Writing Essays in IB History Daniel W. Blackmon Coral Gables Senior High.

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Writing Essays in IB History

Daniel W. Blackmon

Coral Gables Senior High

Purpose

Essays in IB HL History are Expository Essays,

That is, they are arguments whose purpose is to convince the Reader.

Purpose

You should always pay attention to your audience, and adjust your style to that audience.

In this case, your audience is a Reader who wants to be swayed by your fact-based logic.

Purpose

The most important stylistic qualities therefore are

Clarity (This is not “Mystery History”!),

Purpose

followed by Analysis

and Specific Factual Information (SFI).

Purpose

Do Not try to be stylistically creative!

The results can be pretty humorous, but do not help you with the Reader!

Examples of False Creativity

“The Iron Curtain, which created a blindfold on the US was now shedding an eye-opening wake-up call of light on the US.”

More Creativity . . .

“When America was a virgin . . . “

“The Civil War was an eye opener for the colonies . . . “ (San Antonio 2003)

“The North wreaked the benefits any nation gets when it wins a war.” (San Antonio 2003)

“Since mother nature is what is intended in life, women are the most, statistically speaking, individuals who bear children.” (San Antonio 2003)

“There were as many women as men suffering from puberty.” (San Antonio 2003)

Purple Prose Deluxe

“A dark gorge, a bloody chasm, ripped through the United States during the Civil War. The differences festering underneath a thin taut equality were smashed by a delicate balance of power.

Purple Prose Deluxe

“The tensions finally erupted as the scales was tipped irrevocably toward the North and away from Southern control.” (San Antonio 2003)

More Purple Prose!!!!

“Upon the many dilapidated hardships during the Great Depression many distinctful yet suppressive thoughts and arguments changed the role of the federal government.

“One’s view can only notice the stability of creative minds which enables the ‘strongest’ to ‘assist’ tand the ‘retarded’ to ‘recover.’ One example can be women who are out of work and hungry. Another example could be the rivalry between ‘socialsim’ and ‘communism.’

“The New Deal in Review could be the only possible example which had a good effect, yet was looked upon as a cause as well.” (San Antonio 2003)

Our favorite: San Antonio 2001

“When Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, the industry took off faster than a prom dress.”

The IB History Markbands

Markband 17-20 (A)The demands of the question are effectively and relevantly addressed in a clearly structured and focused essay. Arguments are detailed and well developed.

Markband 17-20 (A) continuedAt the upper end of this markband the answer will, in addition, demonstrate one of the following: a well developed awareness of historiographical issues: a good conceptual ability; or a successful challenge to the assumptions implied in the question.

Markband 14-16 (B)The demands of the question are effectively and relevantly addressed, usually in a structured framework. The answer is clearly supported by appropriate factual knowledge and demonstrates a consistent level of analytical ability, although all aspects may not have been addressed.

Markband 11-13 (C+)The demands of the question are understood and addressed, although not all the implications are considered. The answer is supported by accurate, relevant and adequate knowledge and has either an analytical structure or a soundly focused combination of narrative and analysis.

Markband 8-10 (C-)The demands of the question are generally understood. The question may be answered with a relevant coherent argument which is supported by limited material.

Markband 8-10 (C-) continuedAlternatively, the answer contains accurate knowledge but is mainly descriptive or narrative with implicit analysis or explanatory comments, or it is made relevant by its conclusion. Some attempt to structure an answer (chronologically or analytically) is evident.

Markband 6-7 (D)There is some indication that the question is understood. The question is partially addressed, and there is a limited amount of accurate and relevant knowledge. There is a limited demonstration of skills, focus and structure

Markband 4-5 (F)Little understanding is shown of the question, which is not addressed effectively. Although some historical facts and comments are present they are limited, often Inaccurate and of marginal relevance. There is also very little evidence of appropriate skills and the structure is basic.

Markband 1-3 (F)There is very little understanding of the question or relevant knowledge. Appropriate skills and organizational structure are lacking. The candidates answer is no more than a collection of generalizations or a paragraph or two of facts, _bearing little relation to the question.

Markband 0 (F) No Rewrite PermitedIf the answer does not achieve the standard described in markband 1-3, 0 should be recorded

Rule Number One

Answer the question that has been asked!!!!!!

(As opposed to the question you wish they had asked!!!!)

Rule Number One

A starting point for making sure that you answer the question as asked is to copy the question in full at the top of your answer.

That way, I know that you have at least read every word of the question.

Rule Number One

Example:

“Analyze the reasons for the longevity of Fidel Castro’s rule in Cuba.”

Describing his rise to power is irrelevant to the question.

Rule Number Two

Make sure you understand what the question requires of you!

Rule Number Two

If the question asks you to evaluate something, but you only describe, you cannot write a satisfactory answer.

Note the use of key terms:

Analyze: determine their component parts; examine their nature and relationship.

Assess / Evaluate: judge the value or character of something; appraise; evaluate the positive points and the negative ones; give an opinion regarding the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of.

Compare: Examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences.

Contrast: examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference.

Note the use of key terms

When IB uses the term “compare,” they mean “compare and contrast”

This is a bit different from AP usage

Describe: to give an account of; to tell about; give a word picture of.

Discuss: talk over; write about; consider or examine by argument or from various points of view; debate; present the different sides of.

Explain: make clear or plain; make clear the causes or reasons for; make known in detail; tell the meaning of.

Rule Number Three

Note the time frame of the question! Stay within the time frame, and attempt to discuss the entire time frame!

Rule Number Four

Organize your answer!

Organize Your Answer!

Jot down your sub-topics

jot down and arrange the Specific Factual Information (SFI) that will support your argument.

Where appropriate, use the Five Paragraph Format

Five Paragraph Format

¶ 1: Thesis Paragraph, including sub-topics A, B, and C

¶ 2: Sub-Topic A

¶ 3: Sub-Topic B

¶ 3: Sub-Topic C

¶ 5: Summary

Rule Number Five

Provide a clear, well developed thesis within a Thesis Paragraph that lays out the major sub-topics in your essay

Provide a Clear Thesis

This is not Mystery History.

Tell the Reader what you intend to prove, and how you intend to prove it.

I am marking holistically, that is,

I am evaluating the essay as a whole.

My first decision is to place the essay within one of the markbands as described in the rubric, and only then will I refine it

Clarity is always the prime stylistic virtue in expository essays;

this is doubly true with holistic grading.

The first thing I do in holistic grading is look for the thesis!

Topic Specific Questions

Many questions will tell you which sub-topics you must discuss. For example:

“Analyze the similarities and differences between single party rule in Hitler's Germany and Stalin's Russia between 1933 and 1945. Answers should consider: (A) methods of dealing with opposition; (B) control of the media and education; (C) control of the economy, and (D) wartime planning.”

Open Ended Questions

Some questions, however, are relatively open-ended, and require you to provide the sub-topics yourself. For example:

“Do you support the view that single party politics makes more sense than multi-party politics in a developing country? Give reasons, supported by specific illustrations, for your answer. “

PERSIA

In such cases, think of the mnemonic device PERSIA:

P Political

E Economic

R Religious

S Social

I Intellectual

A Aesthetic

Answer the Question As Asked!

IB means exactly what they write in an essay question!

“How successful was any ONE of the following in improving the quality of life and promoting greater equality in his country: (A) Gamal Abdel Nasser; (B) Juan Peron; (C) Josip Broz Tito? “

“How, why, and with what consequences did Stalin distort the role of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union?”

“To what extent is organization more important than ideology in the rise of single party states? Discuss, with references to TWO single party states each chosen from a different region. “

Rule Number Six

The paragraphs of the body of your essay must relate directly to the question! Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence and that topic sentence should refer to the original question. Transitional devices (such as “therefore,” “as a result of” etc.) Help to give your answer organic unity

There is no single way to organize the body of your essay. For example, with the question :

“Compare the rise to power of fascism in Italy and in Germany.”

Plan A

I Thesis Paragraph

A. Italy

B. Germany

II Italy

A. Political

B. Economic

C. Social

Plan A

III Germany

A. Political

B. Economic

C. Social

IV Summary

Plan B

I Thesis Paragraph

A. Political

B. Economic

C. Social

II Political

A. Italy

B. Germany

Plan B

III Economic

A. Italy

B. Germany

IV Social

A. Italy

B. Germay

V. Summary

Either outline, if well executed and supported by SFI will produce a satisfactory essay.

However, the second outline, Plan “B,” is more analytical and therefore to be preferred..

Rule Number Seven

Each paragraph must be supported by Specific Factual Detail (SFI)!!!!

My rule-of-thumb is at least three examples of SFI per paragraph in the body.

SFI must be accurate and relevant to the question.

Rule Number Eight

Be conscious of Change Over Time (COT).

Most questions in history are going to deal with COT in some manner

This usually require a discussion of causation.

Rule Number Nine

Conclude with a strong summary paragraph.

First, you tell the Reader what you are going to tell him; then tell the Reader what you intend to tell him; then tell the Reader what you just told him.

Rule Number Ten

It is your responsibility to write in such a manner as to allow the Reader to understand what you are saying.

Writing Essays in IB History Daniel W. Blackmon Coral Gables Senior High.

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