A level politics helpppp
I really don’t know how to revise this subject, I am stuck on a C and want to get an A for year 13 mocks, over summer I am making notes on each topic using all history nerd then doing essay plans at the end of each topic but idk what else to do
Original post by Sparklingroses
I really don’t know how to revise this subject, I am stuck on a C and want to get an A for year 13 mocks, over summer I am making notes on each topic using all history nerd then doing essay plans at the end of each topic but idk what else to do
What is it that's stopping you accessing the higher marks?
Is it knowledge, or just your essay technique?
i can't seem to remember topics from politics as much and i run out of time to write my third paragraph
Original post by Sparklingroses
i can't seem to remember topics from politics as much and i run out of time to write my third paragraph
Okay, so timing and memory are both issues. Let me have a think and I will try to get back to you later tonight.
I'm in the middle of something at the moment. Please press the quote button underneath this post and remind me to reply if I haven't got back to you by tomorrow morning.
ok thank you so much
Original post by Sparklingroses
I really don’t know how to revise this subject, I am stuck on a C and want to get an A for year 13 mocks, over summer I am making notes on each topic using all history nerd then doing essay plans at the end of each topic but idk what else to do
Right, can you give me an example of a topic you struggle with in particular?
And tell me which exam board this is with?
Then I can make some suggestions about revision techniques
UK politics and UK government edexcel
Original post by 04MR17
Right, can you give me an example of a topic you struggle with in particular?
And tell me which exam board this is with?
Then I can make some suggestions about revision techniques
And tell me which exam board this is with?
Then I can make some suggestions about revision techniques
Just reminding you to reply
Original post by Sparklingroses
Just reminding you to reply
Ah good, you found the quote button
I'm just having a look at your specification now, is this the one?
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/Politics/2017/Specification%20and%20sample%20assessments/A-level-Politics-Specification.pdf
Right, a few suggestions on Knowledge below. The main thing about remembering stuff is repetition, so you need to go over things over and over. Importantly, you probably won't have time to do this for every single sub-topic on the specification, so you need to prioritise things that are likely to be major topics on an exam.
Debate T diagrams:
Where a debate clearly has two sides, line down your page, key argument for each side of the debate. Write down points only the first time you do this, no explanation (that's not knowledge). If you've been taught to add in a quote, a reference, or something evidential, do this on a second time you do that debate, ideally in a different colour.
Debate Mindmaps:
Where a debate has more than two sides, divide 1 page of A4 into however many sections you might need. Ask your teacher: if there are 5 different arguments in a debate, should I outline them all? Should I outline them all? Use that to guide how you fill these in. Again, just write down points first. Then when you go over these again, add in anything evidential you might need. No explanation on these.
Key terms:
Page 9 to page 37 in the spec has a list of terminology on the left hand side, write them down, cross out any that you 100% know. The rest of them, write down a definition. Then, get someone at home to test you on what those words mean.
Timelines:
In several cases you're asked to know the key events in a history. (E.g. Major milestones in rights, origins of key political parties etc.)
In the margin, do the year, and what happened. No more detail than this.
Debate T diagrams:
Where a debate clearly has two sides, line down your page, key argument for each side of the debate. Write down points only the first time you do this, no explanation (that's not knowledge). If you've been taught to add in a quote, a reference, or something evidential, do this on a second time you do that debate, ideally in a different colour.
Debate Mindmaps:
Where a debate has more than two sides, divide 1 page of A4 into however many sections you might need. Ask your teacher: if there are 5 different arguments in a debate, should I outline them all? Should I outline them all? Use that to guide how you fill these in. Again, just write down points first. Then when you go over these again, add in anything evidential you might need. No explanation on these.
Key terms:
Page 9 to page 37 in the spec has a list of terminology on the left hand side, write them down, cross out any that you 100% know. The rest of them, write down a definition. Then, get someone at home to test you on what those words mean.
Timelines:
In several cases you're asked to know the key events in a history. (E.g. Major milestones in rights, origins of key political parties etc.)
In the margin, do the year, and what happened. No more detail than this.
To work on timing of your exam answers, you need to do the following:
1. Complete a practice essay in complete timed conditions.
2. Mark that essay critically using the mark scheme that you can find on the exam board website here:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/politics-2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials
Be really really detailed in your marking. Identify what is achieving you marks in the mark scheme and what is not.
3. Read over the essay again, and highlight anything that didn't get you marks. That's all stuff you can get rid of next time.
4. Go to step 1.
It has to be brutally timed, and it has to be brutally marked. This way, you simulate what will happen in May/June next year, and you become very very familiar with what the mark scheme is asking of you. If you complete a practice essay/mock exam in lessons - ask for a photocopy of your answer so that you can take it home and mark it yourself. See if you get the same mark as your teacher. If you're doing this right, your marking should be -2 below what the teacher is giving you. So if teacher gives you 20/30 marks, you should have awarded yourself 18.
1. Complete a practice essay in complete timed conditions.
2. Mark that essay critically using the mark scheme that you can find on the exam board website here:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/politics-2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials
Be really really detailed in your marking. Identify what is achieving you marks in the mark scheme and what is not.
3. Read over the essay again, and highlight anything that didn't get you marks. That's all stuff you can get rid of next time.
4. Go to step 1.
It has to be brutally timed, and it has to be brutally marked. This way, you simulate what will happen in May/June next year, and you become very very familiar with what the mark scheme is asking of you. If you complete a practice essay/mock exam in lessons - ask for a photocopy of your answer so that you can take it home and mark it yourself. See if you get the same mark as your teacher. If you're doing this right, your marking should be -2 below what the teacher is giving you. So if teacher gives you 20/30 marks, you should have awarded yourself 18.
Because the mark scheme isn’t super specific how would I know I am getting marks for AO1 or AO2 or AO3, and can I do essay plans first then after do the practice question in timed conditions ?
Original post by 04MR17
To work on timing of your exam answers, you need to do the following:
1. Complete a practice essay in complete timed conditions.
2. Mark that essay critically using the mark scheme that you can find on the exam board website here:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/politics-2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials
Be really really detailed in your marking. Identify what is achieving you marks in the mark scheme and what is not.
3. Read over the essay again, and highlight anything that didn't get you marks. That's all stuff you can get rid of next time.
4. Go to step 1.
It has to be brutally timed, and it has to be brutally marked. This way, you simulate what will happen in May/June next year, and you become very very familiar with what the mark scheme is asking of you. If you complete a practice essay/mock exam in lessons - ask for a photocopy of your answer so that you can take it home and mark it yourself. See if you get the same mark as your teacher. If you're doing this right, your marking should be -2 below what the teacher is giving you. So if teacher gives you 20/30 marks, you should have awarded yourself 18.
1. Complete a practice essay in complete timed conditions.
2. Mark that essay critically using the mark scheme that you can find on the exam board website here:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/politics-2017.coursematerials.html#filterQuery=Pearson-UK:Category%2FExam-materials
Be really really detailed in your marking. Identify what is achieving you marks in the mark scheme and what is not.
3. Read over the essay again, and highlight anything that didn't get you marks. That's all stuff you can get rid of next time.
4. Go to step 1.
It has to be brutally timed, and it has to be brutally marked. This way, you simulate what will happen in May/June next year, and you become very very familiar with what the mark scheme is asking of you. If you complete a practice essay/mock exam in lessons - ask for a photocopy of your answer so that you can take it home and mark it yourself. See if you get the same mark as your teacher. If you're doing this right, your marking should be -2 below what the teacher is giving you. So if teacher gives you 20/30 marks, you should have awarded yourself 18.
So with revision I was thinking of doing Flashcards for each topic that have key evidence/ quotes to remember then do spaces repetition with that ?
Also what would I do if like my class notes are really brief because I don’t think I even understand liberalism at all
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by Sparklingroses
Because the mark scheme isn’t super specific how would I know I am getting marks for AO1 or AO2 or AO3, and can I do essay plans first then after do the practice question in timed conditions ?
Essay plans on their own are good revision, keep doing the essay plans. In the exam you will have the same amount of time to plan and write your essay together, and your plan can and should change as you progress through writing it, so I would be harsh and say you should do both in one go. However, still do some other essay plans on the side for essays you won't have time to write out.
For mark scheme ambiguity, let's look at the last two pages of this one:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A-Level/Politics/2017/Exam-materials/9pl0-01-rms-20220818.pdf
I'm looking at pages 35-36, which are the descriptors for each level in the 30 mark essay question. Ignore the opening parts of the descriptors that say "some, mostly" etc. Focus on the bits that you either have done or have not done. So, have you substantiated (backed up) your judgements? Have you done this partly, mostly etc.? Then it's at least level 3. Are you conclusions justified? If you ran out of time to get to a conclusion, then that's going to be a level 1 or 0. When you are marking this, in hindsight, how well selected is the knowledge you used? You will be marking this 2-3 days after writing it. Never mark is straight away. When you look back you will know whether there were better examples you could have chosen from.
One technique is to print out the two-page mark scheme and highlight what you feel is most accurate. Then you select the level that has the most highlighting in it, and then attribute a mark within that level based on whether there is more highlighting in the boxes above or below that level.
Original post by Sparklingroses
So with revision I was thinking of doing Flashcards for each topic that have key evidence/ quotes to remember then do spaces repetition with that ?
Also what would I do if like my class notes are really brief because I don’t think I even understand liberalism at all
Also what would I do if like my class notes are really brief because I don’t think I even understand liberalism at all
Liberalism: let's break that down.
Liberal means free. If you're a liberal, you like freedom.
People running naked around a field doing weed - extremely liberal people they are.
Therefore political liberalism, principally, is the desire for as much freedom as possible for the people. Economically, that means minimal government involvement in the money people earn.
Liberalism, done.
For flashcards, fine to do them - but get someone at home to test you with them. That's what they're for. They're best used with friends, testing each other.
Original post by 04MR17
Essay plans on their own are good revision, keep doing the essay plans. In the exam you will have the same amount of time to plan and write your essay together, and your plan can and should change as you progress through writing it, so I would be harsh and say you should do both in one go. However, still do some other essay plans on the side for essays you won't have time to write out.
For mark scheme ambiguity, let's look at the last two pages of this one:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A-Level/Politics/2017/Exam-materials/9pl0-01-rms-20220818.pdf
I'm looking at pages 35-36, which are the descriptors for each level in the 30 mark essay question. Ignore the opening parts of the descriptors that say "some, mostly" etc. Focus on the bits that you either have done or have not done. So, have you substantiated (backed up) your judgements? Have you done this partly, mostly etc.? Then it's at least level 3. Are you conclusions justified? If you ran out of time to get to a conclusion, then that's going to be a level 1 or 0. When you are marking this, in hindsight, how well selected is the knowledge you used? You will be marking this 2-3 days after writing it. Never mark is straight away. When you look back you will know whether there were better examples you could have chosen from.
One technique is to print out the two-page mark scheme and highlight what you feel is most accurate. Then you select the level that has the most highlighting in it, and then attribute a mark within that level based on whether there is more highlighting in the boxes above or below that level.
For mark scheme ambiguity, let's look at the last two pages of this one:
https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A-Level/Politics/2017/Exam-materials/9pl0-01-rms-20220818.pdf
I'm looking at pages 35-36, which are the descriptors for each level in the 30 mark essay question. Ignore the opening parts of the descriptors that say "some, mostly" etc. Focus on the bits that you either have done or have not done. So, have you substantiated (backed up) your judgements? Have you done this partly, mostly etc.? Then it's at least level 3. Are you conclusions justified? If you ran out of time to get to a conclusion, then that's going to be a level 1 or 0. When you are marking this, in hindsight, how well selected is the knowledge you used? You will be marking this 2-3 days after writing it. Never mark is straight away. When you look back you will know whether there were better examples you could have chosen from.
One technique is to print out the two-page mark scheme and highlight what you feel is most accurate. Then you select the level that has the most highlighting in it, and then attribute a mark within that level based on whether there is more highlighting in the boxes above or below that level.
When you say mostly backed up judgements do you mean by judgements throughout the essay, at the end of each paragraph?
And some would that be, judgements made only in 1/2 paragraphs ?
Also, how many hours of revision a day would be need to to get from a C to an A by November
Would 1 essay plan and exam question a day be sufficient ?
(edited 8 months ago)
Original post by Sparklingroses
When you say mostly backed up judgements do you mean by judgements throughout the essay, at the end of each paragraph?
And some would that be, judgements made only in 1/2 paragraphs ?
Also, how many hours of revision a day would be need to to get from a C to an A by November
Would 1 essay plan and exam question a day be sufficient ?
And some would that be, judgements made only in 1/2 paragraphs ?
Also, how many hours of revision a day would be need to to get from a C to an A by November
Would 1 essay plan and exam question a day be sufficient ?
The mark scheme says judgements. The mark scheme doesn't say where in the paragraph the judgements need to be. You've been taught a specific way to answer these questions? That's fine, but that's not what edexcel need from you. Every school teaches it slightly differently but do so in order to try and maximise the marks from that mark scheme. Judgements is any time you as the essay writer come to a judgement about something - judgement meaning a statement that can be argued or disagreed. If judgements are unsubstantiated then they are assertions only.
November doesn't matter. Eyes on the prize mate - May/June 2024. There's no point in making up a number to say how much revision you need. Just try your best, that's all there is to it.
Don't write an essay a day, that is way too much and unsustainable. Do an essay plan a day, fine. Do an exam question maybe every 3 or 4 days? Marking them 2-3 days later so you have a good bit of breathing space.
Original post by Sparklingroses
UK politics and UK government edexcel
I did this A level this year waiting for results next Thursday but I found what was super effective for revision was making endless essay plans for potential titles from the syllabus and past papers because it allows you to test your knowledge and see where you need to do research to fill the gaps
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