Revision lecture Making of the Modern World
1. Purpose of lecture:
 Practicalities
 What does a MMW exam look like?
 Questions on content in revision seminars
 Most important advice: Don't panic!
2. Organisation
 Exam on 1 June at 2pm, Panorama Room (Rootes)
 Arrive at least 10 minutes before 2pm, you will be let in before 2pm. Check the seating plan
outside the room. Find your seat (number), wait for instructions, fill in paper slip, DO NOT
FORGET YOUR UNIVERSITY ID. Water bottle is allowed, NO MOBILE PHONES, NO
COMPUTERS, NO BAGS
 After announcements you are asked to look at the exam paper.
 In first few minutes Sarah Richardson will be there in case there are problems with the
questions
3. Writing the exam
 Read the questions carefully, choose the question which you are most comfortable with.
 You are not allowed to choose a question on which you have written an assessed short
essay or made an assessed presentation (in any module, not only in MMW). Ask
yourself: will my answer be partly identical with what I have written in a short essay
or said during a presentation. If the answer is yes, take another question.
 Make a plan: structure: Introduction – main part (argument) – conclusion.
 Do not give facts for their own sake, link them to the question.

Quotes are not necessary
 Write comparatively (temporal, geographical etc., topical) If you have problems, take a
deep breath, keep calm and carry on
 How much? No firm rule. Some write two or three pages, others 6, 7. It is the quality that
matters
 Important: line of argumentation, do you really answer the question? Knowledge and level
of reflection. We do not need to agree with you. Try to present different interpretations,
discuss also views, which you do not agree with, come up with your own conclusion or
explain why you find one interpretation more convincing than others.
 Time pressure: make sure that you write a sort of conclusion, you will be warned 10 or 15
minutes before the hour is up.
 Don't panic!
 After 1 hour, papers are collected and you leave the room in SILENCE as other students
may still be sitting exams
3. How do MMW questions look like and how to revise best?
 Look at previous exam papers (on MMW website), 2016 exam not fundamentally different
 Questions balanced across the year, some questions draw on knowledge from two or all
three terms
 Preparation: Look through all your lecture and seminar notes, to get an overview, then focus
on at least 4 weeks, better more
Good Luck!
If you have questions do not hesitate to contact me (sarah.richardson@warwick.ac.uk) or your
seminar tutor.