors was stronger, then
both sides of the argument would effectively be arguing the same point.
This approach, if carried out effectively, ensures that the question is being directly answered all the way
through and makes a conclusion unnecessary.
An alternative approach would be to explain and analyse the arguments that suggest Stresemann was
significant, do the same with the opposing factors, and then reach a conclusion.
The problem with this approach is that the learner is only directly addressing the question (the crucial ‘How
far?’ part) in the conclusion. If the conclusion is only a few lines long, the answer will not receive a high
mark. If this approach is adopted (and it is a more manageable one for average and below-average learners),
then it is important that the conclusion is at least a page in length and contains supported arguments that
emerge from, but go further than the main body of the answer.
What is to be avoided is an answer that simply explains both sides of the argument but never directly
addresses the evaluative aspects of the question such as ‘How far?’ or ‘To what extent?’
1.2.3 Producing an extended piece of writing
We are asking learners to produce a piece of extended writing, which is a considerable challenge in its
own right. The following section contains advice about constructing such a piece of writing. It should be
remembered that producing a well-organised and focused answer of this length is a challenge and learners
should not be attempting such a piece of work for the first time when they start on this coursework. It is
important that learners have had earlier opportunities to produce work of this length. This could be done on
other, earlier, parts of the syllabus content.
A plan
Constructing a plan is important because it helps learners think about the question and how to answer it.
They will need to think about what is relevant, what to leave out and the order in which they are going to
answer the question. It also gives learners an overview of the answer which they can constantly refer to
when writing out their final draft. The plan will help to keep them focused.
A blank sheet of paper is often terrifying for learners and the first sentence of an answer is often the hardest
part to complete. Producing a plan can help learners get over this. To get started they could generate ideas
(on separate bits of paper) and then begin to organise their ideas to create a kind of map. An outline of the
overall shape of the answer should then emerge.
First draft
Introduction – learners should briefly explain how they plan to answer the question, and state what their
overall argument/point of view is. There is no need to describe the content background/context.
Main body of answer – every paragraph should directly address the question and should take the
argument further. There should be a logical development from one paragraph to another. There should be an
overall clear structure and organisation.
Conclusion – this should grow out of and follow on from the argument and analysis in the main part of the
answer. A direct answer to the question should be given and this needs to be substantiated and argued if
this has not been done earlier in the answer.
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Questions for learners to ask themselves before writing final draft:
•
am I within the 2000 words?
•
have I answered the question?
•
is my final answer to the main issue in the question clear, developed and supported? (This can be either
in the main part of the answer or in a developed conclusion.) Is each paragraph used for a new idea,
aspect or argument?
•
does every paragraph address the question?
•
do the paragraphs logically flow from one to the other?
•
is there anything important that I have left out?
•
are there any sections of description or narrative or anything irrelevant that I should delete?
•
does sentence construction, grammar, punctuation or spelling need to be improved or corrected?
1.3 Constructing coursework tasks
1.3.1 Setting suitable questions
The task should always be set as a question.
Constructing a suitable question is essential. If the question does not provide learners with opportunities to
meet the requirements of Assessment Objectives 1 and 2 and to measure ‘significance’, they will struggle
to achieve a reasonable mark.
The question should be set in such a way that it requires learners to assess the significance of the chosen
aspect. It is also important that the question does not turn into a conventional ‘causation’ question simply
requiring the relative importance of causal factors to be compared. An assessment of significance goes
beyond this, as has been explained above.
To ensure that the question requires learners to assess significance, rather than simply describe it, it is
useful to begin the question with words such as ‘How?’ or ‘How far?’ or ‘To what extent?’ Another approach
is to provide a statement about significance and then ask how far the learners agree with the statement.
The question should not be phrased in a way that does not require assessment of significance, e.g. ‘Explain
the significance of...’. Questions should always require learners to measure or assess significance, e.g. ‘How
far was Mao a significant figure in Chinese history during the second half of the twentieth century?’
The question should have a clear focus. It is not helpful to set a question that involves two ideas, factors or
statements, e.g. ‘Roosevelt’s New Deal was successful despite facing enormous opposition from different
directions.’ How far do you agree with this statement?’
The following questions would also be suitable:
How significant was General Haig in the First World War? Explain your answer.
To what extent was the New Deal a significant factor in American history, 1933–1942? Explain your answer.
‘In the area of civil rights, President Kennedy was a very significant figure.’ How far do you agree with this
statement? Explain your answer.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 1: The coursework component
The question should also allow learners to meet the requirements of Assessment Objectives 1 and 2;
particularly selection, organisation and deployment of knowledge; and the ability to construct historical
explanations, arguments and judgements.
1.4 Circumstances under which learners complete coursework and
the role of the teacher
1.4.1 Completion of coursework
It would normally be expected that learners would begin their coursework shortly after the teaching and
learning of the relevant Depth Study has been completed.
Coursework can be completed in class under supervision, unsupervised in the Centre, or in the candidate’s
own time, e.g. at home. Many teachers find it useful to allow learners to begin their work in class and then
complete it in their own time.
It is the Centre’s responsibility to ensure that the completed coursework is entirely the learner’s own work.
Learners should not collaborate with other learners, nor should they receive help from other individuals.
Some teachers find the easiest way to ensure this is to have all the coursework completed in class under
supervision. However, this does not necessarily mean examination conditions.
Learners can have access to the work they have completed during the teaching and learning of the Depth
Study, text books, reference books, the internet and any other resources the teacher decides may be useful.
Learners should not rely on just one textbook. They need to read a range of information to give them scope
to develop their own ideas and arguments. However, it is also important not to swamp learners with too
much material.
Anything included in the work that is not the learner’s own work, e.g. quotations and copied or paraphrased
material, must be fully acknowledged. This can be done within the text of the answer or in footnotes.
Once coursework has been assessed by the teacher, candidates are not allowed to repeat the question or
redraft their work.
1.4.2 The role of the teacher
Teachers can offer general guidance on how best to approach a coursework question but must be careful
not to exert too much influence over candidates’ decisions. This guidance should be given to the whole
class and should not go beyond general points such as reminders to focus on answering the question, to
develop their own arguments, and not to write description or narrative.
Teachers should not comment on work in progress, nor can work in progress or a first draft be handed to
the teacher for feedback.
One useful way for teachers to help learners is to focus on the skills mentioned in Section 2.2. in normal
teaching and learning. These skills can be developed during the teaching and learning of the Depth Study
but when other parts of the syllabus are being covered. It might be helpful to allow learners to complete a
‘dry run’ – a practice exercise on a question similar to the coursework question but on a different part of the
Depth Study content. Full feedback can be provided on such work.
The concept of ‘significance’ should also be introduced early in the teaching and learning of the syllabus and
exercises should be devised that help candidates explore and develop their understanding of the concept.
Ideas for this are provided elsewhere in this booklet. The teacher should provide all learners with an
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adequate range of resources to allow them to meet the requirements of the coursework question. Learners
are allowed to use their own additional resources and are permitted access to the internet but many find
it difficult to use this efficiently and effectively. It might be better for teachers to explore interesting and
relevant websites during teaching and learning. Any useful sections could be downloaded for all learners to
use.
Teachers must be careful to avoid directly addressing the coursework question, or the issue implicit within
it, during teaching and learning of the Depth Study. It is also the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that the
work learners complete is entirely their own work.
1.5 Support provided for teachers by Cambridge
1.5.1 Accreditation
Before teachers can use the coursework option they must be accredited by Cambridge. This is to ensure
that teachers understand what is required when they construct coursework questions and that the generic
mark scheme is used correctly when work is assessed. The accreditation process involves setting two valid
questions and marking one piece of coursework. Accreditation usually follows the successful completion
of the activities to be found in the latter part of this handbook. Teachers who complete these activities are
given feedback. See the Introduction to this handbook and the instructions on completing the accreditation
test in Section 5.
1.5.2 Coursework consultancy
This service, which approves coursework programmes and questions, is compulsory for Centres
constructing a Centre-Devised Depth Study but is also available to Centres using Depth Studies from the
syllabus for their coursework. There is no fee for the service.
Centres can post either their programme of study or their coursework question, or both, to:
The Product Manager
Cambridge IGCSE History
Cambridge International Examinations
1 Hills Road
Cambridge
CB1 2EU
UK
Or they can email them to info@cie.org.uk marked for the attention of the Product Manager, Cambridge
IGCSE History.
If a Centre is using one of the Depth Studies from the syllabus, it is advisable to use the chosen Depth
Study as it is specified in the syllabus (although these can be adapted). Centres devising their own Depth
Studies should organise and present them using a similar structure to that used for Depth Studies in
the syllabus, i.e. using Key Questions and Focus Points. The Centre-Devised Depth Study should be
comparable with the Depth Studies in the syllabus in terms of length, breadth and depth.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 1: The coursework component
1.5.3 Training
Cambridge regularly offers training for IGCSE History, both in the UK and in other parts of the world. Details
of future training can be found via the Cambridge public website www.cie.org.use/events.
1.5.4 Moderators’ reports
For each examination series moderators produce two types of report. The first consists of an individual
report to each Centre about their learners’ coursework and the Centre’s marking. The second is a general
report to all Centres. This describes good practice and offers general advice to Centres.
1.5.5 Scheme of work
A scheme of work for parts of the syllabus content including Depth Studies is available on Teacher Support.
14
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school
Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your
school
2.1 When to do coursework?
One important decision that needs to be made when the course is being planned as a whole is when to do
coursework. There are several factors that will influence this decision.
•
Will the coursework be based on the same Depth Study that is being studied for Paper 1? If it is, there is
less flexibility. Many Centres like to complete teaching of the Paper 1 Depth Study so that it fits in with
the appropriate part of the Core Content, for example, teaching the Germany Depth Study after getting
to 1939 in the Core. This would probably dictate when the coursework would start as this is best done
as soon as work on the Depth Study is completed. However, some other Depth Studies, for example
South Africa, have less of a relationship with the Core and could be taught at any time during the course.
•
If coursework is based on a different Depth Study from that used for Paper 1 then there is more
flexibility concerning the timing of the coursework. Using the same Depth Study for both Paper 1 and
coursework clearly reduces the amount of content to be covered by learners, but they can become
bored after spending so long on the same Depth Study. A different Depth Study provides them with
more variety and gives them a more complete understanding of the past. Whether you cover one or
two Depth Studies may be influenced by the total amount of time you have to complete the course.
Some History departments have more time allotted to their subject than others. If a department has an
average amount of time (about 120 hours across two years) then it should be possible to comfortably
cover two Depth Studies.
•
It is not a good idea to tackle coursework too early in the course because learners will not be familiar
enough with the overall period and will have made little progress in developing their skills and
understanding. However, neither is it a good idea to leave the coursework too late in the course because
this is when you want to focus on preparation and revision for the examination papers and time will be
needed to mark the work. This would suggest that the beginning of the second year of the course is a
good time to choose.
2.2 Choosing a topic area
Coursework must be based on a study of a Depth Study. This can be one of the Depth Studies in the
syllabus or a Depth Study devised by the Centre. Centres might choose a Depth Study such as Russia from
the syllabus because it fits in well, and adds to, the study of the twentieth century Core content. On the
other hand, the Depth Study on the First World War would act as a useful climax for those Centres studying
the nineteenth-century Core and a useful introduction for those studying the twentieth-century Core. A
Centre whose learners are studying the nineteenth-century Core may choose a later Depth Study such as
South Africa as an interesting contrast and change.
Those Centres that choose to devise their own Depth Studies usually do so for one of the following reasons:
•
they have good resources on another topic,
•
they have staff expertise on a particular topic,
•
the learners have an interest in a particular topic,
•
they want the learners to study some regional or local history which is not covered in the Core.
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Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school
Centre-devised Depth Studies should be comparable to the Depth Studies in the syllabus and structured in
the same way using Key Questions and Focus Points.
Choosing a different Depth Study for coursework does allow both teachers and learners to focus on the
particular skills and understanding required of coursework alone without the additional requirements for the
Component 1 written paper.
2.3 Designing a scheme of work
A scheme of work provides more detailed guidance about the teaching and learning of a course than an
outline plan which merely identifies Key Questions and Focus Points. Schemes of work vary a great deal but
a typical one might include details about:
•
the Key Question being covered
•
the total amount of time devoted to that Key Question
•
for each lesson
–
content and issues to be covered
–
learning outcomes
–
learning activities
–
skills and understanding
–
assessment opportunities
–
resources to be used.
The Depth Studies in the syllabus are organised through Key Questions and Focus Points to encourage
issue-based and problem-solving learning and to encourage learners to discuss and develop their own
views (very important for coursework). The scheme of work should reflect and encourage this approach to
learning.
The scheme of work for a Depth Study being used for coursework should ensure that there is a focus on
the skills and understandings explained in Sections 1.2.1 and 1.2.2.
A scheme of work for parts of the syllabus content is available on Teacher Support.
2.4 Teaching and learning for coursework
The chosen Depth Study has to be taught just as any part of the syllabus has to be. Learners need as much
knowledge and understanding for coursework as they need for the written papers. Learners do have access
to notes, books and other materials while completing their coursework but their ability to make good use of
these materials will depend on the knowledge and understanding they have already acquired.
If a different Depth Study is being used for coursework then it is possible to focus on the coursework
requirements. If the same Depth Study is being used for both Paper 1 and coursework then the skills and
understanding required for coursework will need to be fitted in alongside preparation for Paper 1.
There are some issues that are relevant to both approaches:
•
16
the coursework question, and the issues within it, should not be directly addressed during teaching
and learning. The teacher’s role is to prepare learners so that they have the knowledge, skills and
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school
understanding that will enable them to tackle the coursework question by themselves. For example, if
the coursework question is about the significance of Mandela in South Africa between 1950 and the
present, teaching and learning can include the main developments in South African history from 1948
and Mandela’s role in these. However, there should be no special focus on Mandela – the teaching
should put as much stress on other individuals and factors, and the issue of Mandela’s significance
should not be directly addressed or assessed
•
learners will answer their coursework question better when they can place it in a broader context.
This will add extra depth to their answers, enabling them to make the necessary links and to go across
and backwards and forwards in time – all of which will lead to more sophisticated assessments of
significance
•
it is important to use teaching activities that develop the learners’ ability to discuss and debate issues.
This will help to build their confidence in developing their own views. It can be useful to introduce
learners, in a gentle way, to different interpretations about issues such as the causes of the First Word
War or who was responsible for causing the Cold War, so that they understand there are no right
answers to these kinds of issues and questions
•
learners will benefit from practising how to select from large amounts of material that which is relevant
for a given purpose. They should also be given the opportunity to produce extended pieces of writing so
that they have experience of deploying and organising information
•
it is important that time is taken to explore with learners the meaning of ‘significance’ and how criteria
can be used to measure it. This could be done using factors/individuals other than the one used in the
coursework question. There is some discussion of ‘significance’ in Section 1.2.2, and some ideas for
teaching and learning are given in Appendix 2.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 2: Planning and teaching coursework in your school
18
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 3: Marking coursework
Section 3: Marking coursework
3.1 Some basic points
The generic mark scheme must be used when marking coursework. It can be found in the syllabus booklet
on the Cambridge website and has also been reproduced in Appendix 1 of this handbook.
If two or more teachers within a Centre are involved in marking coursework, Centres must ensure that all
candidates are assessed to a common standard.
The coursework of a sample of learners will be externally moderated.
3.2 Main features of the mark scheme
Each level descriptor covers all the relevant assessment objectives.
The main aspects covered in the mark scheme are:
–
breadth, depth, accuracy and relevance of knowledge and information used
–
relevant deployment and organisation of information
–
focus on the question
–
understanding of significance
–
command and understanding of the history topic
–
ability to use relevantly an understanding of causation, change, key characteristics of the time, links and
comparisons
–
ability to construct and support descriptions, explanations, arguments and judgements
–
ability to reach and support conclusions.
3.3 Using the mark scheme
It should be used in a ‘best-fit’ way. This means that an answer does not have to meet all the requirements
of a level before being placed in that level.
Many answers will have elements of two different levels, e.g. if some parts of an answer are Level 3 but
other parts are Level 4, you should ask yourself ‘Which level does this answer fit best?’.
Answers should be read and assessed holistically. Ask yourself, ‘Allowing for the strengths and perhaps
weakness of the answer, which level does it fit best?’.
Do not use the mark scheme in a ‘tick box’ way. For example, do not expect learners to have covered all
the aspects of the third bullet point of the generic mark scheme – some of these will not be relevant for
particular questions.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 3: Marking coursework
There are key ‘drivers’; a focus on these when marking should help you decide the Level. These are:
•
relevance and focus
•
a direct answer to the question
•
good command of the history
•
an ability to use this to support arguments and conclusions.
Answers that meet most, or all, of the requirements of a level should be placed towards the top of that
level. If an answer is on the borderline between two levels but is finally placed in the higher level, it should
go at the bottom of that level.
3.4 Annotation of coursework
It is useful to the external moderator if work is annotated by the teacher. The purpose of these comments is
to identify key features of the answers and explain why a particular level and mark has been awarded. The
former can be communicated through marginal comments such as ‘good explanation’, ‘strong argument’,
and ‘irrelevant description’, while the latter is best achieved through summative comments at the end,
summing up the main qualities of the answer and identifying key features of a level descriptor which the
answer has achieved.
Judgements about which level an answer reaches should not be made halfway through the answer. This is
a summative judgement which can only be made after the whole answer has been read.
The level and the mark awarded should be shown at the end of the answer with the summative comments.
3.5 Internal standardisation
If two or more teachers within a Centre are involved in marking coursework, it is important that Centres
ensure that all work is marked to a common standard and that a single valid and reliable set of marks is
produced.
This is best achieved before marking begins by carrying out an internal standardisation meeting. The lead
teacher or Internal Moderator (one who has been accredited by Cambridge to mark coursework) should
select and mark samples of coursework taken from each teaching set. These should represent the full range
of abilities. These can then be used in the meeting to provide a standard against which the marking of other
teachers can be evaluated and brought into line.
3.6 Internal moderation
When everybody has completed the marking, the lead teacher should check the marking of a small sample
from each teacher to ensure they have adhered to the standard. Any differences in marking between the
Internal Moderator and other markers should be talked through and resolved. Marks can be adjusted from
any part of the range of marks, and if there is a discernible trend of leniency or severity, marks should be
adjusted for other coursework in that range. If the trend is consistent, it is possible to scale marks upwards
or downwards without the need to re-mark all coursework within the range affected.
If, however, there is no clear pattern and if learners are at risk of being awarded the wrong mark, more
coursework from that teacher’s marking should be marked and adjustments made until all doubt about the
accuracy of the marking has been removed. Samples should be re-marked from the remaining teachers’
marking until the process is complete.
If marks are changed as a result of internal moderation, the change of marks should be clearly shown on the
work and on both the Individual Candidate Record and the Coursework Assessment Summary Form.
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Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 4: Managing the administration of coursework
Section 4: Managing the administration of coursework
4.1 Recording and despatching of marks
Once the work has been marked, an Individual Candidate Record Card should be completed for each
candidate. The instructions for completion are on the back of the card (see Appendix 3). This form should be
attached to the front of the candidate’s work.
The Coursework Assessment Summary Form should also be completed. This provides the moderator with
an overview of all the candidates and marks in the Centre. The instructions for completing this are on the
back of the Summary Form (see Appendix 4).
Cambridge will send a computer-printed Coursework Sheet, MS1, to each Centre in late March (for the
June examination series) and in early October (for the November examination series). MS1 will list all
the candidate names and numbers. This mark sheet should be completed and the top copy returned to
Cambridge as soon as possible. The deadlines for return are 30 April (for the June examination series), and
31 October (for the November examination series).
4.2 The sample of work for external moderation
The sample submitted for external moderation should:
•
represent the spread of marks across the entire ability range for the cohort, and include the top-scoring
piece of coursework, some middle-range marks and the lowest scoring piece of work
•
include a balance of work from candidates across all teaching sets and assessors.
Each sample should:
•
include the candidates’ coursework. (The pages of the work of each candidate can simply be stapled
together with the Individual Candidate Record Card attached as the front page.)
•
be clearly marked with candidates’ names and numbers, and your Centre’s name and number
•
include the Coursework Assessment Summary Form(s)
•
include the second copy of the form MS1
•
include the coursework question and any other instructions given by you to the candidates
•
contain information on the circumstances in which the coursework was completed by candidates and
about how you undertook internal moderation.
On all forms, those candidates selected for external moderation must be indicated by an asterisk (*). If
you are a UK Centre, Cambridge will select the sample and notify you accordingly. In instances where the
cohort of entries is greater than 15, a representative sample of work must be submitted to Cambridge, in
accordance with the following numbers stated in the Cambridge Administrative Guide (UK version):
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 4: Managing the administration of coursework
UK schools
Number of
Candidates entered
Total number of Candidates
whose work is required
1 to 15
all candidates
16 to 100
15
101 to 200
20
More than 200
10%
If you are an International Centre, you will select the sample yourself based on the criteria at the beginning
of this sub-section. In instances where the cohort of entries is greater than 10, a representative sample of
work must be submitted to Cambridge, in accordance with the following numbers stated in the Cambridge
Administrative Guide (International version):
International schools
Number of
Candidates entered
Total number of Candidates
whose work is required
1–10
all candidates
11–50
10
51–100
15
101–200
20
More than 200
10%
It might be necessary for Cambridge moderators to call for a further sample of work, beyond the original
submission. Full details of this further sample would be addressed to the named Examinations Officer at
your Centre.
Centres are asked to retain copies of all Individual Candidate Record Cards and Coursework Assessment
Summary Forms until the publication of results.
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Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework
assessor
Each Centre should have at least one teacher who is an accredited coursework assessor for (0470) Cambridge
IGCSE History. In order to gain accreditation, teachers should read through this handbook thoroughly to get an
understanding of how the mark scheme should be applied and study the marked sample below.
The following accreditation task can then be attempted.
•
set three coursework titles. For each title provide a brief explanation of how it gives candidates scope
and opportunities to measure significance
•
mark the two coursework accreditation samples below (Accreditation samples A and B) using copies
of the Accreditation Mark Sheets on the following pages. Please give each answer a level and a mark.
Provide brief summative comments explaining why the answer has been placed into a particular level.
Also provide marginal comments throughout the answer commenting on how the answer is developing.
5.1 Marked sample
Please refer to the generic mark scheme and the guidance on how to use the mark scheme provided in this
handbook.
Were Mao Zedong’s policies after he came to power significant for China?
Mao Zedong put in place a number of policies during his long 27 year reign over China. These policies have
been the subject of fierce debate. While the policies may have had good intentions such as improving the
lives of women, the resulting events in the form of famine, death and poverty overshadow this. The policies
were claimed by Mao to be a way of giving life to the struggling agriculture, economy and industry of China.
The Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution are two examples of his major impact. The reasons for
his policies can be traced back to before his reign.
Comment
Reasonable introduction but insufficient focus on significance. Does not explain how the question will
be answered.
Before the emergence of Mao the Nationalist Party of Chiang Kai-shek held power. Inflation soon became
China’s looming problem. The runaway inflation was made worse by the war with Japan between 1937 and
1945. Historian Diana Lary has said ‘Almost every family was affected by war. Tens of millions of people
took flight.’ The Nationalists’ solution was to assert price controls and the actions carried out to implement
them were a significant turning point decreasing Nationalist support. These actions included shooting
merchants. The disaster of inflation was important to people’s lives as conditions became bad for them and
they began to seek leadership elsewhere in the form of the Communists. This reveals the conditions which
Mao would change in his first major policy in 1958 (the Great Leap Forward). These changes would make
his policies significant because they were a change from the way that things were going before.
Comment
Describes state of affairs before Mao to set up how much Mao changed things. Reasonable. Could
include other aspects of pre-Communist China.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Mao proclaimed that the Great Leap Forward was an attempt to develop China’s agriculture, industry and
economy to match Great Britain’s within 15 years. American journalist Sidney Rittenberg described the
policies in 2011 as ‘building a world without classes, without war, without poverty’. This shows that Mao
was trying to change virtually everything about China, making his policies very significant.
Comment
Some explanation of Mao’s impact.
The largest positive impact that Mao’s policies had was on the lives of ordinary people. There was a drive
to increase literacy levels of men, women and children. Aiming to better people’s lives in this way opened
up opportunities for jobs and a greater understanding of life, something that would not have happened in
the previous regime. These policies were a watershed for education, especially for women, as the following
figures show. 90% of those aged 55 to 59 were illiterate, while 15% of those aged between 15 and 19
were illiterate. This shows what a deep impact Mao’s policies had and how they changed things from the
previous regime. This effect would also last well into the future and bring about even more improvements
in literacy. UNESCO figures show that the number of illiterate people fell from 80% to 43%. These
policies were very important to women as they gave them more opportunities to play a central role in the
community outside of the home. Although these policies took time to have an effect, it meant that over
time they were very significant indeed. By 1988, 44.5% of teachers were women (in 1952 it was only 17%).
Another great change made was free health care which had a great impact on the health of the Chinese
people. Historian Merle Goldman says ‘they went into villages, they cleaned the water. China’s life
expectancy certainly was very much prolonged.’ This was another policy that would be significant in the
long run and shows a big change from Nationalist times.
Comment
More detailed explanation of Mao’s impact in important areas. Makes distinction between short-term
and long-term impact. Significance is being measured. Relevant, good supporting material.
The Great Leap Forward was significant in negative ways. Over the Four Years of the Great Leap Forward
45 million people were starved or beaten to death. The main aim of the Great Leap Forward was to
modernise China and turn it away from being just an agrarian society as it was under the Nationalists. The
method used to achieve this was collectivisation where private farming was banned and the introduction of
backyard furnaces into villages to increase China’s industrial production. These policies were very unpopular
with most peasants and put them firmly under the control of the Communist Party.
Peasants in the communes shared everything – the animals, the grain, all food and the work. Private
cooking was banned and everybody had to eat together. The peasants were given their orders on what
work to do for the day every morning. There was opposition by some peasants but these troubles were put
down and all peasants were forced to take part. Many of them were taken off farm work and made to work
in steel production in the villages.
Comment
Moves to Great Leap Forward – some measurement of significance but too much description.
The policies were a disaster. New methods such as close cropping, deep ploughing and leaving moderately
productive land empty all led to a fall in productivity. Another problem was that peasants were diverted
24
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
to steel production which meant that crops were left to rot. Local Communist officials who were under
pressure to report record harvests and thus the success of Mao’s policies competed with each other to
announce better and better results. These results were used to work out how much grain was to be taken
by the State to supply the towns and cities. Because the figures were exaggerated too much was taken and
there was not enough left for the peasants. The result was starvation and this even led to cannibalism in
some places. Yang Jaheng, a Chinese historian, says that ‘people cut off pieces of flesh and brought them
home to cook. In extreme cases people even ate their own children. To make things worse peasant homes
were pulled down to make fertiliser to build commune canteens or to make roads straighter.
However, during this time Mao still insisted that China should export grain because he wanted the world to
think his policies were a success. Yang has discovered that during the famine 22 million tons of grain were
stored but were not given to the peasants because officials ignored reports of starvation. No Communist
officials were prepared to describe how bad things were because they were scared of Mao. The overall effect
of the Great Leap Forward on the Chinese economy was devastating. For example, after some initial growth
iron production fell steeply in 1961 and did not recover to its pre-Great Leap Forward levels until 1964.
Comment
Detailed and relevant account of impact on people. More judgement/argument concerning significance
needed.
It was clear that Mao’s policies were having an important effect, but not the one intended. The policies
had failed and in the 1960s there was a reaction against Mao’s ideas when some de-collectivisation was
introduced. There was even more de-collectivisation later under Deng Xiaoping showing that Mao’s policies
in this area were not important because they failed and had to be changed. It was Deng Xiaoping’s reforms
after 1978 that really helped the living standards of Chinese peasants.
After the failure of the Great Leap Forward Mao lost a lot of power. In 1966 he started the Cultural
Revolution as a way of regaining his power. It was an attempt to renew the Chinese Revolution. Mao’s Red
Guards attacked everything that was old and traditional. Teachers, scientists, intellectuals and the middle
classes were persecuted and many were sent to work in the fields. Many of the top Communist officials
were also attacked and the cult of Mao was started. This went on until the early 1970s. The Revolution
had a terrible effect on China’s economy which basically came to a halt as did its education system.
Literacy rates began to go down. In fact, the country was in chaos. In some ways the Cultural Revolution
was very important because it had an effect on just about every person in China. Millions of people were
persecuted for being enemies of Communism and millions were forced to leave their homes. Mao died in
1976 and after a few years his policies began to be reversed. Deng Xiaoping emerged as the next leader
and made great changes which are still going on today. He began to introduce economic reforms which
even brought in some capitalism. He got rid of the communes and peasants were given more freedom to
sell their products. China was soon making enormous economic advances and most of Mao’s policies were
forgotten. In fact there was an industrial revolution in China with Chinese firms exporting all over the world
and Chinese millionaires appearing. This makes Mao’s policies look very unimportant in the long term.
Comment
Better on judgement/argument. Demonstrate comparison across time. Significance over time
considered. A strong section.
I want to argue that Mao’s policies were very important for a short period but not in the long term. Mao’s
main importance was before he really came to power in China. He led the Communists in the Civil War and
defeated the Nationalists. This was very important and shaped everything that happened to China later.
Once in power his policies did have some long term impact especially his educational and health reforms
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
and the position of women in society. He was responsible for raising literacy and life expectancy. In these
ways he dragged China into the 20th Century and the reforms were long lasting. He also stopped China
being a feudal country for good and he unified the country. His long-term significance is very strong. He is
still worshipped by many people in China and is seen as the Founding Father of modern China
His policies of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution had an enormous impact on millions
of people at the time. This was mostly a bad impact with starvation, persecution, and millions dying. He
ruined China’s economy in the country and its industry and set China back by decades. In the long run these
policies have turned out to be dead-ends. They went nowhere and Chinese leaders after him have reversed
many of his policies, especially the economic ones. Mao would not recognise China today and China has
turned its back on him, making the long-term significance of most of his policies very small indeed.
Comment
Well supported and argued conclusion.
Overall, it is fair to say that Mao’s policies were very important at the time and affected millions of people.
He changed China forever in important ways. But some of his policies are not at all important in modern
China.
1670 words
Summative comments:
This is a good answer. The question is about Mao’s policies after he came to power at the end of the
Civil War. The candidate has selected mainly relevant material and has avoided writing much about the
earlier period. There are two important policies of Mao missing – the Hundred Flowers Campaign and
the successful first Five-Year Plan. However, candidates are not expected to cover everything and what
matters more is how they use the material they do cover.
The candidate has selected well and most of the deployment of the material is relevant to the
question. There are a few passages of description and narrative which are not being used to support
arguments, but most of the time the material is being used to support arguments about significance.
Significance of Mao’s policies is the focus throughout much of the answer. The candidate does not
wander far from this. Detailed information is used and the candidate is in control most of the time.
There is a good range in the coverage from the 1950s to more recent times, and links and comparisons
are made across time. Good, accurate, and detailed in places, but material is not always used relevantly.
The candidate does have arguments of their own and these are usually well-supported. The
significance is measured in a number of ways: comparing with what went before to measure the
extent of change; the impact Mao’s policies had at the time on the people (mainly depth, some
breadth, some differentiation between different groups/policies) across time – and Mao’s short-term
and his longer-term significance are compared. There is a good understanding by the candidate that it
is necessary to consider what happened after Mao died to measure his significance.
There is a clear conclusion that is largely consistent with, and supported by, the rest of the answer.
To sum up: Generally well-organised, the material is generally effectively deployed, good selection,
a wide range covered, some links made, good, supported and relevant arguments about significance
with a valid conclusion. A few weaknesses here and there keep it out of Level 5.
A good Level 4 answer – Level 4/32.
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
5.2 Accreditation sample A
How significant was the Reichstag Fire?
During 1919–1933 the democratic system in Germany operated on a voting system that meant that
representatives were elected by the proportional representation system. This encouraged weak coalition
governments because no single party ever commanded a majority, it also allowed extreme parties a voice in
the Reichstag Parliament. Article 48 of the constitution was dangerous because it allowed the President to
ignore the wishes of the Reichstag and use emergency powers to choose a government.
The vulnerability of Weimar democracy meant that it was open to attack from extremism, however after
1923 a democratic Germany did emerge. The economic crisis from 1929 undermined that democracy.
The German people wanted a new, promising party that listened to their needs, hence the rise of the Nazi
Party. The Reichstag Fire can be seen as significant because it was a tipping point in the downward
spiral of German democracy and the rise of Nazi extremism. ‘The Fuhrer has spoken decisively. Bruning’s
fall is expected shortly. The President of the Reich will withdraw his confidence from him. The plan is
to constitute a Presidential Cabinet. The Reichstag will be dissolved. Repressive enactments are to be
cancelled. We shall be free to go ahead as we like, and mean to outdo ourselves in propaganda.’
Friedrich Ebert was the first Weimar President, during the years 1918–1925. He used Article 48 cautiously
with the aim of sustaining democracy. The second President was Paul von Hindenburg for the duration of
1925–1934. He used the Article as frequently as he could and as a result he undermined the power of the
Reichstag and democracy.
In 1930 Hindenburg appointed Henrich Bruning, a member of the Catholic Centre Party, as the Chancellor.
Bruning cut public expenditure and increased taxes. Following this, the economic depression became worse
and resulted in an increase in unemployment. Hindenburg forced Bruning to resign in March 1932 as he
was becoming increasingly unpopular. Hindenburg then appointed Franz von Papen as Chancellor. He was
another member of the Catholic Centre Party. He had close links to the aristocracy and the army, but little
support in the Reichstag. Von Papen declared a state of emergency and suspended the Prussian Parliament.
His regime was driven out of office by a vote of no confidence in November 1932. The Reichstag only met
13 times during 1932 and parliamentary government had virtually collapsed. In December 1932 Hindenburg
appointed General von Schleicher but he only lasted 57 days.
Hindenburg’s last resort was Hitler. Under the influence of leading businesses and army figures he
eventually decided to make Hitler Chancellor. Hitler was to establish a stable right wing dictatorship
upholding the aims of the army, agrarian Junkers and big businesses. Hitler convinced them that he was
abandoning the radicals of the Nazi Party in favour of the traditional German establishment. The old guard
wanted the new government to pass an Enabling Law that would make the passing of laws dependent on
the cabinet and not on the Reichstag. The new Cabinet was dominated by non-Nazi conservatives and it
was assumed that they would be able to tame and control Hitler. They did not see that Hitler would set up
his own one party state.
A factor which brought Hitler to power was the growth in electoral support from 2.6% of the voters in
1928 to 37.3% in 1932. The failure of the Munich Putsch changed Hitler from an incompetent street
fighter into a shrewd and skilful politician. Major electoral advances were in rural Protestant areas. Nazis
gained support from agricultural labourers, farmers, peasants and landowners. The romantic idea of a folk
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community, coupled with promises to help farmers, seems to have been a vital factor in the growth of Nazi
support. The Nazis did less well in large cities and industrial areas where the workers remained loyal to
the Communist party. They did have support from small-scale craft workers who did not belong to trade
unions. In November 1932 those who opposed the Nazis represented 63% of the German electorate. Also,
the Nazis lost 2 million votes and had clearly passed their peak. Even so, the growth of the Nazi Party’s
electoral support was a significant factor in Hitler’s rise to power because it placed the Nazi leader in a very
good position to lead a right-wing authoritarian government. By turning the Nazi Party into the most popular
German political party, the voters had helped Hitler to put pressure on Hindenburg to make him Chancellor
in January 1933.
The new government was dominated by the conservative old guard, Alfred Hugenberg, leader of the
German National People’s Party, Franz von Papen was a former Chancellor and General Werner von Blomberg
was War Minister. Von Papen told a friend ‘in two months we’ll have pushed Hitler into a corner, and he can
squeal to his heart’s content’. The old guard underestimated Hitler’s political skills. Hitler intended to break
up the coalition and transform Germany into a one-party Nazi state.
Hitler’s very first act as German Chancellor was to call for fresh elections on 5 March 1933. Hitler expected
to win an outright majority. Large successful businesses donated 3 million marks to finance the Nazi
election campaign. The opposition parties faced an uphill struggle, the Communist Party meetings were
banned and the election rallies of the Social Democrats were broken up by the SA, which also disrupted
meetings of the Catholic Centre party. It was an extremely violent campaign with 50 anti-Nazis and 18 Nazis
killed in street clashes.
On 27 February 1933, the Reichstag building was burned down. The police were on the scene in minutes,
but did not call the fire brigade for a full half an hour. They arrested a young unemployed Dutch Communist,
Marinus van der Lubbe. Lubbe told the police he set fire to the building on his own initiative as a protest
against the Nazis using a few fire-lighters, a rolled-up newspapers and a box of matches. However,
some sources state that he created the fire in reaction to the ever-increasing unemployment percentage.
Whereas, some sources argue that it was Goring on behalf of the Nazi Party, to create a negative situation
towards the Communists.
It seems that Lubbe had no connection whatsoever to the German Communist Party, but was in contact
with SA extremists in the days leading to the fire. Goring later claimed that he was behind the whole thing,
but this was probably idle boasting to score brownie points. Generally, it is thought by most historians that
van der Lubbe acted alone. The political significance of the Reichstag Fire is more important than who
started it. Hitler used the fire as a convenient excuse to arrest all Communist Party leaders, and to introduce
a virtual state of martial law. He decided not to ban the Communist Party immediately in case their votes
switched to the Social Democrats in the forthcoming election. The day after the fire, Hitler issued a decree
for the ‘protection of the people and state’. This wide-ranging set of emergency powers allowed him to
suspend all individual and civil liberties, assume complete control of the individual state governments and
place all political opponents in ‘protective custody’. This emergency decree announced as a ‘temporary
measure’ stayed in force during the whole period of Nazi rule.
30 January 1933 marked the beginning of the Nazi seizure of power. Hitler avoided the mistakes he
made ten years previously, he needed to act politically and non-violently. As a result, he had achieved office
constitutionally with the support of the conservative establishment and army. How could he convert his
position in the Weimar constitution cabinet into a dictatorship in a one-party state? ‘The Nazi seizure of
power depended crucially on mass violence and intimidation for its success. Without the concentration
camps, there would have been no one-party state.’
The immediate impact of the Reichstag Fire on opposition parties was horrific. Hitler persuaded Papen to
appoint Herman Goring as Prussian Minister of the Interior, he enrolled the Brown Shirts as auxiliary police.
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The Brown Shirts went on numerous rampages, smashing trade union offices, beating up Communists and
breaking up Social Democratic meetings. The Reichstag Fire was seen as an opportunity that came to the
Nazis aid, suggesting that they were in trouble, consequently showing that the Reichstag Fire was a turning
point.
After all the propaganda, violent intimidation in which most rival political meetings were banned or broken
up, the Nazis still failed to achieve an overall majority in the elections. They used the conservative Nationalist
coalition partners to get over the 50% barrier. The fact the Nazi Party did not achieve a majority of the
German people’s votes shows that the Reichstag Fire did not have an immediate impact on the party.
The main aim of the election was to give Hitler enough votes in the Reichstag to put an end to parliamentary
democracy. The device Hitler used to create a one-party dictatorship was called the Law for the Alleviation
and Distress of people and Reich (the Enabling Act). On 23 March 1933, members of the Reichstag (except
those in the Communist Party who were not allowed to take their seats) were asked to turn all lawmaking
powers over to Hitler. The venue for the death of German democracy was the Kroll Opera House in Berlin.
Only Social Democrats had the courage to vote against the Enabling Act, which passed with 441 for and 84
against. Hitler addressed the Social Democrats ‘You are no longer needed. I do not even want you to vote
for the Enabling Act. Germany shall become free but not through you. Do not mistake us for the bourgeoise.
The star of Germany is in the ascendant, yours is about to disappear. Your death knell has sounded.’ The
passing of the Enabling Act freed Hitler from any legal restraint from the Reichstag, the president and the
voters. It was a significant move on the road towards dictatorship.
The Social Democrats were reluctant to co-operate with a party whose deviousness they rightly feared.
Parliamentary organisations fought hard against the Nazis in the streets. However, they were no match
for the army that supported Hitler. By February the Storm Troopers were 750,000 men strong. The Social
Democrats wanted to avoid bloodshed and stayed true to their law-abiding traditions. The Communists
did not rise up as they believed Nazism was the last gasp of a declining capitalist system that would
collapse and open the way to a proletarian revolution. A general strike was extremely unlikely because
unemployment was high at 35% and striking workers would have been replaced by desperate unemployed
people wanting to rescue themselves and their families from poverty. the Nazis had created a dependency
cycle where the German people had to conform in order to survive. This shows that democracy had died.
To conclude, the rise of Nazism could be explained by the quote ‘The Reichstag Fire Decree and the
Enabling Act were used to dismiss supposed enemies of the state, meaning enemies of the Nazis.’
This shows that the Reichstag Fire was a tipping point in the rise to Nazi power as they manipulated the
situation. However, other historians have suggested that the turning point in Hitler’s fortunes came with the
Depression. Others have said it was the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles. This would make the
Reichstag Fire insignificant in relation to the rise of the Nazis. Historians are mainly concerned as to whether
Van der Lubbe acted alone or whether the arson was planned and ordered by the Nazis, rather than the
impact on the German country.
1926 words
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5.3 Accreditation sample B
Was Al Capone an important figure in American history?
In this essay I am going to explain ways in which Al Capone was an important figure in American history
but I will also explain that there are ways in which he is not that important. I think overall he was not all that
important and I will be trying to show why this is the case.
Al Capone was a gangster in Chicago during Prohibition in the 1920s where he was involved in bootlegging
alcohol when it was illegal. He ended up controlling large parts of the Chicago underworld. His gang was
responsible for a massive increase in crime including murder, prostitution and rigging elections. This was
at the time of Prohibition – a ban on the manufacture, transportation and sale of all intoxicating liquor. Al
Capone created a huge illegal liquor trade and many new methods to trade alcohol were introduced such
as bootlegging, smuggling and the speakeasies. There were more speakeasies than there had been saloon
bars in 1919 before Prohibition. So Al Capone’s impact is clear.
There were also ways in which he helped people. In 1929 after the Wall Street Crash he opened soup
kitchens for the poor and made shopkeepers give the poor clothes and food. So he was a bit of a ‘Robin
Hood’ figure. So in all kinds of ways he was having an important effect on people’s lives. However, Al
Capone did not invent gangsters in America. There were gangs before him and in other American cities
such as the Philadelphia Mafia. Many of them originated from the Italian Mafia. Prohibition and the illegal
alcohol trade that it caused led to gangsters and in many of the major cities in the USA Al Capone did not
create gangsters by himself. In fact he started out by working for Johnny Torrio in his Five Points Gang and
helped him take over the criminal empire of Big Jim Colosimo. So there were already plenty of other gangs.
But Al Capone took it all to new heights.
Frederick Lewis Allen said in 1931 that ‘Al Capone had discovered that there was big money in the newly
outlawed liquor business.’ Capone was at his most important during Prohibition when his activities led to an
enormous increase in crime. Paul Sann has said that ‘his authority was so great it could not be measured’.
This is one reason why Al Capone is significant – because he was crucial to the rise of organised crime and
violence during Prohibition. He controlled speakeasies, gambling houses, brothels, horse and race-tracks,
nightclubs, bookies, distilleries and breweries and controlled many of the important politicians in Chicago.
At one time he was earning $100,000,000 a year. In these ways he was having an influence on the lives
of many people. In 1928 there were twice as many murders in Chicago than in New York so this shows
you his impact. Capone brought other gangsters under his control by murdering rival gangsters like in the
St Valentine Day’s Massacre in 1929. After this he became Public Enemy Number 1 in Chicago, showing
his importance. The massacre shows Al Capone’s importance in other ways. He was an important factor in
increasing opposition to Prohibition. The photographs of the murdered men lying on top of each other were
published in America. The brutality of the attack highlighted how Prohibition had led to an increase in crime
and increased gang activity. This made Americans aware of the need to repeal Prohibition and increased
support leading to its final repeal in 1933.
Al Capone was also important because he completely controlled Cicero which was part of Chicago. He
had his own mayor appointed and he could do what he wanted. Al Capone’s murders and illegal activities
went unstopped because of intimidation of witnesses and the fact that gangsters would not testify against
each other. Al Capone was also able to bribe trade union leaders, police, lawyers, judges and Senators. This
shows how much power he had.
Elmer Gertz, a lawyer in Chicago, said in the 1920s, ‘Prohibition taught America disrespect for the law.’
This supports the argument that Al Capone was important in causing the repeal of Prohibition. The illegal
trade in alcohol that Al Capone set up, and the gangs and the crime that followed it, convinced people
that Prohibition was not working and that it should be repealed. Al Capone also caused much corruption
in American society. He spent over $75 million on bribing prohibition agents, policemen and judges and
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had Bill Thompson, the mayor of Chicago in his pocket. A journalist wrote at the time that ‘Ten years ago a
dishonest policemen was a rarity. Now the honest ones are pointed out as rarities’. This shows Al Capone’s
impact on American society and also shows why people wanted to end Prohibition – to end corruption.
When Hoover increased the spending on agents to try and reduce bribery, a Democrat Senator, Robert
Wagner, said ‘Why heap more sacrifice on the altar of hopelessness?’ This shows that Prohibition was
repealed because of the corruption caused by Al Capone.
However, it could be argued that Al Capone was not so important because there were other reasons why
Prohibition was repealed. The main reason for this was the Depression. This followed the Wall Street Crash
in October 1929. There were economic problems all over the country, firms went bankrupt, lots of people lost
their savings and millions of people became unemployed. In 1933 14 million people were unemployed. This
was 25% of America’s labour force. This shows that new jobs were desperately needed and this was a strong
reason for the repeal of Prohibition. Legalising alcohol would create jobs in the manufacture, production,
sale and transportation of alcohol. Legalising alcohol would also provide the government with a huge income
from taxation. Prohibition had lead to a huge loss of money for the government because it was all going into
illegal hands. During Prohibition $2,000 million worth of business was transferred from the brewing industry
and bars to bootleggers and gangsters and the government was losing tax on all of this. The Government
was in desperate need of money and repealing Prohibition would lead to jobs for people and taxes for the
government at a time when they were both badly needed because of the Depression. So Al Capone was not
all that important in bringing about the end of Prohibition because there were other reasons for it.
There are other reasons for arguing that Al Capone was not all that important and powerful. When the
corrupt mayor of Chicago, William ‘Big Bill’ Hale Thompson, decided that Capone was bad for his political
image he had Capone run out of town. When this happened Capone found that he was very unpopular and
he had trouble in finding somewhere else to live. He ended up having to buy somewhere in Florida because
there were so many places that would not have him. This shows that his power was not all that great.
In 1931 he was found guilty of tax evasion and was in prison until 1939. While he was in prison his influence
quickly died away. When he was in Alcatraz his contact with his men outside was cut off. Security was
tight and he had no contact at all with the outside world. This meant that he was no longer able to run his
criminal organisation and so his importance declined. This was made worse in 1934 after Prohibition was
repealed. This meant that his illegal activities could no longer make money. All of this soon destroyed his
wealth and his power in Chicago. He also became an ideal prisoner because he wanted to earn time off
for good behavior and this did not do much for his reputation as a major criminal. All this shows that his
importance was not that great because it did not last long after he was imprisoned. If he had been a very
important and powerful figure his influence might have carried on despite him being in prison but America
moved on and forgot him. When he came out of prison he was a broken man and he had no power at all.
But there is another reason for arguing that he was important. This is because he has lived on in films and
books. Alexander Bakshy wrote in 1931 that ‘Gangsters and racketeers play so prominent a part in the
American life of today that it would be little short of a miracle if their exploits were ignored by the movies.’
He was right. Al Capone is now known as one of the most famous criminals of American history and he has
been used as the model for gangsters in lots of films. They are all based on how he dressed and acted. He
has been the main character in famous films like The Untouchables and The St Valentine’s Day Massacre.
This had made him an important part of American culture. When people think of America in the 1920s, they
often think of Al Capone. In this way he has become a symbol of America at that time. So his influence has
lived on after his death and this makes him very important indeed.
In conclusion I think there is a good case for arguing that Al Capone was not a very important figure in
American history. He did change the lives of many American people in the 1920s through his activities
running speakeasies, brothels and breweries and he increased the amount of crime and violence in
Chicago enormously. He was also involved in the politics of the city. However, there were other gangsters
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
and Al Capone did not cause it all. It was all caused by the introduction of Prohibition and if it had not
been Al Capone it would have been another gangster running things in Chicago. He didn’t even start the
gangsterism as he started working for Johnny Torrio and his gang. Al Capone did not actually introduce
any thing new or cause any new developments. It is also important to remember that Al Capone’s power
quickly disappeared when he went into prison. When he was in Alcatraz he quickly lost control of his
criminal organisation and became a nobody. This shows that his importance did not last very long. He was
not the reason why Prohibition failed. This was repealed because of the Depression and the unemployment.
However, there is one way that he did stay important for a long time and that is through books and films.
Films are still made about him today and in 1987 the film The Untouchables, starring Robert De Niro, made
$76 million dollars in America. This shows that Al Capone has lived on long after his death and is one way
in which he is still important. Overall, Al Capone’s importance was not very deep and did not last long apart
from in books and films.
1812 words
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Cambridge IGCSE® coursework assessor accreditation
Cover Sheet
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Please complete this form in BLOCK CAPITALS.
Centre Number
Centre Name
Teacher’s Name
Contact email
Declaration of authenticity
I have read and understood the training materials and certify that the evidence submitted with this
form is my own original work.
Signed
Date
(DD/MM/YY)
Name
Return this form to
Cambridge IGCSE Accreditation Coordinator (EDM),
Cambridge International Examinations,
Cambridge Assessment DC10
Hill Farm Road
Whittlesford
Cambridge
CB22 4FZ
Save a copy of all forms submitted, for your own records.
Scanned copies of your forms and any other work that forms part of your application can also be emailed to
info@cie.org.uk with ‘IGCSE Teacher Accreditation’ in the subject line.
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Accreditation Mark Sheet 1
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Coursework titles
Coursework title 1:
Explanation of how title is appropriate:
Coursework title 2:
Explanation of how title is appropriate:
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Accreditation Mark Sheet 1 (continued)
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Coursework titles
Coursework title 3:
Explanation of how title is appropriate:
Coursework title 4:
Explanation of how title is appropriate:
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Accreditation Mark Sheet 2
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Please copy Accreditation Samples A and B, write marginal comments on each sample and return the
annotated answers with the cover sheet and all mark sheets to Cambridge at the address indicated.
Please write summative comments below.
Summative comments on Accreditation Sample A
Level
Mark
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Section 5: How to become an accredited coursework assessor
Accreditation Mark Sheet 2 (continued)
Cambridge IGCSE History (0470)
Summative comments on Accreditation Sample B
38
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Level
Mark
Appendices
Appendices
Appendix 1: The generic mark scheme
Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
Appendix 3: The Individual Candidate Record Card
Appendix 4: The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
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Appendices
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Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Appendix 1: The generic mark scheme
Appendix 1: The generic mark scheme
Level
Level 5
Level 4
Level 3
Marks
Description
•
Candidates demonstrate and select and effectively deploy relevant and
accurate contextual knowledge.
•
Candidates select a wide range of relevant information which is wellorganised and deployed effectively.
•
Candidates demonstrate excellent understanding of the significance
of the key features, reasons, results or changes of societies, events,
beliefs, people and situations studied with good awareness of the
importance of interrelationships and the broad context.
•
Candidates consistently produce relevant, effective, convincing and
well-supported arguments and judgements.
•
Candidates produce conclusions that are entirely consistent with the
rest of the answer and are effectively supported.
•
Candidates demonstrate and select and effectively deploy mostly
relevant and accurate contextual knowledge.
•
Candidates select a range of relevant information which is generally
well-organised and effectively deployed.
•
Candidates demonstrate a good understanding of the significance
of the key features, reasons, results or changes of societies, events,
beliefs, people and situations studied with good awareness of the
broad context.
•
Candidates demonstrate some understanding of interrelationships in
the period studied.
•
In several places, candidates produce relevant, effective, convincing
and well-supported arguments and judgements.
•
Candidates produce conclusions that are argued and supported.
•
Candidates demonstrate and select some relevant contextual
knowledge and deploy it appropriately to address the question in
several parts of the answer.
•
Candidates select and organise mostly relevant information which is
sometimes deployed relevantly.
•
Candidates demonstrate a reasonable understanding of the key
features, reasons, results or changes of societies, events, beliefs,
people and situations studied with some awareness of the broad
context.
•
Candidates produce structured descriptions and some reasonable
explanations.
•
Candidates make some comparisons or links.
•
Candidates produce conclusions that are based on basic explanations
with some support.
36–40
27–35
18–26
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Appendix 1: The generic mark scheme
Level 2
42
•
Candidates demonstrate some limited contextual knowledge.
•
Candidates select and organise some relevant information. This is
deployed relevantly on a few occasions.
•
Candidates describe or narrate some relevant key features, identifying
and describing some reasons, results and changes of societies, events,
beliefs, people and situations studied but with limited awareness of
the broad context.
•
Candidates demonstrate some ability to structure descriptions or
narratives.
•
Candidates attempt some obvious comparisons or links.
•
Candidates assert relevant conclusions but these are not explained or
supported.
•
Candidates demonstrate little relevant contextual knowledge.
•
Candidates demonstrate limited ability to select and organise
information.
•
Candidates describe or narrate a few relevant key features. The work
contains a little relevant information but this is not deployed relevantly
in terms of answering the question.
•
Candidates submit no evidence or do not address the question.
9–17
Level 1
1–8
Level 0
0
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Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
These activities do not necessarily have to be used exactly as they are. They do not all cover content
relevant to IGCSE History. However, they can be adapted to be used with other content examples.
Activity A: Great people
Lists like the 100 ‘Greatest Britons’ list could be used. For example, the top ten on the list could be looked at
with candidates researching some of them online (where the rest of the list can also be found). Candidates
could use criteria to discuss how far they agree with the list. Other countries have produced similar lists
(several can be found online).
These could be compared with the ‘Great Britons’ list. There is also a 100 ‘Worst Britons’ list online.
Issues for discussion:
Are the individuals significant in different ways?
How far does the list reflect when the poll was taken? Would a different list have been produced e.g.
100 years ago?
What changes would the candidates make to the list?
How do lists from other countries differ – more women, different types of people?
If candidates could add events, ideas and sites to the list, which ones would they choose?
Are individuals more important than events, ideas or sites?
From 100 Greatest Britons published by the BBC in 2002
Sir Winston Churchill, (1874–1965), statesman and orator, Prime Minister during Second World War and
winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, (1806–1859), engineer, creator of Great Western Railway and other significant
works
Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), first wife of HRH Charles, Prince of Wales (1981– 1996) and mother
of Princes William and Harry of Wales
Charles Darwin (1809–1882), naturalist, originator of the theory of evolution through natural selection and
author of On the Origin of Species
William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English poet and playwright, thought of by many as the greatest of all
writers in the English language
Sir Isaac Newton (1643–1727), physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher and alchemist,
regarded by many as the greatest figure in the history of science
Queen Elizabeth I of England (1533–1603), Monarch, (reigned 1558–1603)
John Lennon (1940–1980), musician with The Beatles, philanthropist, peace activist, artist
Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson (1758–1805), naval commander
Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658), Lord Protector
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Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
The Greatest American, 2005
Ronald Reagan – 24%
Abraham Lincoln – 23.5%
Martin Luther King, Jr. – 19.7%
George Washington – 17.7%
Benjamin Franklin – 14.9%
George W. Bush
Bill Clinton
Elvis Presley
Oprah Winfrey
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Billy Graham
Thomas Jefferson
Walt Disney
Albert Einstein
Thomas Alva Edison
John F. Kennedy
Bob Hope
Bill Gates
Eleanor Roosevelt
Lance Armstrong
Muhammad Ali
Rosa Parks
The Wright Brothers
Henry Ford
Neil Armstrong
Activity B: Minor and great events?
To get your learners to understand the historical significance of events, ideas and actions, ask them to
compare seemingly minor and great events and consider if they are equally important to history. Here’s an
example.
(a) At Stalybridge in 1850, a seller of gingerbread was deliberately kicked to death as a result of some petty
dispute.
(b) At Sarajevo in 1914, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary was assassinated by a Serbian
nationalist, Gavrilo Princip.
Two individuals were killed. Both had their lives cut short and were mourned by friends and family. Are they
equally important to history?
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Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
The Boston Tea Party (1773) and Peterloo (1819) massacres involved the deaths of very few
people.
Why should they be considered relevant topics for study?
Activity C: Using past learning
Introductory exercises can be usefully based on textbooks. The indexes or contents of such books can be
examined. You might ask your learners the following:
•
which individual, events or ideas are mentioned most often?
•
does this vary from book to book?
•
are there important people, events or ideas missing?
•
how much attention is paid to (for example) scientific ideas?
Other tasks you might set your learners, to give them experience in justifying and defending their choices,
could take the form of the following questions.
(a) Reviewing a period you have studied, choose the four most significant events in the unit you have just
covered.
Or
(b) From the following list, choose the four events that you think were most significant and give reasons for
your choices.
•
The assassination of Franz Ferdinand
•
The First World War
•
The Treaty of Versailles
•
The Munich Putsch
•
The World Depression
•
The Nazi-Soviet Pact
•
The American entry into the Second World War
•
The Cuban Missile Crisis
•
The uprising in Hungary in 1956
•
The fall of the Berlin Wall
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Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
Activity D: Explanation cards
Another method of explaining why an event is historically significant is to use a list or set of cards for group
work from which learners have to choose the three best explanations of significance. This could include
some ‘dummies’ (or less likely explanations). Learners have to select the more likely explanations from the
list and be able to explain their choices.
Why was the Great Fire of London a significant event in history?
(a) More hygienic housing meant that London never suffered a Plague again. Lessons were learned for
other towns and cities.
(b) People learned how to make better use of their natural resources. The Fleet River was less polluted and
water was used more effectively for fire-fighting.
(c) It showed the need for a proper fire brigade and also for house insurance schemes.
(d) 51 new churches were built, many by the architect Christopher Wren, including a new St Paul’s built
between 1675 and 1710.
(e) The newly built London was better placed for its role as a commercial centre with the growth of banking
and trade.
(f) More permanent buildings were erected, showing the value of red brick and stone replacing the old
timber buildings. These had better fire-proofing.
(g) Wren had plans to create a planned city with wide streets and more elegant buildings, but these were
not to be as the need for rapid rehousing meant that the old street system was retained. London missed
a great opportunity to build a modern new city. Had they followed Wren’s plans, there might have been
fewer traffic problems today. Note the lack of vision and the effect of individual self-interest which
hampered progress.
(h) Through the primary evidence of the time, such as Pepys’ diary, we can learn about how people
organised themselves in a crisis.
(i)
Catholics were accused of starting it. This showed how rumour and false information can be used by
propagandists for a particular cause. This tells us a lot about the society and politics at the time.
Why is the study of the slave trade important?
(a) It explains how black people came to live on the American Continent.
(b) It explains how cotton was produced cheaply for the new machines and factories
(c) It helps us make our own minds up about what we think of slavery.
(d) It helps us to understand why there was a civil war in the USA.
(e) It shows how money from the slave trade created most of Liverpool’s banks, which provided loans for
the development of railways, mines and factories.
(f) It helps us to understand what motivated people like the abolitionists worked to bring an end to the
slave trade and then slavery itself.
(g) It makes us think about how black people were treated and how the traders and slave owners tried to
justify what they did.
46
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
(h) It helps us to understand how public opinion can be used to bring about change – use of pamphlets,
poems, pottery, petitions, public meetings and speeches.
(i)
It helps us to understand the role of the Evangelical movement, the Quakers and the humanitarian
movements of the 18th and early 19 th centuries.
(j)
It helps us to understand how people could make a lot of money by using a cheap labour force bound by
law not to run away (slaves and mill apprentices).
(k) It helps to explain the background to the Civil Rights movement in the USA and the underprivileged
position of black people in America and Europe.
(l)
It helps us to understand further words such as freedom, liberty, profit, cheap labour, humanitarianism.
Why was the Black Death an important even in history?
Task 1: Study each of the eight explanations carefully and then place each one into the following
five categories.
Categories
I.
Explanation of other events in history.
II. Understanding historical vocabulary.
III. Helping us to decide what we think is right and wrong.
IV. Understanding how and why people did what they did.
V. Understanding the meaning of evidence.
Explanations
1.
It helped to bring about the end of the Feudal System.
2. It led to the decline of the monasteries – monks were particularly hard hit – easier to take away their
lands.
3. It encouraged increased criticism of some people in the church (though not of its teachings) as it was
difficult to replace educated priests.
4. It led to disputes of lands which increased the quarrels between the barons themselves and also the
King and reduced his control and respect in which he was held.
5. It shows how people’s explanations of the causes of events are affected by the ideas, beliefs and the
knowledge of that time.
6. It showed the extent of trade routes in the fourteenth century.
7.
It led to many deserted villages, the extent of which has only been discovered since the use of aerial
photography.
8. It showed the contribution of economic factors to changes in history: e.g. wages rise if there are fewer
workers; prices rise if fewer goods are available.
Task 2: Which three of the above five categories do you think are the most important?
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
47
Appendix 2: Ideas for teaching ‘significance’
48
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Co
Appendix 3: The Individual Candidate Record Card
ur
se
wo
rk
HISTORY
Individual Candidate Record Card
Cambridge IGCSE
Please read the instructions printed overleaf and the General Coursework Regulations before completing this form.
Centre Number
Candidate Number
Brief description of assignment
Centre Name
June/November
Candidate Name
Teaching Group/Set
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Marks to be transferred to Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Assessment
objective 2
(max 25 marks)
0
1
5
TOTAL
Ha
nd
bo
ok
TOTAL
(max 40 marks)
WMS321
0470/03/NCW/I/15
49
Appendix 3: The Individual Candidate Record Card
Tra
ini
ng
Assessment
objective 1
(max 15 marks)
2
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
1. Enter the information required at the head of the form.
2. Mark the coursework assignments for each candidate according to instructions given in the syllabus.
3. Enter the marks awarded and the total marks for each assessment objective in the appropriate boxes. Complete any other sections of the form
required.
4. Ensure that the addition of marks is independently checked.
It is essential that the marks of candidates from different teaching groups within each Centre are moderated internally. This means
that the marks awarded to all candidates within a Centre must be brought to a common standard by the teacher responsible for co-ordinating
the internal assessment (i.e. the internal moderator), and a single valid and reliable set of marks should be produced which reflects the relative
attainment of all the candidates in the coursework component at the Centre. The outcome of internal moderation, in terms of the number of marks
added to or subtracted from the initial total, must be clearly shown when marks are transferred onto the Coursework Assessment Summary Form.
5. Transfer the marks to the Coursework Assessment Summary Form. Follow the instructions given on the back of that document.
7. Keep all Individual Candidate Record Cards and coursework, as these will be required for external moderation. Further detailed instructions
about external moderation will be sent in late March of the year of the June examination and in early October of the year of the November
examination. See also the instructions on the Coursework Assessment Summary Form.
Note: These record cards are to be used by teachers only for students who have undertaken coursework as part of their Cambridge IGCSE.
Appendix 3: The Individual Candidate Record Card
50
The Individual Candidate Record Card
Instructions for completing the Individual Candidate Record Card
Appendix 4: The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Co
ur
HISTORY
Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Cambridge IGCSE
se
Please read the instructions printed overleaf and the General Coursework Regulations before completing this form.
Centre Number
Candidate
Number
Candidate Name
wo
rk
Centre Name
June/November
Teaching Group/
Set
Assessment
objective 1
(max 15 marks)
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Name of teacher completing this form
Signature
Name of internal moderator
Signature
WMS324
Total Mark
(max 40 marks)
0
1
5
Internally
Moderated Mark
(max 40 marks)
Ha
nd
bo
ok
Date
Date
0470/03/CW/S/15
51
Appendix 4: The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Tra
ini
ng
Assessment
objective 2
(max 25 marks)
2
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
A. Instructions for completing the Coursework Assessment Summary Form
1. Enter the information required at the head of the form.
2. List the candidates so that their details can be easily transferred to the computer-printed Coursework Mark Sheet, MS1, at a later stage (i.e. in candidate
index number order; see B.1 below for more detail). Show the teaching group or set for each candidate – this can be done using the teacher’s initials.
3. Transfer each candidate’s marks from his or her Individual Candidate Record Card to this form as follows:
•
In the columns for individual skills or assignments, enter the marks awarded before internal moderation took place.
•
In the column headed ‘Total Mark’, enter the total mark awarded before internal moderation took place.
•
In the column headed ‘Internally Moderated Mark’, enter the total mark awarded after internal moderation took place.
4. Both the teacher completing the form and the internal moderator (or moderators) must check the form and complete and sign the form where indicated.
B. Procedures for external moderation
1. Cambridge will send a computer-printed Coursework Mark Sheet, MS1, to each Centre in late March (for the June examination) and in early October (for
the November examination). MS1 will list the names and index numbers of each candidate.
2. Transfer each candidate’s total internally moderated mark from the Coursework Assessment Summary Form to MS1.
3. MS1 is in two parts; return the top copy to Cambridge as soon as possible, using the envelope provided. Deadlines for return are:
• 30 April
(for the June examination)
• 31 October
(for the November examination).
4. Cambridge will select a number of candidates whose work is required for external moderation. When you receive the list of selected candidates, send
to Cambridge:
•
the candidates’ coursework
•
their Individual Candidate Record Cards
•
the relevant Coursework Assessment Summary Form
•
the second copy of the form MS1
•
a copy of the coursework instructions given by you to candidates
•
information on how you undertook internal moderation.
5. On all forms returned, those candidates selected for external moderation must be indicated by an asterisk (*).
Note: Cambridge reserves the right to request further samples of coursework as part of the external moderation process.
Appendix 4: The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
52
The Coursework Assessment Summary Form
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
53
54
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
Cambridge IGCSE History CTH
55
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