how to get a good grade in a level history?

i’ve been struggling with a level history all year and i’ve never gotten better than an e bc i don’t know how to structure my essays correctly. my mocks are in a month, is there anything i can do to improve my grade? i’d like to get at least a c
my exam board is aqa and the topics i’m studying are germany and west germany 1918-89 and the rise and fall of fascism in italy c1911-46
if anyone has any tips for structuring essays, revision notes, or example essays that’d be great <3

Reply 1

username5412680

I don’t do a-level history and I don’t know how to help you, but do you mind answering what a-level history is like? Is it a good subject and do you enjoy it? Do you recommend I take it?

Reply 2

username5737991

Original post by alg.xx

I don’t do a-level history and I don’t know how to help you, but do you mind answering what a-level history is like? Is it a good subject and do you enjoy it? Do you recommend I take it?

i personally don’t enjoy it at all, i really enjoyed gcse history but i really regret taking a level history. ultimately, it depends on the person, but i wouldn’t recommend taking a level history

Reply 3

username5412680

Original post by cherrynchip

i personally don’t enjoy it at all, i really enjoyed gcse history but i really regret taking a level history. ultimately, it depends on the person, but i wouldn’t recommend taking a level history

Do you guys just learn about 2 topics at a-level? I’m sorry to hear that you’re not enjoying it :frown:

Reply 4

username5737991

Original post by alg.xx

Do you guys just learn about 2 topics at a-level? I’m sorry to hear that you’re not enjoying it :frown:

no you study three i think?? i only mentioned two topics bc that’s all i’ve covered so far

Reply 5

softpao

Original post by cherrynchip

hiya ! i'm in y12 and i do history too but w different topics (mao's china + russian from lenin to yeltsin).

when it comes to essay structure, there are diff types of essay qs that you can get (like to what extent do you agree with ..... how does xxx use xxxx over the period xxxx .....) but generally, when you first get the essay q you have to come up with an overall judgement either for or against the question (or perhaps you're in between, but this can b difficult to state a strong point when your argument is sort of undecided).

the first 2 paragraphs can be your argument and the 3rd the counter argument. within each of these paragraphs, make sure you use PEEL -> point, evidence, explanation and link. so, when presenting your argument, give your point as to why you agree/disagree with the question. give evidence, so contextual knowledge, then analyse and explain how this relates to the question and how it supports your argument as you link it back to the question. and you repeat this for your other 2 body paragraphs.

one way my teachers help us improve our essay skills if by getting us to look at many exemplar essays and mark them against the mark scheme ourselves, so that we can see what a good essay looks like and we can identify how this can be achieved. perhaps you could ask your teacher to give you a few example essays for you to do the same?

hope this was able to give you some form of help, history is a tough subject since it's just so much information you have to constantly take in and there's only a limited amount of time for you to come up with your argument in the exam and use all the information in your head to write and analyse in your essay but hopefully you'll be able to pull through !! it's never ever too late

Reply 6

kadynicole19

Original post by cherrynchip

i personally don’t enjoy it at all, i really enjoyed gcse history but i really regret taking a level history. ultimately, it depends on the person, but i wouldn’t recommend taking a level history