Higher History advice S5

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could describe what the coursework is like in higher history and just overall the experience of doing it?

I'm considering choosing history instead of human biology for s5 because I perform better in social subjects, and the teachers are much better too.

Reply 1

seashells7

10

Hi! I'm doing Higher History this year and really really enjoying it. I'm predicted an A1, I do have a good teacher which helps, but overall I find that if you're good at essay writing & essay-based questions you'll do well. You'll cover 3 main topics (2 essay based - British & European/World history, and then 1 Scottish history topic which is based on questions similar to N5 but require a bit more writing). There is multiple options for each topic area so each school may be different. I'm studying Germany, 1815 -1939 and Britain 1851 - 1951, and then the impact of the Great War on Scotland for my Scottish topic. Your school will most likely be different though so it's worth checking with your teacher.

If you're not doing N5 this year then this may not be as much use to you (it's totally possible to crash it though!), but still give an idea of the coursework.

•

The 1st paper is essay questions that are very similar to the To What Extent questions from N5. You'll most likely have to study anywhere between 8-10 essays for the main exam (4/5 for each topic), but if your school teaches it in any way similar to mine, they just instruct you to pre-write them and memorise them ahead of the main exam. In the exam you'll only be asked 2 questions but have 4 options to choose from.

•

The 2nd Paper is a lot more question based. If you are doing N5, the How Fully, Evaluate the Usefulness & Explain questions carry over with the exact same technique just they're now 10, 10 & 8 marks instead of 6. You'll then also be introduced to a new question type called How Much which is just a big expansion on Comparison questions. If you're not doing N5 then don't worry! You said you're good at social subjects which makes me assume you're taking one already? Not 100% sure about Geography, but I know the questions are similar to what you do in Modern Studies if you're doing that.

•

You then also have to do an assignment which is ~30% of your grade, but is essentially just a big expansion on one of the essays you study in class.

Overall, it's definitely doable (even if you are crashing it!). I'm also taking Higher Human Bio this year if you need any advice on that. Both are good options! But really take into account what you're looking to do beyond school and which you think you'll perform best in. :smile:

Reply 2

Bethany0805

3

I did Higher history last year, and AH this year. I think the course for higher is very interesting, the essays are challenging to begin with but eventually I feel like it just clicks, and you get into the flow of how to write them!

Reply 3

Elenaa_212

OP

11

Original post by seashells7

Hi! I'm doing Higher History this year and really really enjoying it. I'm predicted an A1, I do have a good teacher which helps, but overall I find that if you're good at essay writing & essay-based questions you'll do well. You'll cover 3 main topics (2 essay based - British & European/World history, and then 1 Scottish history topic which is based on questions similar to N5 but require a bit more writing). There is multiple options for each topic area so each school may be different. I'm studying Germany, 1815 -1939 and Britain 1851 - 1951, and then the impact of the Great War on Scotland for my Scottish topic. Your school will most likely be different though so it's worth checking with your teacher.
If you're not doing N5 this year then this may not be as much use to you (it's totally possible to crash it though!), but still give an idea of the coursework.

•

The 1st paper is essay questions that are very similar to the To What Extent questions from N5. You'll most likely have to study anywhere between 8-10 essays for the main exam (4/5 for each topic), but if your school teaches it in any way similar to mine, they just instruct you to pre-write them and memorise them ahead of the main exam. In the exam you'll only be asked 2 questions but have 4 options to choose from.

•

The 2nd Paper is a lot more question based. If you are doing N5, the How Fully, Evaluate the Usefulness & Explain questions carry over with the exact same technique just they're now 10, 10 & 8 marks instead of 6. You'll then also be introduced to a new question type called How Much which is just a big expansion on Comparison questions. If you're not doing N5 then don't worry! You said you're good at social subjects which makes me assume you're taking one already? Not 100% sure about Geography, but I know the questions are similar to what you do in Modern Studies if you're doing that.

•

You then also have to do an assignment which is ~30% of your grade, but is essentially just a big expansion on one of the essays you study in class.

Overall, it's definitely doable (even if you are crashing it!). I'm also taking Higher Human Bio this year if you need any advice on that. Both are good options! But really take into account what you're looking to do beyond school and which you think you'll perform best in. :smile:

Yes I am currently doing national 5 history (I got a 3/B) and modern studies, thanks for your reply :smile:

Reply 4

username6655929

0

8

I'm in S5 and doing Higher History. In general it's a difficult subject, but I wouldn't say the assignment (coursework) is harder than any other element of it. If anything it's easier because one of the main issues that make Higher History so hard is the timing, and the assignment write-up isn't as harshly timed as the exam is.

Honestly while the essays are quite hard, I'd say the part that makes it a particularly difficult subject is 100% Paper 2 (which is the Scottish History section). Imagine the source questions from Nat 5 but extremely harshly marked and 300 times more difficult.

Reply 5

mazza333

1

Original post by Elenaa_212

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could describe what the coursework is like in higher history and just overall the experience of doing it?
I'm considering choosing history instead of human biology for s5 because I perform better in social subjects, and the teachers are much better too.

Absolutely ******** don’t recommend

Reply 6

Elenaa_212

OP

11

Original post by mazza333

Absolutely ******** don’t recommend

Too late lmaoo

Reply 7

Idkwhattopick

13

Original post by Elenaa_212

Hello, I was wondering if anyone could describe what the coursework is like in higher history and just overall the experience of doing it?
I'm considering choosing history instead of human biology for s5 because I perform better in social subjects, and the teachers are much better too.

Don’t do it bro 🙏🙏🙏

Reply 8

Elenaa_212

OP

11

Original post by Idkwhattopick

Don’t do it bro 🙏🙏🙏

I ended up not choosing it lmaoo

Reply 9

Zesty lemon

11

I would say yes go for it cause it’s fairly simple and straightforward if ur brains wired for the socials :smile:

Reply 10

Idkwhattopick

13

Original post by Zesty lemon

I would say yes go for it cause it’s fairly simple and straightforward if ur brains wired for the socials :smile:

nah but my brain was wired for socials in Nat 5 jus not for highers like I’m dreading this exam so much I can’t believe it’s on Tuesday

Reply 11

Elenaa_212

OP

11

Original post by Idkwhattopick

nah but my brain was wired for socials in Nat 5 jus not for highers like I’m dreading this exam so much I can’t believe it’s on Tuesday

Good luck I have the nat 5 one too lmaoo

Reply 12

Idkwhattopick

13

Original post by Elenaa_212

Good luck I have the nat 5 one too lmaoo

You’ll smash it dw! I’m so scared for mines idk anything 😭

Reply 13

quixz888

1

Personally, I would not recommend it in the slightest. I have never been so stressed out about a subject in my life. I got an A1 in the prelim, and I was similarly stressed, but the difference between three essays and the whole scottish section and eight essays and the whole scottish section is a massive step up. It’s a constant battle of trying to remember the most arbitrary information ever, and the wave of content is never-ending. Things like the fact that the Liberal Government passed the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act in which elderly people over the age of 70 who earn less than twelve shillings per week were granted a pension of between five and twenty five pence, with married couples receiving thirty seven pence gets one knowledge mark. See why it’s difficult to remember? It’s just random values plucked out of thin air, and you need to remember eight essays worth of that with a whole second section with similarly arbitrary details such as the fact that the introduction of the steamship cut down the time taken to cross the Atlantic from six weeks to one week. I hate it, and personally will never take another global subject in my life. It’s by far the most difficult subject I’ve ever taken, although maybe global subjects are just not my thing.

The assignment is an absolute doddle though, and learning the essays in class was fairly interesting. It’s revising it that’s the problem.

For context, my school do:

•

European and World:

•

The Rise of the Nazis

•

The Cuban Missile Crisis

•

The Vietnam War

•

Emergence of the Cold War

•

British

•

Women and the Vote

•

Liberal Motives

•

Success of the Liberal Reforms

•

Success of the Labour Reforms

•

Migration and Empire

Perhaps some people who do different topics can advise you differently, but that’s my experience.

Reply 14

Elenaa_212

OP

11

Original post by quixz888

Personally, I would not recommend it in the slightest. I have never been so stressed out about a subject in my life. I got an A1 in the prelim, and I was similarly stressed, but the difference between three essays and the whole scottish section and eight essays and the whole scottish section is a massive step up. It’s a constant battle of trying to remember the most arbitrary information ever, and the wave of content is never-ending. Things like the fact that the Liberal Government passed the 1908 Old Age Pensions Act in which elderly people over the age of 70 who earn less than twelve shillings per week were granted a pension of between five and twenty five pence, with married couples receiving thirty seven pence gets one knowledge mark. See why it’s difficult to remember? It’s just random values plucked out of thin air, and you need to remember eight essays worth of that with a whole second section with similarly arbitrary details such as the fact that the introduction of the steamship cut down the time taken to cross the Atlantic from six weeks to one week. I hate it, and personally will never take another global subject in my life. It’s by far the most difficult subject I’ve ever taken, although maybe global subjects are just not my thing.
The assignment is an absolute doddle though, and learning the essays in class was fairly interesting. It’s revising it that’s the problem.
For context, my school do:

•

European and World:

•

The Rise of the Nazis

•

The Cuban Missile Crisis

•

The Vietnam War

•

Emergence of the Cold War

•

British

•

Women and the Vote

•

Liberal Motives

•

Success of the Liberal Reforms

•

Success of the Labour Reforms

•

Migration and Empire

Perhaps some people who do different topics can advise you differently, but that’s my experience.

Thanks for your advice, I ended up not taking it and I switched it for sociology, but I will make sure to pass on this news to my friends who stayed in history for higher 🥰🎀🙏

Higher History advice S5

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