Edexcel AS Unit 2 Exam Technique help?!

Hey, I'm sitting my Unit 1 and Unit 2 exams this May and I'm really worried that I won't get the grade I want and have to resit the whole year.

I think I have Unit 1 exam technique down, and the various exam questions I've had for homework I've been getting an average of B+, which I'm hoping to improve on before the exam now that I'm doing revision full time. Though I still could use some tips.

Unit 2 however I'm in complete shambles, I always end up analysing sources for too long and even then I still miss points out. Then when I have to answer the question I have no idea how to even structure my answer. Plus I've only looked at the 20 mark question, I suspect I will have a nervous breakdown if I try the 40 mark :frown:

Our tutor hasn't gone over exam technique fully yet as we've only just finished learning the course so I suspect we will start after the Easter holidays, even then that only leaves me one month to revise the course AND learn exam technique.

Can anyone help me?? Lol thanks :smile:

Reply 1

guardian

I'm currently in my second year at sixth form and am doing A2 Edexcel History, I got an A in Unit 2 last year and was four marks off maximum so maybe I can be a little bit of help. The best way for me was to structure the Part B answer similar to that of Unit 1 but use the sources as kind of ways of helping me along the way - in other words, using the sources as evidence for the argument. They're only there to help. I do understand that the Part A question is much harder because it requires no own knowledge but if you try and get the hang of the difference between the two, it should come good. I'd recommend keep practicing essays as it helps to get you in the mood, it did for me anyway. Just out of interest, what topics are you studying? I studied British and Russian. :smile:

Reply 2

JollyEnglishman

Original post by guardian

Thanks a lot, practising essays at home is hard as Edexcel don't post the sources they use in the exam, so you have to scour the internet for them :frown:

Thanks for the tips though, and for Unit 1 I have Civil Rights and the USA in Asia, and Unit 2 is Great Britain and the Irish Question :smile:

Reply 3

guardian

Original post by JollyEnglishman

Thanks a lot, practising essays at home is hard as Edexcel don't post the sources they use in the exam, so you have to scour the internet for them :frown:

Thanks for the tips though, and for Unit 1 I have Civil Rights and the USA in Asia, and Unit 2 is Great Britain and the Irish Question :smile:

Yeah I know it is hard isn't it? Maybe your teacher could set you some? And blimey that sounds difficult! What's Great Britain and the Irish like?

Reply 4

JollyEnglishman

Original post by guardian

Yeah I know it is hard isn't it? Maybe your teacher could set you some? And blimey that sounds difficult! What's Great Britain and the Irish like?

Thanks that's a good idea :biggrin:

I'll just have to revise my butt off and try and get some past papers from him when we come back from the Easter holidays :smile:

And it is surprisingly interesting! It's a bit dry in the earlier years with all the politics and reforms, but then WW1 rears it's ugly head and it becomes oh such more exciting :tongue: