AQA AS HISTORY – HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR EXAM ANSWERS
UNIT 2 ONLY
STRUCTURING YOUR ANSWER:
You should write two paragraphs and a conclusion, don’t worry about an introduction, go straight into the first paragraph
identifying differences. When you have summarised and or quoted from one you need to show how opinions / views are
different in the other source. If at this point you are able to state how different they are it will help to solidify your conclusion.
It is essential that you embed own knowledge to show a good understanding of the question. Try to weave it in amongst the
discussion about the quotes from the sources rather than bolting it on at the end.
The second paragraph should be much the same, but instead should be showing similarities.
When you conclude you must ensure that you agree with the evidence that you have found and explain how far the sources
agree/disagree with one another. You can use a scale of words such as strongly/mostly/moderately/slightly.
USEFUL WORDS/PHRASES TO USE:
Differences: Whereas; However; In contrast
Similarities: Similarly; Supporting this
ADVICE FOR THE EXAM:
Maximum time to spend on this question – 15 minutes.
You should ensure that you have two highlighters to identify the similarities in one colour and the differences in another colour.
Doing this immediately gives you a clear essay plan and a quick and easy way to work out whether the sources are more
different or more similar, which is essential for answering the question properly.
THERE IS NO NEED TO:
-
Write an introduction
Quote an historian / name drop
AQA AS HISTORY – HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR EXAM ANSWERS
UNIT 2 ONLY
STRUCTURING YOUR ANSWER:
This question usually asks you to consider how far or how important an event or person was in relation to something, for
example: How far was the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 a threat to Henry VIII? For this you need to have a two sided argument
and a conclusion, so you could say in your first paragraph – yes the Pilgrimage of Grace was a threat to Henry and then in your
second paragraph, explain why it can also be seen as not being a threat to him. Like any essay you have got to make your point,
explain why it can be viewed in this way, and then support it with evidence. For this question in the exam specifically you must
ensure that your evidence is both from your own knowledge (specific facts and information) and from the sources (all of them),
when using the sources ensure you quote from them and state which source it is from.
USEFUL WORDS/PHRASES TO USE:
This is support by source X where is states “...”.
ADVICE FOR THE EXAM:
Maximum time to spend on this question – 30 minutes.
Try not to end a paragraph on a quote, it often then means that you’re letting the quote “speak for itself”, you must remember
that if you don’t back up evidence with a clear explanation then you won’t be getting the top end of the marks. This means that
for anything that is included as knowledge must be explicitly linked back to the question.
THERE IS NO NEED TO:
-
Quote an historian / name drop
AQA AS HISTORY – HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR EXAM ANSWERS
UNIT 1 and UNIT 2
STRUCTURING YOUR ANSWER:
You should write three paragraphs and a conclusion, don’t worry about an introduction, go straight into the first paragraph. As
the question is asking you to explain why an event occurred it is suggesting that there are various causes which are interlinked.
Before you start writing your answer out you must plan what you’re going to write. This is essential because you need to
consider what links your factors together, if one of your causes is the binding point of all three then it must be in your middle
paragraph. It is essential that you embed own knowledge to show a good understanding of the question, specific facts, names,
details are essential – vague hints at knowledge will not be good enough.
When you conclude you’re not looking to show what you consider to be the most important factor, instead you need to explain
if there’s one overarching thing that binds them all together.
USEFUL WORDS/PHRASES TO USE:
Supporting this, essentially, significant causes, overarching cause, an immediate cause, catalyst, trigger, long-term cause,
because.
ADVICE FOR THE EXAM:
Maximum time to spend on this question – 15 minutes.
Plan out in a mini diagram what you’re going to put down as each cause, add one or two facts to your plan for each part to
ensure you’ve got some detail, add what sort of cause you think it is, e.g. Catalyst, circle the binding cause and then you have
your whole essay planned – the circled part being your conclusion.
THERE IS NO NEED TO:
-
Write an introduction
Quote an historian / name drop
AQA AS HISTORY – HOW TO STRUCTURE YOUR EXAM ANSWERS
-
UNIT 1 and UNIT 2
STRUCTURING YOUR ANSWER:
This is your full on essay – Introduction, Main Paragraphs and a Conclusion.
The quote in the question is an interpretation – someone’s opinion. As it is a point of view and not a fact, there are going to be
other ways to view the event in the question. You should use this interpretation as the argument in your first paragraph. You
must explain why this interpretation could be true by supporting it with precise details – facts, names, events in relevant depth.
If you want the top marks you must include whether or not you believe in this interpretation within this paragraph.
Then consider another interpretation, as though you’re coming up with a quote of your own looking at the topic from another
point of view and do exactly as you’ve done in paragraph one. Depending on the question and the topic you may decide that
there is scope for a third paragraph. This is down to you to decide. The most important thing is to ensure that you don’t spend
all your time on only one paragraph, or only put in facts into one of them, this would restrict you and prevent you from
balancing your argument.
When you conclude, ensure that you agree with the opinion you’ve already expressed, and don’t contradict yourself. There is
no need to rewrite the essay in the conclusion, simply explain why the interpretation that you agree with is the one you prefer –
why is it more likely?
USEFUL WORDS/PHRASES TO USE:
Interpretation, Whilst the quote considers, this interpretation lacks, this is a point of view that I would subscribe to.
ADVICE FOR THE EXAM:
Maximum time to spend on this question – 30 minutes.
Underline the event / person in the question and then underline the key words behind the interpretation. Once you have this
done it’ll help to focus you on the topic. Do not go off on a tangent in the essay – it will not help! You must plan it before you
write – decide which factor you believe is the right interpretation, make that know as you write your essay and in your
conclusion.
THERE IS NO NEED TO
-
Name drop
Quote an historian