[Purple Giraffe]

(Original post by andyinder01)
The report for that question is...

Candidates frequently turned this question into one about the treatment of the Russian peasantry and while many peasants did indeed become ‘working class’, living in towns and working in factories, many candidates knew little about how industrial developments affected the lives of Russians. Others made perfunctory references to the industrial workers, relying on assertions and generalisations. The better candidates were clearly able to make the necessary distinctions and focus on the question at hand. Several candidates were very well informed on employment statistics in the Stalinist period and housing and working conditions.

The best answers examined living and working conditions, personal freedom, civil rights and electoral opportunities, social and cultural changes, especially in health and educational opportunities, how the lives of women improved over the period, and made effective contrasts between the Tsarist and Communist periods. Such answers were often detailed, using good illustrative knowledge about living and working conditions, prices and wages, working hours and practices, trade unions, factories and the demands of the state.

Many gave good assessments of life under Stalin and Khrushchev but knowledge of developments under Alexander III and Nicholas II was less assured and, surprisingly, few analysed changes under the Provisional Government. Strong essays organised ideas thematically; weaker responses tended to adopt a chronological and descriptive approach.

Perfect, as what they described is what I might originally have done as I know more about the peasants. I know what to avoid now! Thanks

(Original post by barneybewick)
I would split it up into the following themes:
-Social Conditions
-Political Rights
-Economic Rights
-Repression

and then compare the Tsars and Communists within each. Hope this helps.

Ahh that's great thanks. I've just used your structure, beefed it up with stats and the odd quote and now I'm desperate for this question to come up!

I think knowing how to attack the question and structure a response is half the battle, for me anyway, so thanks again

[liv7913]

How long do people think should be spent on planning?
I always end up running out of time one way or another as it's difficult finding the balance between spending enough time on planning to make sure you know what you want to get in and getting your structure right and spending TOO LONG planning and not having enough time to actually get everything down in the essay!

[MB123]

(Original post by liv7913)
How long do people think should be spent on planning?
I always end up running out of time one way or another as it's difficult finding the balance between spending enough time on planning to make sure you know what you want to get in and getting your structure right and spending TOO LONG planning and not having enough time to actually get everything down in the essay!

Probably 15 minutes. It's important to plan (even though i tend not to do it majority of the time) but with this essay i think it's important because much of it depends on your comparisons/structure/links and if you don't have a sophisticated enough structure thats going to be detrimental to the mark out of 40. Once you know exactly what to get in, it will be easier to write it, whereas if you rush the planning youll be sitting there during paragraphs trying to figure out what should be said next and panic!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE

[RedBedHead]

What counts as 'domestic policies' ?

Sent from Student Room's Android App for Samsung Galaxy Ace.

[gemnomnom]

QUESTIONS:

10. To what extent were the policies of Stalin the greatest turning point in this period (?)

11."All the rulers of this period were reluctant reformers." How far do you agree with this view of Russia in the period 1855 - 1964?

12. "The people of Russia were consistently repressed by their rulers." How far do you agree with this view of Russia in the period 1855 - 1964?

Thoughts?

[englishmad]

(Original post by gemnomnom)
QUESTIONS:

10. To what extent were the policies of Stalin the greatest turning point in this period (?)

11."All the rulers of this period were reluctant reformers." How far do you agree with this view of Russia in the period 1855 - 1964?

12. "The people of Russia were consistently repressed by their rulers." How far do you agree with this view of Russia in the period 1855 - 1964?

Thoughts?

Well, I thought the actual questions were okay - could have been much much worse. My answers on the other hand -hmm I wrote a lot but I'm not sure there was much quality within the vast quantity.

How about you?

[Flopsidoodle]

I thought that question 10 was about the rise to power for Stalin, not his policies? That's why I didn't do it lol!


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[Ohisee123]

I think I am pretty screwed I only had a rough plan and started to write and write...my brain literally turned off but they were both quite detailed...just hoping that I can get a B...


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[gemnomnom]

(Original post by englishmad)
Well, I thought the actual questions were okay - could have been much much worse. My answers on the other hand -hmm I wrote a lot but I'm not sure there was much quality within the vast quantity.

How about you?

(Original post by Ohisee123)
I think I am pretty screwed I only had a rough plan and started to write and write...my brain literally turned off but they were both quite detailed...just hoping that I can get a B...


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Exactly the same here lol. Maybe if the questions were trickier we would've been forced to plan aha.