Higher History Conference 2003 Paper One Overview

1
Higher History demands that

• sit two essays in Paper 1
• each essay is worth 25 marks
• essays to be written in 80 minutes.
• one essay must be from the Scottish and British
  section
• the other essay must be from the European and
  World section

YOU

• YOU must also sit Paper 2
• this is the document paper
• there are 5 questions to be answered
• the marks usually range from 5-8.
• you have 85 minutes to do Paper 2

2
In this Conference, we will concentrate on the
contexts and topics mostly done by Higher pupils
in Aberdeenshire. In Paper 1, this means Option
C Later Modern History. In the Scottish and
British section, we deal with the topic Britain
1850-1979. In the Europe and World section, we
deal mainly with The Growth of Nationalism
(Germany). In Paper 2, the focus is on Special
Topic 7 Appeasement and the Road to War, to 1939.
3

• Aims of Conference
• Overview of exam skills for Papers 1 and 2.
• How to analyse essay and source questions so
  that you do as you are asked to do.
• Follow up advice with practice detailed
  exemplars.
• Confirm what your teachers have been teaching you
  for the last few months!

4
Overview of Paper 1 1 hour 20 minutes to do two
essays worth 50 marks out of a total of 110. 110
50 (P1) 30 (P2) 30 (E.E.) Shock
revelation Paper 1 markers get no marking
schemes with details of what pupils should have
written in their essays. What they get is broad
marking bands to help categorise essays as
an A 18 25 B 15 17 C 13 14
5

• 13 14 Marks
• A reasonable quantity of accurate,
  relevant knowledge will have been presented to
  address the issue
• There will be a basic analysis of the
  issue in its context supported by evidence
• There will be an appropriate structure
  and a relevant conclusion

6

• 15 17 marks
• a more substantial quantity of accurate,
  relevant knowledge will have been presented
• the analysis will show greater coherence,
  making fuller use of the evidence presented to
  illustrate and develop appropriate points
• there will be a more rigorous structure,
  making fuller use of the evidence presented to
  illustrate and develop appropriate points

7

• 18 25 marks
• There will be a considerable body of evidence,
  selected appropriately and used to illustrate and
  develop the analysis
• The line of argument will be well developed,
  clear and coherent throughout the essay
• There will often be awareness of possible
  alternative interpretations of the issue
• There will be fluent presentation of the
  conclusion, arising in a logical manner from a
  well-structured argument