The Student Room Group

Exam/Revision Tips

Thought this could be a thread where people who have done or are doing A level History could post some tips to help with revision.

I find this helpful. I am doing French Revolution for Unit 2 and I find splitting it up into different sections (Ancien Regime, Causes, Reform, War, Terror) and then writing notes for each section really helps as it is just too big a topic to do it all at once.
Gaz Coombes
Thought this could be a thread where people who have done or are doing A level History could post some tips to help with revision.

I find this helpful. I am doing French Revolution for Unit 2 and I find splitting it up into different sections (Ancien Regime, Causes, Reform, War, Terror) and then writing notes for each section really helps as it is just too big a topic to do it all at once.


I'll try to post something general for this in a bit, but if anyone has any questions/thoughts on the Tudors and I've covered it I'd be happy to help, PM me. :smile:
Reply 2
I think the best way to study for History are spider diagrams. It helps you understand the sequence of events, but also allows you to place the analysis there. All you do in the exam is picture the spider diagram, and write it onto paper. Of course, the hard part is learning them lol. I have my exam on Tuesday, and I only know about 45% of them. God :frown:
Reply 3
I would say looking at exam questions and spliting them up by theme (for example if your looking at American Civil rights then the questions are likely to be based around the different sections of the movement-before WW2, after WW2, in the 1960's etc etc) This works for me because you start to realise that the questions are actually prety similar..
Reply 4
Essay Plans full stop. Loads of them. History A Level is not about depth of knowledge but rather the anaylsis of the little information you have through reading/lessons. Look at past papers, spot questions that might come up this year, write fully detailed essay plans. If you have done all the thinking before you sit the exam, then your life is a lot more easier in the exam where you just reel off your answers. Whats making notes on diff sections gonna do except maybe allow you to add a few more statistics here and there which wont move you up a grade, no siree.
Reply 5
*Nods in total agreement with KC Prince*
Essay plans are the key, spider diagrams give you facts sure, but structure of argument is by far the most important. Decide your thoughts on the topics that might arise, organise them, write some model opening paras, some plans with key phrases in them. Use notes when making the plans obviously. The way to an A methinks
Reply 6
Find key issues, and then work backwards. As people have said do lots and lots of practice essay plans. Cue cards are also really useful for quickly learning facts. Charts/big picture is good too. :smile:
Reply 7
Essay plans are good, but you can sometime miss the point with them. Don't forget that examiners are still looking to see you know the material. That was my problem in AS and my teacher said in A-level too. I lacked the details which prevented me from getting an A. No matter how excellent your structure is, details and content is vital. But then again, this differs between boards, as several are looking for different things.
Reply 8
Anyone got any good advice on sources?
I find that with sources the chances are that I am almost completely flummoxed as I panick in exams. I usually make loads of inferences, however vague and this tends to jolt my memory. Just remember to view the sources as evidence (as my history teacher is always saying) and you should find that they make the question easy as the answers are in the sources
Reply 10
make sure you have a knowledge of key events though dont focus entirely on essay plans
Reply 11
Write out an entire time line for your period and do a mini essay about each thing you include - exactly what I'm doing now with Cromwell and the Protectorate - so far I'm at May 12th 1656...