[pookie]

Hi, this is my first time and i dont have any specific questions as yet, but i was just wondering if there is anyone that can tell me the best way to go about answering a question. I always know what i want to say and know what information is required to answer the question but i seem to fall down on how i actually put it all together. Would be able to give me a few tips on what the history examiner will be looking for. Sorry i cant be more specific. Thankyou very much, pookie

[Mr S Drew]

Welcome Pookie!

This is a very good question to ask at this stage, as I am sure that you are not alone amongst Year 11s facing the examination in a few weeks time.

The general tips I give to my students on the basics of answering all GCSE History exam questions are:

1) Make sure you have read the question at least three times before you answer it. Break the question down in your head so that you are clear on exactly what the examiner is asking you.

2) Follow the instructions in the question. If it says refer to Sources X and Y - then do so. If it says "based on the sources in this exam paper", then you are expected to refer to specific sources.

3) Assume the need for a balanced answer for most things you are asked. History is almost never a one sided argument, so you will need to show both sides of the argument to get the best marks.

4) Focus on using some key words in your answers wherever possible. These include:

- because
- therefore
- this means that
- but
- my evidence for this is .....
- however
- judgement

If you are bulding your answers around this kind of language you are hitting the key point that the examiner will be looking for, namely explanation. Most exam markschemes work by levels. The higher the level you get, the more marks you get. The highest levels require you to have explained your ideas and evidence, not simply to have given the evidence.

5) As you write each piece of evidence down, or give each of your ideas ask yourself how exactly this answers the specific question you have been asked by the examiner. Make sure you explain how your evidence answers the question.

6) Focus on explaining why and how things happen. This is more important than simply saying what happened.

And finally my key piece of advice to my students, somewhat controversially is this:

"Assume that the examiner is a fool who knows and understands nothing about the topic you are studying. Because she / he is such a fool and knows nothing about the topic, you have to explain everything you put in your answer. You cannot take it for granted that the examiner will understand your evidence or your ideas because he / she is a fool. So if you do not explain everything that you write down then the examiner will not understand what you have written and will not give you the marks!" (Of course examiners are not fools, they are highly intelligent people, but if you imagine your examiner is a fool it will make you explain everything as fully as you can.)

A good example of this would be on the Medicine Through Time paper. A classic statement that many students make is the one about Galen getting things wrong about human anatomy because he dissected animals. Many students will correctly write:

"Galen had to dissect animals becuase he was banned from cutting up humans because of Roman religion."

Now this is correct, but the examiner is going to be sat there saying:

"But WHY did Roman religion ban dissection and HOW did this make Galen get it wrong about the human body?"

However if you write:

Galen could not dissect humans becuase Roman religious beliefs said that to cut up the human body was wrong as it would stop the body from being whole in the afterlife when the person was reborn. So Galen had to cut up dogs, pigs and monkeys. These animals do not have the same anatomy as humans, so Galen made mistakes about human anatomy such as claiming that the human jaw had two bones not one."

the examiner sits there saying:

"Ah! I understand fully why religion banned dissection and how Galen got it wrong. Full marks to this candidate!"

I hope this all of some help to you, I am sure some other teachers will post with other ideas.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR FINAL EXAM, and come back and ask for more help when you need it.

[pookie]

Thankyou very much Mr Drew!
I've been asking my history teacher for a while about technique but yours is the best advice i've had yet. I'll probably be posting again to ask more questions if thats ok. Thankyou again. Pookie