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GCSE History- Edexcel answer structure help

Hi,

My teacher has given me literally no guidance and I know that my main downfall within history is my answer structure, which I really struggle with. Does anyone have any resources/advice for the Edexcel course? I am doing option 25, if that makes any difference.

Thanks
Assuming this thread is in the History Study Help forum (I'm on the app so can't see) have a look at the thread stuck at the top of the forum about how to write an essay question.:wink:

What topic is option 25?:curious:
what questions are we looking at?

a 4 marker? a 12 marker? a 16 marker?

i do edexcel, could you specify what topic option 25 is? :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by 04MR17
Assuming this thread is in the History Study Help forum (I'm on the app so can't see) have a look at the thread stuck at the top of the forum about how to write an essay question.:wink:

What topic is option 25?:curious:


Option 25 is Hitler & Weimar Germany, Tudors and Henry, medicine through time and American West. All in all, it's one of the more dull options in comparison to things like extended study on the Cold War etc.
Reply 5
Original post by clouddbubbles
what questions are we looking at?

a 4 marker? a 12 marker? a 16 marker?

i do edexcel, could you specify what topic option 25 is? :smile:



Every question there is- my teacher has been really bad at giving us guidance. And the modules I am studying are medicine through time, Hitler and Weimar Germany, Tudors and American West. :smile:
Original post by lulanev
Every question there is- my teacher has been really bad at giving us guidance. And the modules I am studying are medicine through time, Hitler and Weimar Germany, Tudors and American West. :smile:


well brilliant! i’m studying medicine, weimar germany; american west and elizabethan england so pretty much the same :yep:

i haven’t been given th best guidance either but still managed to do well on these types of questions.

with a 4 marker you want to be looking at features of something - such as a plot or breakthrough or whatever it might be. and then you want to describe. i really overthought this one, but it’s only 4 marks and the 4 marks are there for 2 developed reason!

12 markers require a bit more thought and structure. for the question, try and come up with 2/3 big ideas. the answer should still be relatively short, so a short introduction, your big ideas, and a conclusion that links the ideas together and answers the question.

16 markers are the worst! :sadnod: in fact, i struggle with them because i’m not entirely sure of how to structure them. essentially these are your typical essay question where you’ll have your introduction, paragraphs on the different things you want to talk about in response to the question (i usually go for 4) and then the conclusion.

i’m also aware there’s source enquiries etc. and i think the question styles for american west are a bit different.

obviously this advice is just a bit all over the place, but i’ll go and look around/ do some research for you and hopefully come back with some better advice if you still need it?! :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by clouddbubbles
well brilliant! i’m studying medicine, weimar germany; american west and elizabethan england so pretty much the same :yep:

i haven’t been given th best guidance either but still managed to do well on these types of questions.

with a 4 marker you want to be looking at features of something - such as a plot or breakthrough or whatever it might be. and then you want to describe. i really overthought this one, but it’s only 4 marks and the 4 marks are there for 2 developed reason!

12 markers require a bit more thought and structure. for the question, try and come up with 2/3 big ideas. the answer should still be relatively short, so a short introduction, your big ideas, and a conclusion that links the ideas together and answers the question.

16 markers are the worst! :sadnod: in fact, i struggle with them because i’m not entirely sure of how to structure them. essentially these are your typical essay question where you’ll have your introduction, paragraphs on the different things you want to talk about in response to the question (i usually go for 4) and then the conclusion.

i’m also aware there’s source enquiries etc. and i think the question styles for american west are a bit different.

obviously this advice is just a bit all over the place, but i’ll go and look around/ do some research for you and hopefully come back with some better advice if you still need it?! :smile:


thank you very much!
Original post by clouddbubbles
well brilliant! i’m studying medicine, weimar germany; american west and elizabethan england so pretty much the same :yep:

i haven’t been given th best guidance either but still managed to do well on these types of questions.

with a 4 marker you want to be looking at features of something - such as a plot or breakthrough or whatever it might be. and then you want to describe. i really overthought this one, but it’s only 4 marks and the 4 marks are there for 2 developed reason!

12 markers require a bit more thought and structure. for the question, try and come up with 2/3 big ideas. the answer should still be relatively short, so a short introduction, your big ideas, and a conclusion that links the ideas together and answers the question.

16 markers are the worst! :sadnod: in fact, i struggle with them because i’m not entirely sure of how to structure them. essentially these are your typical essay question where you’ll have your introduction, paragraphs on the different things you want to talk about in response to the question (i usually go for 4) and then the conclusion.

i’m also aware there’s source enquiries etc. and i think the question styles for american west are a bit different.

obviously this advice is just a bit all over the place, but i’ll go and look around/ do some research for you and hopefully come back with some better advice if you still need it?! :smile:


I do exactly the same topics and my school uses the exact same exam board. What do you use to revise History?
Original post by Ihatelife2
I do exactly the same topics and my school uses the exact same exam board. What do you use to revise History?


so at the moment i have the pearson/edexcel endorsed revision books - i made mindmaps on the specification and self test using a knowledge organiser (i think i’ll start using quizlet for that)
practising questions a lot too! i just have a massive sheet of ones i can do from my teacher :biggrin:
Original post by clouddbubbles
so at the moment i have the pearson/edexcel endorsed revision books - i made mindmaps on the specification and self test using a knowledge organiser (i think i’ll start using quizlet for that)
practising questions a lot too! i just have a massive sheet of ones i can do from my teacher :biggrin:


Is it the ones have the revision workbook included? Thank you sooo much for your advice though.
Original post by Ihatelife2
Is it the ones have the revision workbook included? Thank you sooo much for your advice though.


yeah i think so :smile:
Original post by clouddbubbles
yeah i think so :smile:


Thanks
Original post by lulanev
Hi,

My teacher has given me literally no guidance and I know that my main downfall within history is my answer structure, which I really struggle with. Does anyone have any resources/advice for the Edexcel course? I am doing option 25, if that makes any difference.

Thanks


thanks for creating this thread. the replies have been very helpful. why are most of the teachers very lousy?
Original post by clouddbubbles
well brilliant! i’m studying medicine, weimar germany; american west and elizabethan england so pretty much the same :yep:

i haven’t been given th best guidance either but still managed to do well on these types of questions.

with a 4 marker you want to be looking at features of something - such as a plot or breakthrough or whatever it might be. and then you want to describe. i really overthought this one, but it’s only 4 marks and the 4 marks are there for 2 developed reason!

12 markers require a bit more thought and structure. for the question, try and come up with 2/3 big ideas. the answer should still be relatively short, so a short introduction, your big ideas, and a conclusion that links the ideas together and answers the question.

16 markers are the worst! :sadnod: in fact, i struggle with them because i’m not entirely sure of how to structure them. essentially these are your typical essay question where you’ll have your introduction, paragraphs on the different things you want to talk about in response to the question (i usually go for 4) and then the conclusion.

i’m also aware there’s source enquiries etc. and i think the question styles for american west are a bit different.

obviously this advice is just a bit all over the place, but i’ll go and look around/ do some research for you and hopefully come back with some better advice if you still need it?! :smile:


i love you thankyou
American west questions are a little different
Q1 . consequence question (8 marks)
Two paragraphs in order of importance explaining the consequences of an event or topic

Q2 . narrative analysis (8 marks)
This is quite hard but write three paragraphs, each about a event in chronological order explaining each event and how it leads on to the next. This is hard because you have to remember dates and use certain terminology like 'This led to' so i personally find it the hardest.

Q3 . Explaining importance (Theres an option of 3 bullet points and you have to choose 2 of them to write about their importance. Each bullet point is worth 8 marks so practically a 16 mark question.)
Choose 2 bullet points and write 2 PEE paragraphs about EACH BULLET POINT in order of importance explaining the topic of the bullet point. Overall you should have 4 short but detailed paragraphs.


Weimar Germany questions still include the normal 4, 8 and 16 mark questions but theres also some other source questions that have different structures but honestly i havnt even revised them yet myself.
(edited 5 years ago)

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