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Is there a secret to doing well in A level essay subjects?

Lovely to be speaking to you awesome TSR users!
I am going to be repeating Year 12 again next week - didn't do too great in my AS (got CDDE) so I am retaking.

I am taking 3 essay based subjects (History, Sociology and Religious Studies) is there some sort of technique or secret achieve high grades in these subjects?

My aim is to get AAA, anyone know the best way for me to fully understand the technique and implement it into my studies?

Thanks alot!
:}


Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by melodyogbebor
Lovely to be speaking to you awesome TSR users!
I am going to be repeating Year 12 again next week - didn't do too great in my AS (got CDDE) so I am retaking.

I am taking 3 essay based subjects (History, Sociology and Religious Studies) is there some sort of technique or secret achieve high grades in these subjects?

My aim is to get AAA, anyone know the best way for me to fully understand the technique and implement it into my studies?

Thanks alot!
:}


Posted from TSR Mobile


I think one of the best ways would be to read all the past exam papers, mark schemes and then the examiner reports for your subjects from their exam board.
Essay subjects normally have a tiered marking system, and it is only through understanding this you will know how to write better answers. For instance, say you have a question worth 12 marks. This may be split up into 3 sections of 4 marks. Say 4 marks for description and explanation, 4 for analysis and 4 for evaluation. If you spend too much time, or make too many points in the description marks you will have wasted time because you wont get any more than a max of 4 marks for it, and you will have eaten up into your time for the other parts.
Yeah, it's best to read all the exam papers and mark schemes BUT do NOT get too hung up on this, as grade boundaries change each year, so I wouldn't memorize mark schemes. Memorize your actual work and your studies. It's best to memorize the Assessment Objectives and then practise your essay writing and then just weave the AOs into your essays.

For me, what let me down last year was that I NEVER practised doing essays. I remembered everything through extensive revision, but I didn't practise essays. So if there's something you should know is that your essay form will be the death of you if you don't practise.

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