Higher Essay Feedback
 Good written style
Thorough understanding of the topic
Good use of HOWEVER….
Thoughtful – clear signs that you’ve thought
about structure
• Follow the structure you outline in your intro
• Topic sentence – keeps you focused.
• Use evidence to back up your argument. Not
good enough to say ‘the Labour reforms to
deal with squalor were/were not successful.’
• Mini conclusion at the end of each paragraph.
• Linking sentence
Other Tips…
• Read the question and decide what it is it’s
asking you to do – TOPIC and TASK
TOPIC – event/person/time period
TASK – what you have to do – make a decision
or a judgement about the topic.
Introduction
• Most important part of an essay.
• Clear indication of the route you intend to
take – introduce the points in the order you
will discuss them.
• Set the essay title in context (no more than
two or three sentences).
• Your intro should act as a guide – refer back to
it when writing the main body to make sure
you’re on task.
• It is worth writing and learning a context for
each topic.
• When writing an into roughly number each
point you will develop further – this will show
how many paragraphs you will have.
(REMEMBER to rub out when you’re finished!)
Main Body - Development
• Separate paragraph for each main point outlined
in your intro.
• Accurate and relevant info.
• TOPIC SENTENCE – indicates what the rest of the
paragraph will be about.
• Clear links that make the paragraphs relevant to
the overall title – use words from the title.
e.g. The Labour reforms to deal with the problem of
‘squalor’ were successful to a certain extent.
ANALYSIS
• Avoid too much narrative (story telling) for the
sake of it.
• Use the knowledge to answer the question
directly.
• For top marks we want to see a balanced
argument, showing an awareness of different
historical points of view. (You do not need to
include Historians’ names and quotes).
• Use the word BECAUSE.
e.g. The National Insurance Act was successful
because…
The introduction of the NHS in 1948 was not
successful because…
Conclusion
•
•
•
•
Provides the final part of your structure mark.
It must be balanced.
Summarise your arguments.
Arrive at an overall judgement clearly relating
to the question (use the wording of the
question!)
• In conclusion….provide a general answer to
the question.
• On one hand…summarise one point of view.
• On the other hand…summarise the opposing
point of view.
• Overall…write an overall judgement based on
the point you think is most important.
Practice Essay – The Liberals
You will either be asked a question relating to
WHY the Liberal Government of 1906-1914
introduced a range of social reforms.
OR..
How successful these reforms were in dealing
with poverty.
How far was concerns over poverty
the main reason for the Liberal
government’s decision to introduce
social reforms between 1906 and
1914?
How successfully did the Liberal
reforms 1906-1914 deal with the
problem of poverty?