This post shows you how to answer the A Level History Source Questions that will make up a part of your exam. A Level History Source Questions follow different formulas across all three exam boards of AQA, Edexcel and OCR. However, the questions asked will always ask you to assess the value of sources to an historian, with regard to that particular topic and question. This means that the same skills and techniques are applicable for each source in terms of identification as well as analysis and judgement. Finally, the number of sources to deal with may also vary between one and four.
A level History Source Question Structure
Here you can see the perfect structure for analysing primary sources. This structure is to deal with one single source. From that source you want to pick out a minimum of 3 pieces of key information that can help you assess its value. This is represented by the line running down the illustration. These pieces of information should cover the content of the source as well as the provenance and tone and emphasis.
Of the different pieces of information that you pick out from the source, some should give it value, whilst others limit its value. This provides a balanced analysis of the source. At the same time your analysis will be decisive in assessing the source dependent upon whether there is more value or limitations associated with it. This assessment can be concluded in a final summary.
A Level History Source Questions – Important Further Advice
The above structure should give you an excellent basis for how to deal with any A Level History source. The following points are the most important ‘tips’, alongside common mistakes, in regard to primary sources.
Answer what the question is asking. Make sure you use the source(s) to actually answer what the question is asking. Often I see students not doing this. Focus on the value and limitations of the source(s) with regard to the topic area and the actual question asked. Specifically referring back to the question when talking through points can help you remain focused on this.
Pick a range of key information to assess value. You shouldn’t focus solely on the content of a source. Nor should you focus completely on the provenance and tone/emphasis. There will be value and limitations within many areas. Thus, when selecting information pick a wide range that best illustrates your assessment of the source.
Use your contextual knowledge. The mark schemes require you to demonstrate awareness of the historical context when assessing the value of sources. What contextual knowledge can you use to make inferences from the source and back up your judgements?
Don’t talk about what is not in the source, but focus on what you identify from within it. This is a very common mistake. We can’t limit a source by what is not in it. Every source is limited in this sense, because no source will contain every possible piece of information. Instead, look for limitations in the information that is actually there. E.g. – ‘this speech was given by a prominent supporter of economic reform in order to persuade others of his view.’ ‘this article was published by the state run newspaper to vilify the opposition’ etc.
How To Improve Further at A Level History
Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk
This post shows you how to answer the A Level History Extract Questions that will make up a part of your exam. A Level History Extract Questions follow the same formula across all three exam boards of AQA, Edexcel and OCR, though the questions asked will be formatted in a slightly different way. The number of extracts to deal with may also vary between two and three. However, fundamentally, the question will always ask you to assess how convincing you find the arguments in the extracts, with regard to that particular topic and question.
A level History Extract Question Structure
Here you can see the perfect structure for analysing extracts. This structure is to deal with one single extract. From that one extract you pick out three key arguments/views of the extract. This is represented by the line running down the illustration. You then support or challenge each of the three arguments/views using your own contextual knowledge.
The reason this structure works well is that it enables you to cover 3 of the arguments/views of the extract. You can then align these 2-1 or 1-2 in terms of supporting or challenging the extract. Your analysis of the extract is now balanced, both supporting and challenging. At the same time it is decisive in terms of assessing the arguments. Overall you will either be ‘supporting more’ or ‘challenging more’ how convincing the arguments are.
A Level History Extract Questions – Further Considerations
So we have now established an excellent structure to deal with any A Level History extract. The following points also merit consideration when dealing with extracts:
Do I have the contextual knowledge to back up my supporting or challenging? – You need to have adequate contextual knowledge to be able to support or challenge arguments. Try to pick out arguments from extracts that you have knowledge around.
Where have the historians overstepped the mark? – It is often the case that there is a degree of truth to arguments. However, the view maybe too definitive. Look for those definitive words (changeless, uniformly, exclusively, unresponsive etc) to potentially identify arguments that are overstepping the mark. These can provide great opportunities to challenge.
Do you want more information and a step by step guide to answering extract questions? Pass A Level History, gives you step by step video lessons, using examples, to show you exactly how to answer A Level History Extract Questions.
How To Improve Further at A Level History
Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk
This guide shows you how to plan, research and write A Level History Coursework for AQA using ideas, resources, examples and structure. This coursework is weighted in the following format. Assessment Objective One (AO1) 10% (20 marks), Assessment Objective Two (AO2) 5% (10 marks) and Assessment Objective Three (AO3) 5% (10 marks). For AQA coursework this gives a total of 20% (40 marks) divided as shown above across all three of the A Level History Assessment Objectives.
A Level History Coursework AQA – Ideas, Examples and Resources
Choosing an Issue and Question – You are required to identify an issue or topic that you wish to study and develop a question from this. This gives a broad scope for potential questions. There are however two specific requirements of the question.
The question must not duplicate any of the content that you are studying for examination assessment in components 1 and 2.
The question must place the issue or topic in the context of approximately 100 years of history.
Question Ideas, Example and Selection
There are two potential ways to ensure that you cover the 100 year requirement for this coursework. You could identify an issue and related question which traces development over approximately 100 years. Alternatively, you could focus on a narrower issue but place it in the context of a 100 year period. Lets look at a couple of examples below to make this clear.
Q1. Q. ‘Despite a period of unprecedented economic and social change, British women remained marginalised and downtrodden’. During the period 1760-1867, assess the validity of this view.– This is the perfect example of a broad issue and question from which you could analyse development over the time period.
Q2. In the context of the period 1905 to 2003, to what extent was the Cuban missile crisis the biggest turning point in the relationship between Russia and the USA? – This question highlights a more specific issue (the Cuban missile crisis) and places it in context of the relationship between the two countries over the c100 year period.
There are some key points to consider when selecting a question for your coursework.
Question formulation – Students are advised to use the type of question formulations seen in AQA examinations and shown in the examples above.
Historiographical debate – There needs to be a scholarly debate around the question or issue. This means differing views on the question from different historians. This makes it easier to select appropriate works to analyse and compare.
Primary sources – Is there a range of primary sources and primary material available to support the coursework? These primary resources need to be accessible to the student.
Coursework Resources
Library – school, local, college, university – you should be able to borrow appropriate works.
Teacher – your teacher should be able to provide you with copies of appropriate resources to use.
JSTOR – www.jstor.org – contains a large collection of journal articles from historical publications covering numerous topics. These will often engage in the historical debate by replying to opposing views.
Purchase Books – many second-hand books are available to purchase at very cheap prices through Amazon or similar sites.
A Level History Coursework AQA – Structure and Planning
First Section – Introduction to the question (c. 350 words)
Introduction to the overall topic. You need to put the question into context by providing relevant information regarding what was happening at the time. You then need to define any key terms in the question. For the British women example question above you would need to define ‘remained marginalised and downtrodden’.
This we could do by defining;
remained as showing continuity rather than change
marginalised as a group treated as insignificant and peripheral.
downtrodden as a group oppressed or treated badly by those in power.
You would then need to set-out valid criteria by which the question can be judged in order to provide an accurate answer. These criteria will go on to become your factors as you can see in the plan below.
For the British women example question, we could potentially use the following criteria to judge whether they remained marginalised and downtrodden. Did women’s lives change for the better, during the period, in the following different areas?
Socially and Culturally
Legally and Politically
Education and Work
Second Section – Historians Viewpoints (c. 800 words – 400 each)
In this section we look at the viewpoints of two different academic historians. In order to achieve the highest marks, Level 5 (9-10 Marks) we need to do the following:
Show a very good understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised in the question.
Convincingly evaluate the interpretations with reference to time, context and/or limitations placed on the historians.
Using the example Cold War question shown above, you could analyse the views of a US historian writing after the Cold War has ended, with a Soviet historian writing during the period. This would enable you to contrast the content of both works and evaluate the interpretations given. This would also show how the time period affected the works, how limitations affected the works, how purpose affected the works, amongst many other issues that help to explain the authors differing viewpoints.
Third Section – Factor 1 and Source 1 (c. 650 words Factor 1 and 350 words Source 1)
In this section you cover the first factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Socially and Culturally factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.
Level 5 (17-20) marks – Very good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years.
You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Socially and Culturally factor being covered here.
Fourth Section – Factor 2 and Source 2 (c. 650 words Factor 2 and 350 words Source 2 )
In this section you cover the second factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Legally and Politically factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.
Level 5 (17-20) marks – Very good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years.
You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Legally and Politically factor being covered here.
Fifth Section – Factor 3 and Source 3 (c. 650 words Factor 3 and 350 words Source 3)
In this section you cover the second factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Education and Work factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.
Level 5 (17-20) marks – Very good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years.
You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Education and Work factor being covered here.
Sixth Section – Overall Conclusion (c. 350 words)
In the final section you need to produce an overall conclusion that fully answers the coursework question. So for the British women question you would be answering ‘did they remain marginalised and downtrodden during this period?’. This will take into account everything you have considered throughout the piece of work including your criteria, the viewpoints of the academic historians, the primary sources and the factors that you have covered from your criteria. In reaching a final judgement and conclusion, you need to take into account the entire period considering continuity and change across it, as you should have done throughout the rest of the coursework.
A Level History Coursework AQA – Primary Source Analysis
Looking at the primary source mark scheme table from the AQA website can help you to understand the requirements. Firstly, you must ensure that three sources are used and that there are a minimum of two different types (can be two different types of written source). To achieve the highest marks you must then ensure that a range of relevant and well supported comments are made on the value of the sources. Finally, you must provide a balanced and convincing judgement on the merits of each source in relation to our question.
Assessing Your Primary Sources
Provenance – The five W’s of Who, Why, What, When, Where; can help you to identify the provenance of a primary source and assess its value or limitations.
Tone and Emphasis – How does the tone and emphasis impact the value of the source. Is it impartial, critical, formal, aggressive, empathetic, mocking, candid etc?
Content – What is the actual content of the source saying? How true is this in terms of your contextual knowledge? Is there value in the inaccuracies of the content?
Value/Limitations and Judgement – The above three points (Provenance, Tone and Emphasis and Content) can be used to assess how much we can learn from the source, by weighing up value and limitations, as well as giving judgement on the merit of the source.
How To Improve Further at A Level History
Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk
This guide shows you how to plan, research and write A Level History coursework for Edexcel using ideas, resources, examples and structure. This coursework is weighted towards Assessment Objective Three (AO3) 15% and Assessment Objective One (AO1) 5%. This makes it substantially different from coursework assessed under AQA or OCR. For Edexcel coursework, the focus is on differing interpretations of the past and analysis of them, alongside your own view of the events.
A Level History Coursework Edexcel – Ideas, Examples and Resources
Question Format – The question that you decide to answer for the Edexcel Coursework will always use the following template.
Historians have disagreed about [the chosen question, problem or issue].
What is your view about [the chosen question, problem or issue]?
Thus, we can see that there are two parts to this coursework:
Part 1 – dealing with the historian’s viewpoints which is (AO3) and worth 15%
Part 2 – your own viewpoint which is (A01) and worth 5%
Question Ideas, Example and Selection
There are two key points to consider when selecting a question, problem or issue for your coursework.
Is there enough debate around this question? – There needs to be a scholarly debate around the question or issue. This means differing views on the question from different historians. This makes it easier to select appropriate works to analyse and compare.
Can you access the appropriate resources? – You must use a minimum of three different key works as well as two supplementary works. Your three key works should hold opposing views about the question or issue. Let’s look at an example question to make this clear:
Historians have disagreed about the extent to which by 1924 the Russian people had exchanged one authoritarian regime for another. What is your view about the extent to which by 1924 the Russian people had exchanged one authoritarian regime for another?
View 1 – Tsarist Rule was more authoritarian. (C. Hill argues this)
View 2 – Bolshevik rule was more authoritarian. (R. Service argues this)
View 3 – The regimes were equally authoritarian. (R. Pipes argues this)
This is the ideal example of having three viewpoints that would be spread across the historiographical spectrum. This helps us to engage with the historical debate and hit the following criteria for the coursework:
analyse ways in which interpretations of the question or issue differ.
explain the differences you have identified.
evaluate the arguments, indicating which you found most persuasive and why.
You would then add to this a minimum of two supplementary works, (more is better) that would assist in helping you form your view and add weight to your analysis and arguments. Critically, you must be able to access all these resources to use them effectively in completing the coursework.
Coursework Resources
Library – school, local, college, university – you should be able to borrow appropriate works.
Teacher – your teacher should be able to provide you with copies of appropriate resources to use.
JSTOR – www.jstor.org – contains a large collection of journal articles from historical publications covering numerous topics. These will often engage in the historical debate by replying to opposing views.
Purchase Books – many second-hand books are available to purchase at very cheap prices through Amazon or similar sites.
A Level History Coursework Edexcel – How to Research and Write
Researching the Coursework – When researching our coursework we use the resource record form, which acts as a bibliography to the books, articles and online resources we are using. As we go through these resources we want to make notes that help us to identify the overall argument of the historian. Key quotes or passages should be noted down, alongside a reference. If we then use this material in our write up, we can add the appropriate footnote.
Writing the Coursework – When writing our coursework we need to be aware of the total word count as well as making sure that we hit all the assessment criteria. This means dividing up the 4000 words (maximum word count) effectively between the assessment criteria. An example structure to implement this is shown in the next section.
A Level History Coursework Edexcel – Structure and Planning
First Section – Introduction to the overall question and key works (c. 1000 words)
Introduction to the overall topic. You need to put the question into context by providing relevant information regarding what was happening at the time. You then need to define any key terms in the question.
Example from our question above – authoritarian regime would be defined as ‘a regime in which power is highly centralised and maintained regardless of popular support, with the use of repression and violence’.
Finally, you need to set out valid criteria by which the question can be judged.
Example from our question and definition above – we need to compare the Tsarist regime to the Bolshevik regime in terms of:
Centralisation of power.
Power maintained despite lacking popular support.
Power maintained through repression and violence.
You should now have a complete introduction to the topic (1 paragraph)
Introduction to the debate by placing each of the key works in the historiographical debate. You can also place your supplementary works on the historiographical line here. (1 paragraph)
Set out the arguments in extended detail from the three key works. What are the historians’ views on this question? (1 paragraph)
Show how the arguments from each of the key works differ or are like one another. (1 paragraph)
Summary of the views of the key works. (1 paragraph)
Second Section – Explaining why the key works differ from one another (c. 1000 words)
Introduction – You need to set out three valid criteria to explain why the key works differ. Why is it that the historians’ arguments differ? There are several different potential criteria that could be used here: When was the work written? What sources and evidence did they use? Have they defined the key terms of the question differently? Have they defined the criteria to answer the question differently? Do they have different scopes of enquiry? What is the purpose of the work? What is the historians background and view?
Example from our question – The historians have defined the key term to answer the question differently – C. Hill has focused on authoritarian being defined as lacking popular support. R. Service is more focused on authoritarian being defined through repression. R. Pipes is mostly focused on authoritarian being defined as a centralisation of power.
The historians have defined the key term ‘authoritarian’ differently. (1 paragraph)
Paragraphs – This is where you use the criteria set out from the introduction to this section. You want one paragraph per item of criteria that we are judging the key works on.
Example from our question – one paragraph regarding how the historians have defined the key term ‘authoritarian’ differently.
Then you need to consider the three works in terms of the criteria set out for that paragraph. Show why there are differences in the key works regarding that criteria and how that leads the historian to arrive at their interpretation. Use evidence to support your points. (3 paragraphs – 1 for each criterion)
Conclusion – Brief conclusion that offers a summary of why the key works are different. (1 paragraph)
Third Section – Your own viewpoint on the question (c. 1000 words)
Brief introduction of your own viewpoint and line of argument that will be taken, remembering to re-instate the criteria by which the question can be judged. (1 paragraph)
Paragraphs that set out your own view on the question. This is where you should be using the criteria set out in your introductions. You want one paragraph per item of criteria.
Example from our question – one paragraph regarding ‘centralisation of power’.
Then you need to bring evidence and analysis to assess the criteria being judged. You can also use the key works and the supplementary works in this section to help you. (3 paragraphs – 1 for each criterion)
Conclusion that reaches a judgement on the question and follows your line of argument that has flowed throughout. (1 paragraph)
Fourth Section – Evaluation and Judgement of the key works and of the question (c. 1000 words)
Go through each of the key works and make a judgement on how convincing and valid the arguments from the historians are compared to the criteria. (3 paragraphs – 1 for each key work)
Form an overall judgement on the question and an overall judgement on which of the key works is most convincing. These should broadly align together. (1 paragraph)
How To Improve Further at A Level History
Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk
Getting an A Level History essay structure right is by no means an easy task. In this post we will look at how we can build a structure from which our essay can develop.
Here you can see the most simplified essay structure for tackling A level History essays. All students should be familiar with this structure. We have broken the essay down into an introduction and conclusion as well as 3 separate parts of content. Running through the entire essay at the side is our line of argument. Whilst this may seem fairly simple, many students still fail to adequately follow this structure, when writing essay answers under exam conditions.
The reasons this structure works well is that it enables you to cover 3 different factors of content. These can be aligned 2-1 or 1-2 on either side of the argument. Your essay is now balanced (covering both sides of the argument), whilst at the same time being decisive in terms of your line of argument and judgement. It is also consistent with the amount you can write in the exam time given for (20-25) mark essay questions.
Expanded A level History Essay Structure
Let’s look at an expanded essay structure. Again, we have our introduction and conclusion as well as 3 separate parts of content. Now we can see that we have added whether or not each of our parts of content agrees or disagrees with the question premise. In order to have a balanced essay we can see on this example that; Content 1 agrees, Content 2 disagrees, and Content 3 can go either way. This overall A Level History essay structure ensures a balanced essay that also reaches judgement.
Furthermore, we have now broken down each individual part of Content/Factor. This can be seen as a mini essay in its own right. The Content/Factor is introduced and linked to the question as well as being concluded and linked to the question. Then we write 2 to 3 separate points within the body of the Content/Factor. We have 2 points that agree with the overall argument of this section of content. This strongly backs up our argument.
Then we can also potentially (this doesn’t have to be done always, but when done right creates a more nuanced analysis) add a third point that balances that particular section of content. However, it doesn’t detract from the overall argument of this factor/content. E.g. In the short term ‘point 3’ occurred but of much greater significance was ‘point 1’ and ‘point 2.’
How To Improve Further at A Level History
Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk
