Edexcel AS - Britain and Ireland 1867-1922 - 8th June

sh2009

Just a quick question for anyone else taking this exam on monday...

For the sources weve been told to almost completely ignore the sources and just use our own knowlegde, because if the examiner sees you using the source too heavily to answer the question he'll think you know nothing :s-smilie:

...is this true?

Any techniques to answering these things?

Im just focusing on:

1. Gladstone and the irish land reform - land league, davitt/parnell
2. Gladstone and Home Rule
3. Asquith and the 3rd Home Rule bill
4. Rise of Ulster Unionism
5. Anglo-Irish relations in the great war (Easter Rising)
6. Anglo-Irish relations 1919-1922

Hows everyone else getting on?

Reply 1

easty1050

You have to use the sources in both questions, thats what they're there for, to be used! With the first question you make a point and use the sources to show how this is true, this shows the examiner your own knowledge but also skills of being able to use other things to support this knowledge and your view.

The Second question is more heavily weighted on your own knowledge, but you still should use the sources, they're put there to help you and to be used, so use them! You need the sources to support the argument and help you develop it.

In both questions you need to cross reference, never use a source on its own, so for example say source a shows.... then immediately after say 'this is supported by/different to source.. which shows...'
Also, if the question says use sources A and B, you have to use them! only using 1 will limit you to half marks or using neither will put you in about a D or E grade

This was all said to us by our teacher who marks for the course and was told to look for these things, so it should be right (hopefully)
Hope this ramble helps, and goodluck for it!

Reply 2

Lightfantastic

Any ideas what's going to come up for the b question guys? I'm massively panicking over this... :s-smilie:

Reply 3

easty1050

Lightfantastic

Any ideas what's going to come up for the b question guys? I'm massively panicking over this... :s-smilie:

My guess would be something about Home Rule 3 or Violence and Pacification. Thats mainly because its quite a big topic and for the first exam they want people to pass, so that would be a nice(ish) topic to ask people on.

Don't panic about it, remember its the first exam people have done on this so the exam board want high grades so schools pick it again, if its too hard no-one will choose it. Also, if you do do badly, theres always January to re-sit it.

Goodluck!

Reply 4

haaaza23

I think something on 3rd Home Rule Bill, causes of easter rising, anglo-irish war/treaty.

There was actually an exam for this first conducted in january. But they shouldn't repeat topics...

Reply 5

sh2009

Yeah the first new spec on this was in Jan, we were given the paper by our teacher, the questions that came up were:

How far do Sources 1 & 2 suggest that between 1874 and 1885 Irish hostility towards English control of Ireland increased and intensified? (20 marks)

Do you agree with the view that the main reason for the defeat of Gladstones attempts to grant Home Rule to Ireland were the political misjudgements made by Gladstone himself? (40 marks)

OR

Do you agree with the view that it was the outcome of the Easter Rising that destoryed the possibility of a settlement of the Irish Question based on Home Rule (40 marks)

The source only question was the 20mark one and then you have the choice of which 40mark to do

Reply 6

MattyC01

Its an 'A' question right? Its worth 20 marks and more than half you get from the sources and cross referencing. Yeh you need to use own knowledge but to get top marks you need to use the sources more than your own knowledge, knowledge is for the