[Dutchcruijff10]

I need a bit of help here

We've got a ###### teacher and she's muddled things up I just need to know if this is right:-

Paper 1 Edexcel (3rd June) American West - About the American West

Paper 2 (3rd June 1 Hour) Medicine - This one I'm not sure about...What does this include? It includes source based questions and medicine up until the 20th century (Galen, traditional medicines, Harvey etc.). But does it also include medicine from the 20th century up until now? And does it include the nominated topic about Lister, Simpson etc.

Paper 3 (11th June 1 H 45) Medicine - Again, I'm not sure about this...This is the "source-based" paper but does it include the nominated topic in this one and is it about Medicine from the 20th century up until now...? (i.e. DNA, NHS)

Thanks
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[MrJohnDClare]

OK - first may I say that I do not teach this subject or this Board, and that - although I think you will find that I am correct - you must confirm the following with your own teacher as soon as possible.
Phone the school of necessary and get him/her to phone back.

There are two papers.
Paper 1 will be on 3 June morning.
It will last 2 hrs
It will consist of two questions on your Depth Study (American West in your case) and two questions on everything in your Development Study (Medicine Through Time in your case) except the topic identified as the nominated topic.

Paper 2 will be on 11 June afternoon.
It will last 1hr 45mins
It will consist of a set of sourcework+own knowledge questions based on the nominated topic, which is:

Quote

2009: Surgery: problems and approaches to their solution c1850-1950
• Tackling the problems of pain, infection and bleeding.
• Reasons for changes: new technology and scientific understanding.
• The role of key individuals: Lister and Simpson.

Does this sound right to you?
I have asked on the Teachers' forum for confirmation, so check back in a while also.


There is further advice about the exam on the Board's website, pages 2-16 of this document.

And there are various exemplar materials from the Board here, so you willbe able to see what is on which paper.

[Dutchcruijff10]

Yup, thanks alot.

But what do you mean by "two questions on everything in your Development Study (Medicine Through Time in your case) except the topic identified as the nominated topic." ?

[Ms Kirsopp]

Edexcel have two separate papers on June 3rd, one straight after the other. In the last two years it has been the American West paper given out first and when that is finished after 1 hour, it is collected and the Medicine paper is given out (again 1 hour exam). As Mr Clare says there are two full questions to ask on each paper, one includes some sources and the other is essay based.

On this Medicine paper you can be asked about anything from the Medicine through Time topic but it is unlikely that you will be asked anything that is the nominated topic for the paper on June 11th. However, you could be asked about surgery from an earlier/later period than 1850-1950 or be expected to have this knowledge and be able to use it as part of an answer. You can also be asked about any other aspect of Medicine during this period e.g. public health.

The Medicine paper on June 11th will be focused on the Surgery c.1850-1950 and it is a good idea to look at the bullet points from the exam board on Mr Clare's post and make sure that you have covered them all in some depth in your revision. Make sure you have looked at factors which have enabled progress (new technology, scientific understanding) as often these are covered in the questions with quite a few marks attached. You will always have some sources for this paper but don't forget you need to show your own knowledge too!

[MrJohnDClare]

Thank you, Ms Kirsopp, for that very helpful post.

[Dutchcruijff10]

Thanks, alot

The revision is all set in place and finished. All I need refining on is how to set out an answer for an A/A* gradei.e. How many points needed to be made, key indicators (Therefore, As a result of this).

For example, there's the 8 mark questions. How many points (paragraphs) would you be expect to make considering there are two pages? Is a conclusion necessary for a question like "Use your own knowledge to explain..."

Again, the same goes for the 12 mark questions. How many points needed for questions like "Why did the use of reservations help the US government destroy the traditional way of life of the Plains Indians?" Would you need to show the otherside of the argument as well? i.e. On one hand it destroyed Indians life by...Yet, on the other hand?

or

"Why did Jenner's discovery of vaccination against smallpox have so little impact on the treatment of other infectious diseases in the 19th century? Use the sources..."

The same goes for the 15 mark questions. I'm supposing that the other side of the argument would be needed, a conclusion would be needed but how many points would you expect someone to make? A question like:-

"Was the extreme weather the main reason why it was so difficult for the Homesteaders to live and farm on the Plains in the 1870s?"


Lastly, I'm assuming that the P.E.E technique would be needed throughout the essay including the source-based questions. With the source-based questions would you make two points of what you can learn about the source and then make two points on the Nature, Origin and Purpose of the source?

Thanks alot

[MrJohnDClare]

For all of these questions, all I can suggest you do is to look up the markscheme for the type of question you are concerned about, and see what the examiner is wanting you to say.

Past markscemes are available from this page.

When you get there, however, you will be disappointed to be told that the highest level for every question is simply:

Quote

Analysis supported by appropriately selected knowledge

which does leave you, as you say, with the questions - how many points? how much knowledge?

I can't do anything more for Edexcel.
However, if you look at this page, you will see how AQA mark answers for the same kinds of questions.
That might help you get an idea of 'level'.

I think you will be most interested in this 15-mark 'explain' question.
AQA reckon three well-explained ideas nail it.
But remember, it's AQA not Edexcel.