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A-Level History Help

I've been getting low/ medium level 3 in my essays for AQA. What do I need to do to get into a high level 4? (The more detailed the better.)

Reply 1

Original post by hafsaaaaaaaaa
I've been getting low/ medium level 3 in my essays for AQA. What do I need to do to get into a high level 4? (The more detailed the better.)

Hi, which topics are you doing? You can download some exemplars, specimen mark schemes etc from the AQA website. Some of them show level 3 and level 5 answers to the same question so you can compare the differences. How do you usually start an essay, like what are your introductions like? Do you do PEA paragraphs? I will probably find it easier to help when I know this. :smile:

Reply 2

I am doing Russia 2n and British empire. For essays, I do short intro explaining if I agree or disagree with the statement and state my factors. I write 3 PEEL paragraphs with 2-3 evidence each ( for Russia I try to include stats or detailed evidence because it is the depth course). Then I conclude by stating if I agree with question, write my factors and summarise arguments. For british empire source, I do 3 paragraphs write if the argument is convincing ang how much (highly, slightly, not) and why. Then I get a quote and explain it and back it up with evidence from my own knowledge 3 times in one paragraph. I do this 3 times for each source and write a conclusion. For russia source, I do a similar structure but instead of talking about if it is convincing I talk about relevance, reliability,revelation and if the source is valuable.

Reply 3

Original post by hafsaaaaaaaaa
I am doing Russia 2n and British empire. For essays, I do short intro explaining if I agree or disagree with the statement and state my factors. I write 3 PEEL paragraphs with 2-3 evidence each ( for Russia I try to include stats or detailed evidence because it is the depth course). Then I conclude by stating if I agree with question, write my factors and summarise arguments. For british empire source, I do 3 paragraphs write if the argument is convincing ang how much (highly, slightly, not) and why. Then I get a quote and explain it and back it up with evidence from my own knowledge 3 times in one paragraph. I do this 3 times for each source and write a conclusion. For russia source, I do a similar structure but instead of talking about if it is convincing I talk about relevance, reliability,revelation and if the source is valuable.

Ok, first of all try looking on quizlet for essay plan flashcards. I don't know if they will have any for your subjects but it's worth a try. Also, I highly recommend downloading everything you can on the AQA website for those topics. They have comments on all the model answers. Level 3 response can have initial judgements but aren't developed enough. You have to make sure every single thing you say is linked to the question.Everything has to be evaluative, not a narrative of what happened for a few sentences then a sentence saying "this supports the view that ... Was successful". If you make a claim, it must be backed up by evidence.Your argument has to be balanced but leaning slightly to one side. I feel your pain as I continuously wrote level 4 answers and often didn't know what to do to improve. I suggest that you download the answers and commentaries for ALL the history topics, including ones you're not doing. If the commentary says "level 5 answer" then read what the examiner comments are and try to see if you are doing that with your own work. I know the mark scheme is kind of messed up 😭, do ask me if there's anything else I can do to help!

Reply 4

Original post by Hannahblossom
Ok, first of all try looking on quizlet for essay plan flashcards. I don't know if they will have any for your subjects but it's worth a try. Also, I highly recommend downloading everything you can on the AQA website for those topics. They have comments on all the model answers. Level 3 response can have initial judgements but aren't developed enough. You have to make sure every single thing you say is linked to the question.Everything has to be evaluative, not a narrative of what happened for a few sentences then a sentence saying "this supports the view that ... Was successful". If you make a claim, it must be backed up by evidence.Your argument has to be balanced but leaning slightly to one side. I feel your pain as I continuously wrote level 4 answers and often didn't know what to do to improve. I suggest that you download the answers and commentaries for ALL the history topics, including ones you're not doing. If the commentary says "level 5 answer" then read what the examiner comments are and try to see if you are doing that with your own work. I know the mark scheme is kind of messed up 😭, do ask me if there's anything else I can do to help!
Thank youuuu!! I’m gonna do this.Is it okay if I write an essay and send it to u.

Reply 5

Original post by hafsaaaaaaaaa
Thank youuuu!! I’m gonna do this.Is it okay if I write an essay and send it to u.

Yes ofc! Maybe copy and paste it into here, or PM me, whatever works for you :smile:

Reply 6

Original post by hafsaaaaaaaaa
Thank youuuu!! I’m gonna do this.Is it okay if I write an essay and send it to u.

Also, if you have read any of the recommended reading books, the style is very different from a GCSE textbook. I find that historians like Dominic Sandbrook and David Starkey are really good to understand, obviously they write for different time periods but I would even just look for one of their books in Waterstones (or preview it on google) and look at the way they narrate what happens. It's hard to explain, you just have to keep reading and reading complex history books to kind of absorb the language they use. :smile:

Reply 7

I'm on the aqa website looking at 2022 british empire paper and I cant find any exemplar paragraphs, only evidence.

Reply 8

Original post by hafsaaaaaaaaa
I'm on the aqa website looking at 2022 british empire paper and I cant find any exemplar paragraphs, only evidence.

I searched aqa alevel british empire model answers and this purple pdf came up. That's it.

Reply 9

found it . Thank you!!

Reply 10

Hi, this is slightly different, but does anyone have a list of phrases / a phrasebank(online link maybe) for A Level History, not specific to any topic, but key terms like this was a prerequisite, or this catalysed , or this was a fundamental factor etc etc, like a list of those

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