AQA History HIS3M The Making of Modern Britain 1951-2007

Hey does anyone know the exact question that came up in January 2012 it will be really helpful if someone did

There are no A2 papers in January, so the last paper was June 2011. Check it on the AQA website

There was an A2 paper in January, it just isn't on the website.

I really want to get an A in this subject and am at a B so far (without coursework)
I am uncertain about how to achieve this grade in the exam as it is soooo hard!!!
Please! Anyone who is getting a GRADE A or GRADE B in their school internal mocks, can you please give me a way to structure it both effectively and in a way that I will be able to adopt.

ALSO, how are you finding revision?
How are you revising?
Things like this thank you xx

Hey

I had loads of problems with structure and was getting Bs and Cs but I had a session with a private Tutor who taught me a really easy technique and now I get As so hopefully this will help!!

Basically, he told me that you need to write all points for the view, then all points against and then, if possible a twist. So for example, the thirteen wasted years the twist would be that Labour wouldn't have done anything differently.

Another structure point is the intorductory sentences which I had major problesm with. Don't go into detail in them. Now I just do for example, 'Thatcher's desire to curb Union power drove her to tolerate high unemployment, providing evidence for the view held'. It's nothing special and someone much better than me could come up with a better one I know but it works, just intorduce your line of argument and then go into almost narrativ detail in the actual paragraph and ALWAYS end the paragraph relating back to the title. Eg. Therefore, the high levels of unemployment endured by Thatcher led to industrial unrest and the subsequent decrease of Union power, supporting the view held. Again, nothing amazing but it works!

For the intorduction start it with...'The view that...is/ is not a valid one. Always do this so that the examiner immediately knows you recognize their is a counter argument. Then briefly outline the points you wish to discuss, eg. while there was a rise in radical union members and a decline in manufacturing industry, Thatcher's intorduction of power-curbing legislation and tolerance of high unemployment ultimately support the fact that her desire to curb Union power was the main reason for industrial disputes of the 1980s. And then start your essay.

In your conclusion basically copy your introduction but start with either Threfore or In conclusion...

Hope this helps . It's not the best structure ever but if you have problems with it (like me) it will get you the marks. xxx

So glad to find this thread!

The 2010 paper had questions on 1961-73 and 1994-2007 and a synoptic economic question and 2011 had 1951-64 and 1979-90 and synoptic social so it's probably fair to say that there'll be something covering 1964-79

Maybe something involving the 2nd Wilson govt and Callaghan as they haven't been on the papers so far or on Major, as they've only had up to 1990 and post-1994?

We've been told to think about synoptic foreign policy but also about a synoptic question on the Labour Party, the Conservative Party and trade unions as possibilities~


I'm averaging fairly high As on my essays and as regards structure, I'd say the most important thing is to make your argument clear at the beginning but also offer an alternative interpretation and just keep linking your factors back to the question. Also try not to be too repetitive in your conclusion, try and include something new in there and prioritise and link your factors- it's really important that you make a judgement and don't just stand on the fence!

For example, an essay I wrote on whether Major continued Thatcher's policies that got 41/45 started like this:

The contributions of John Major's premiership to Britain, in terms of the economy, politics and British foreign relations are a subject under debate. This debate is divided fairly clearly between two opposing groups, those who see Major as a blander variation of Thatcher and those who are of the opinion that, while not completely shaking off the Thatcher legacy, Major's style and policies were still too distinct to be referred to as Thatcherism. It must be achknowledged that Major did indeed keep some consistency with the policies of his predecessor, however, through closer examination of his policies regarding foreig relations, the economy and his relationship with the Conservative Party, it will be seen that there were some significant differences.

Hope this is vaguely helpful!

Hey guys

My teacher said Foreign Policy as synoptic question like you guys said and then maybe an evaluation of Blair cos they did Thatcher last year??

What do you think?

Hello,

I was told that too..but im struggling on how to structure foreign policy, would that include the 3 main points: commonwealth, america and europe?

thanks

I personally would do those, yep, and maybe throw in something about Northern Ireland. My teachers said if you just list events in order of them happening it ends up sounding like a list, so structure it based on theme - eg. a paragraph on Europe, then on Commonwealth and so on.

Hello,

I was told that too..but im struggling on how to structure foreign policy, would that include the 3 main points: commonwealth, america and europe?

thanks

Yes, this is the way I am going to do it. Discuss each of the above, referencing how it changed and/or stayed the same in aspects between the time period given.


e.g strong 'special relationship', to times of strain during Vietnam, strong again with Thatcher and Blair

Europe - from the rejection during the open door 51-57, to wanting to be ''at the heart'' during Major and Blair years.

Commonwealth - from the illusions of the world power in the 50's, to the strict realisation during the end of the period of our diminished position.


These are just small guidelines, of course go further in depth, mention changes and continuity on each remember!

Thank you so much
How you feeling for Tuesday?