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1. Question Analysis

2. Examiner Code - ISECO

1. Question Analysis

2. Examiner Code - ISECO

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1. Question Analysis

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Question Stems /Question Types

Questions in the Higher History

Paper 1 fall into four main types:

1. The Direct Question

2. Evaluating a trend

3. The Isolated Factor

4. The Quotation & instruction question

Question Stems /Question Types

Questions in the Higher History

Paper 1 fall into four main types:

1. The Direct Question

2. Evaluating a trend

3. The Isolated Factor

4. The Quotation & instruction question

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1. The Direct Question:

" Why did something happen?"It is an invitation to show understanding of the different factors and discuss why the event happened.

Exemplar: Why did Russia fail to establish a democracy in 1917?

What is the question asking you to do? Clearly, there is more than one reason why Russia failed to become a democracy (needs to be defined). You are expected to present a number of reasons and discuss each in turn e.g.

• Absence of a democratic tradition in Tsarist Russia

• The effects of the First World War• The collapse of the economy• The weakness of the Provisional

Government• The determination and organisation of

the Bolsheviks

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Other examples of Direct Questions from Past Paper 1

Why did the Tsar's authority collapse so quickly in February 1917?

Why did the Bolsheviks win the Civil War in Russia?

For what reasons did the economy of the USA suffer depression in the early 1930s?

Why did the revolution of 1905 fail to topple the Tsar from power?

Why were revolutionary movements in Russia unable to challenge Tsarist authority successfully in the years before 1905?

Why were the Bolsheviks successful in establishing their authority over Russia between 1917 and 1921?

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2. Evaluating a trend

Whereas the direct question on Russia asked for an explanation centring around one year (1917), this type of question asks for an evaluation of changes taking place over a number of years.

Exemplar: "To what extent had democracy been achieved by 1914?"

This is one of the most difficult to answer. N.B. The question does not give the beginning date, but you must always assume this is 1850 as the overall title of the Scottish and British unit is Britain 1850 - 1979

Suggested approach to this type of question is:

•what changed between 1850-1914•when each change took place, •why each change took place and then•what had not changed and •why these things had not changed

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Changes/Reasons

* Set scene by defining how democratic Britain was in 1850 (refer to 1832 Reform Act)

* Outline changes in 1867 Reform Act and reasons why this advanced democracy

* As above for 1872 Ballot Act

* Corrupt and Illegal Practices Act (1883)

* 1884 Representation of the People Act

* Redistribution of Seats Act (1885)

* Parliament Act (1911)

* Payment of MPs (1911)

No Changes/Reasons

* still 13 million men could not vote

* women could not vote

* still ‘first past the post’ electoral system – arguably unfair.

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Other examples of Questions Evaluating a Trend from Past

Paper 1

Explain the varying electoral fortunes of the Scottish National Party during the period 1945-1979.

Why did support for the Scottish National Party vary so much during the period 1945-1979?

How democratic was Britain by 1911?

Did Scottish attitudes towards the Union change significantly between 1880 and 1939?

How effectively did successive federal governments deal with problems of racial discrimination in the period 1918-1939?

Other examples of Questions Evaluating a Trend from Past

Paper 1

Explain the varying electoral fortunes of the Scottish National Party during the period 1945-1979.

Why did support for the Scottish National Party vary so much during the period 1945-1979?

How democratic was Britain by 1911?

Did Scottish attitudes towards the Union change significantly between 1880 and 1939?

How effectively did successive federal governments deal with problems of racial discrimination in the period 1918-1939?

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3. The Isolated Factor Question

These questions can mostly be summarised in the following way:

"How important was X in the rise of the Y?" "To what extent did X cause Y?““How far was X made possible by Y?“

Suggested approach to this type of question is: •Put the isolated factor into context with what you know to be other important factors in this issue •Compare the role /influence of the isolated factor to the others you know are also important or even more important than this isolated factor. •Tell the examiner you know why the isolated factor is important•Add the other factors you know•Make a balanced judgement between the factors and reach a conclusion.

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Other examples of Isolated Factor Questions from Past Paper 1

How important was the growth in federal powers in the development of the civil rights movement between 1954 and 1963?

How significant was the Wall Street Crash in causing the economic depression of the 1930s?

How important was resentment over the Treaty of Versailles in explaining the rise to power of the Nazis in Germany between 1919 and 1933?

To what extent was the granting of the right to vote to women due to their role during the First World War?

How important was the role played by political pressure groups in the growth of democracy in Britain between 1860 and 1914?

Other examples of Isolated Factor Questions from Past Paper 1

How important was the growth in federal powers in the development of the civil rights movement between 1954 and 1963?

How significant was the Wall Street Crash in causing the economic depression of the 1930s?

How important was resentment over the Treaty of Versailles in explaining the rise to power of the Nazis in Germany between 1919 and 1933?

To what extent was the granting of the right to vote to women due to their role during the First World War?

How important was the role played by political pressure groups in the growth of democracy in Britain between 1860 and 1914?

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Breaking down the Isolated Factor Questions into a direct question + instruction:

Example

How significant was the Wall Street Crash in causing the economic depression of the 1930s?

Direct question: What caused the economic depression of the 1930s?

Instruction: Pay special attention to the Wall Street Crash.

Example

To what extent was the granting of the right to vote to women due to their role during the First World War?

Direct question: Why were women granted the vote?

Instruction: Pay special attention to the First World War.

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4. The Quotation and Instruction Question

This type of question always starts with a quotation followed by a question.

The follow up question stems used are mostly:

How far do you agree with this view

How far would you agree with reference to X

How well deserved is this description of

How adequate is this explanation for

Discuss.

How far do you accept this view of

How well does this explain X

Do you agree?

Is this an accurate analysis of X

4. The Quotation and Instruction Question

This type of question always starts with a quotation followed by a question.

The follow up question stems used are mostly:

How far do you agree with this view

How far would you agree with reference to X

How well deserved is this description of

How adequate is this explanation for

Discuss.

How far do you accept this view of

How well does this explain X

Do you agree?

Is this an accurate analysis of X

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Making a Judgement

The Quotation and Instruction Question is really asking you to balance up all the evidence and then come to a conclusion somewhere along a line between extremes e.g.

In a ‘How far do you agree’ question, you are expected to come down on the line somewhere between Totally Agree (Y) and Totally Disagree (Z). This can be visualised as:

X

Totally agree

Y

Totally disagree Z

Your answer

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Other examples of Quotation and Instruction from Past Paper 1

"The power of the Tsarist state remained largely unchanged." How far do you agree with this view of Russia between 1906 and 1914?

"Hitler's domestic policies between 1933 and 1939 enjoyed widespread popularity among the German people." How far would you agree?

"The creator of the Welfare State." How well deserved is this description of the Labour government of 1945-1951?

"Simply a response to the growth of the Labour movement." How adequate is this explanation for the social reforms of the Liberal government between 1906 and 1914?

"The New Deal was vital to the economic recovery of the USA from the depression of the 1930s." Discuss.

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Quotation + Instruction Question which is really an Isolated Factor

Question!

"The Wall Street Crash was the key factor in causing the economic depression of the 1930s." How far do you agree with this assessment?

This is really an Isolated factor in disguise. Let’s turn it into an Isolated Factor question:

How important was the Wall Street Crash in causing the economic depression of the 1930s?

We can now turn this into a direct question and instruction

Direct question: What were the causes of the economic depression

of the 1930s?

Instruction: Pay special attention to the Wall Street

Crash.

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Questions which don’t state the start date

Why did revolutionary movements grow in late nineteenth-century Russia?

Time period = 1881 – 1899 because Russian topic is 1881-1921.

Explain the failure of federal governments to deal with racial discrimination in the USA up to 1939.

Time period = 1918 – 1939 because American topic is 1918 - 1939.

How important a part did events during the First World War play in the decision to grant votes to women?

Time period = 1890s – 1918, not 1914 – 1918.

Remember, this is an Isolated Factor question asking about the reasons why women got the vote. Apart from the First World War, you should be discussing the role of the Suffragist and Suffragette movements. These had been political factors since the 1890s.

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Examples of questions which need to have terms defined early on in your

answer

"The creator of the Welfare State." How well deserved is this description of the Labour government of 1945-1951?

How beneficial was the impact of urbanisation on Scottish society between 1880 and 1939?

Explain the lack of success of the movements for women's suffrage in achieving their aims by 1914.

"Simply a response to the growth of the Labour movement." How adequate is this explanation for the social reforms of the Liberal government between 1906 and 1914?

Examples of questions which need to have terms defined early on in your

answer

"The creator of the Welfare State." How well deserved is this description of the Labour government of 1945-1951?

How beneficial was the impact of urbanisation on Scottish society between 1880 and 1939?

Explain the lack of success of the movements for women's suffrage in achieving their aims by 1914.

"Simply a response to the growth of the Labour movement." How adequate is this explanation for the social reforms of the Liberal government between 1906 and 1914?

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2. Examiner Code

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Does the introduction set the scene for the essay or set it in context?

Introduction

Does the question require you to give a definition in the introduction?

Does the introduction discuss what the candidate is going to write about?

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Structure

•Is the essay mainly narrative?

•Does the essay analyse the question?

•Are the important points dealt with first?

•Does the essay analyse the points as it goes along? (Do not leave the analysis to the end!)

•Is there a conclusion which leads from the points made in the body of the essay?

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Evidence

•Is there a good body of evidence which supports the points you have made?

•Are there quotations which support the points you have made?

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Conclusion

•Does the conclusion actually answer the question set?

•Does the conclusion pull the essay together?

•Does the conclusion summarise your key points and explain how they help to answer the question?

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Overall

•Does the essay read well?

•Is the essay balanced -discussing both sides of the question? e.g. Was Britain a democracy by 1918?

Balance: •Many democratic institutions were present•Much still to be done

ARGUE BOTH SIDES BEFORE YOU COME TO A CONCLUSION BACKED BY PRESENTED EVIDENCE.

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