History A-Level Exam/NEA structure help + Revision Techniques

Hi, I've been seeing a lot of questions about A-Level history help, especially with an NEA and what revision techniques to do as GCSE and A-Level can be very different. I'm going to do my best to organise this in a useful way. I would also like to state I do AQA so this may be different to your exam board, always check with your teachers if you're unsure. (I also cover British Empire Paper 1/1J and Russia Paper 2/2N if that's of any help to anyone).

• Blurting

• Spaced Repetition

• Pomodoro Technique

• Revision cards sorted by topic covering key dates and statistics

• summarise a whole topic into a mind map - generally an A3 size paper works best

• plan random past questions both question and source - maybe have a teacher review them

• solidify your timings when writing

• try explaining a topic to another non-history person and quiz them to see gaps in your explanations to improve exam writing

• look for any online revision guide materials available (websites, videos, digital summaries etc.) and see if your school library has textbooks/ revision guides to hand for you to borrow

• study with others studying the same topics to quiz each other and have a combined set of knowledge if you ever get stuck or confused at any point

• it may also be good to ask your teacher for any recommendations around revision

For an NEA if you do one I'll paste a structure below:

Intro

´Set the context to the question

´Outline differing views

´Answer the question´

Main argument

´Address the key feature in the question and argue using evidence how this relates to the question

´Include at least one historian and primary source to support or criticise this view´

Counter argument

´Offer an alternative to the key feature in the question and argue using evidence how this relates to the question

´Include at least one historian or primary source to support or criticise this view

Judgement

´Answer the question

Exam/Essay questions

Introduction:

set context ,address key feature ,counter argument , judgement

Main body:

3-4 paragraphs with at least one counter argument, use specific evidence to back up your points but don't stray away from the question - alternatively you can do a Yes/No structure where you agree then disagree with the view if that's easier

Judgement:

answer the question, Use 3rd person (so no I think or I believe), use the wording of the question, treat like a mini main body paragraph with some evidence but DO NOT add new information as you can lose marks as it stops your answer from looking well thought out and planned

Source Question evaluation (Depth Paper)

This is generally for how the source is valuable to a historian studying XYZ in the years XYZ (Depth Paper)

Paragraph 1:

outline/summarise the source in relation to the question ,should be short at around 2-3lines

Paragraph 2:

All about the value of the source

• Content: add support evidence i.e quotes, pick a quote and add detailed evidence to how it relates

• Provenance: Relation to the purpose, author, nature, date and audience, alternatively analysing the 5W's in relation to the source and how it adds value

Paragraph 3:

All about the limitations of the source

• Content: evidence to criticise, a quote can be valuable and limiting so don't be afraid to spin the perspective

• Provenance: relation to what makes it limited + bias/subjectivity-this is about how the source omits evidence due to the provenance as bias isn't really an accepted criticism in A-Level

Paragraph 4: Judgement

answer the question, review main points, overall value, do include evidence that you have used in the other paragraphs to support your conclusion

Do your best to stay in the time frame and try to touch both ends of the time frame (e.g if its 1947 to 1967 try and include something from '47 and '67) you can technically use evidence slightly outside the time frame to help support a point but don't use it as a main point

• Do this 3x, judge each source separately to the same question

Source Question Evaluation (Breadth Paper)

How convincing is the view on XYZ in the years XYZ

Paragraph 1:

outline/summarise the source in relation to the question ,should be short at around 2-3lines

Paragraph 2:

All about how convincing the source is

• Content: add support evidence i.e quotes, pick a quote and add evidence to how it relates

Paragraph 3:

All about how unconvincing the source is

• Content: evidence to criticise, a quote can convincing and unconvincing so don't be afraid to spin the perspective

Paragraph 4: Judgement

answer the question, review main points, overall how convincing, do include evidence that you have used in the other paragraphs to support your conclusion

• Do this 3x, judge each source separately to the same question

Do your best to stay in the time frame and try to touch both ends of the time frame (e.g if its 1947 to 1967 try and include something from '47 and '67) you can technically use evidence slightly outside the time frame to help support a point but don't use it as a main point

Below I am about the paste the piece I wrote specifically about my NEA topic

So as to help anyone who was in the same position as me, I've listed some help below to start your NEA on the European Witch Craze between 1563 and 1647. I obviously cant share any of my written work or research due to exam restrictions but I hope this helps.

Question: Within the context of the period 1563 – 1647, to what extent was misogyny the key reason for the escalation of witch-hunts in Western Europe?

1560s – Witchcraft act comparison in England and Scotland

1570s - 2nd Chelmsford Witch Trial, Elizabeth Frances [source]

​1580s – Warboys trial​

1590s – North Berwick Trials, James's misogyny [source]​

1600s – Pappenheimer Case or Link between James becoming K. of E. in 1603 and 1604 witchcraft act = spreading his misogynistic view with witchcraft paranoia​

1610s – Pendle Witch, James elite influence fuelled by religion and misogyny [source]

​1620s – The Vardø Witches 1621​

1630s – Wurzburg 1625-31

​1640s – Bury St Edmunds witch trials 1645

[source] means I have included a source analysis relating to the trial

1st sources = A damnable Driftes

2nd source = Newes from Scotland in 1591

3rd Source = Thomas Potts book accounts of the trial

other possible sources

- ‘The discovery of witches: in answer to several Queries lately delivered to the Judges of the Assize for the county of Norfolk' And 'now published by Matthew Hopkins Witch-finder for the benefit of the whole Kingdome.' by Matthew Hopkins during the East - Anglian trials

- Johannes Junius letter to his daughter during Bamberg witch trials

I recommend EuroDocs if you want to search for other historical sources within Europe

^^ it is very long but I hope this helps someone

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