1. WRITING FOR THE VCE HISTORY REVOLUTIONS EXAM
Luke Cashman
VCE History Teacher
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School

2. What will be covered today?
Structure of the exam
Exam format: question booklet & answer booklet
Time allocation
Which Revolution for which Section?
How to address particular questions
Sample student responses
Preparation and study advice
Study resources
General hints and tips

3. Structure of the examination
Wednesday, 14 November pm
The exam is worth 50% of your overall result for this subject
Total of 80 marks
15 minutes reading (and thinking) time
Two hours writing time
Two Sections (A & B) which contain two Outcomes each:
Outcome 1: Movements, Ideas, Leaders and Events
Outcome 2: Creating a new society

4. Section A & Section B
Each Section is worth 40 marks; each Outcome is worth 20 marks
Therefore 60 minutes per Section; 30 minutes per Outcome
Roughly 500 words per Outcome every 30 minutes
You must nominate which Revolution you will address on the front page for both Sections in the Answer book
You can only write on ONE revolution in each Section. Eg:
Section A: America (both Outcomes)
Section B: China (both Outcomes)

5. Exam format Separate Question and Answer book
In the past, these were combined
Facilitate computer scanning for assessment
Hopefully prevent problems over which Revolution to write on in each Section
Each Outcome immediately follows on from the previous one in each Section
You MUST write your responses in the appropriate place in the Answer book
Use extra space provided appropriately – clearly label your responses
Do not use pencil; blue or black pen only

6. Which Revolution to write on for Sections A and B:
Which Revolution can you write on in both Sections?
Which Revolution should you write on?
Two options:
Decide in the exam room after you have read the questions
Decide prior to the exam, regardless of the questions
If you take the latter option:
Decide early so that you reduce your preparation time
Think about the SACs you sat during the year
For example - France: SAC 1 Document Analysis; SAC 2 Argumentative essay… corresponds to Section B

7. SECTION A
REVOLUTION ONE

8. Section A, Outcome 1 (I)
Indicate which Revolution you are addressing in the Answer book
Movements, ideas, leaders and events that contributed to the Revolution
Long-term, structural factors such as: social, economic and political causes
Short-term precipitants: wars, financial crises, signs of weakness at the top etc.
Question format: Short Answer
Two questions; BOTH must be answered
10 marks each; 15 minutes per question
This includes >1 minute planning each
Approximately 250 words per question
Address these questions in the appropriate section of the Answer book

9. Section A, Outcome 1 (II)
Read the question carefully and underline/highlight key terms
Stay within the timeframe given in the question (eg: “between February and October 1917”)
The first sentence must answer the question directly
“A successful answer requires about four different relevant points.” (Exam advice for Revolutions, The Age, )
Use signposting to connect or differentiate between your points (eg: firstly; secondly; thirdly; finally)
Include specific detail: groups & movements; individuals; key events (dates); the impact of ideas and ideologies; policies and documents/speeches
Historians’ views NOT required (Assessor’s Report on the 2011 Revolutions exam)

10. Section A, Outcome 1 (III)
Focus: explain “how” a movement, leader, idea or event “contributed to the development of a revolutionary situation”, or “explain their importance/significance”
Use words that highlight causal role of an event, person etc: ‘catalyst’, ‘highlighted’, ‘intensified dissatisfaction’, ‘polarised’, ‘popularised’, ‘articulated’, ‘stimulated; ‘led to’, ‘contributed to’, ‘crucial factor in.’
How and why key social groups (including the armed forces) withdrew their support from the regime
What mistakes or errors were made by the old regime (eg poor decisions; failed attempts at reform; increased political repression; weak leadership)
How and why particular political groups or parties (eg the Bolsheviks or the CCP) were able to muster and maintain sufficient support

11. Section A, Outcome 2 (I) Creating a new society
The same Revolution that you wrote on in Outcome 1
Follows on directly from Outcome 1 - easy to find
Key areas to focus on:
What were the aims and goals of the revolutionaries?
Did the Revolution fall short of its goals? If so, why?
Challenges/obstacles/crises: military, political, social and economic
Responses: disproportionate and brutal OR necessary and appropriate?
Change and continuity: was the new regime markedly different to the one it replaced?
Task format: Document Analysis
1 document; 30 minutes (including planning)

12. Section A, Outcome 2 (II)
“The part of the paper that has proven most challenging…” (Chief Assessor, The Age, 9 September 2009)
Can be any of: document, commentary, visual representation or interpretation
Primary or secondary; visual or written
Four questions (a, b, c & d)
Questions a and b: short comprehension / knowledge questions:
2 marks each
Your ability to interpret the extract
Be succinct but answer the question
Read the questions carefully and get them right!

13. Section A, Outcome 2 (III)
Question c:
Knowledge/understanding; historical context surrounding the extract.
Key phrase in the question: “By quoting from the extract and using your own knowledge…” or “By referring to parts of the graphic…”
Meet this requirement by quoting directly from the extract or describing an element of a visual representation.
Useful phrases: “As stated in the extract…” or “As Chairman Mao has written here…” or “As can be seen in the visual…”

14. Section A, Outcome 2 (IV) Question c:
Read the question carefully & highlight key terms
Do not simply write a narrative of events
The first sentence should answer the question (a topic sentence)
Expand on this with three main ideas
Use signposting to connect, or differentiate between, ideas
Use specific historical knowledge (dates, names etc)
Stay within the time frame of the question
About 10 minutes
Approximately 150 words
Address this in the appropriate section of the Answer book

15. Section A, Outcome 2 (V) Question d:
Evaluate the usefulness or reliability of the document
This means three things:
Know what event or issue the document refers to
Understand whose perspective is being presented
Know what others have said about that event or issue (can be contemporary views or historians)
Read the question carefully and underline key terms
Plan before you write; decide how reliable or useful the document is in representing a specific episode of the past and be prepared to explain your answer
You MUST stay within the time frame of the question

16. Section A, Outcome 2 (VI) Question d:
Your first sentence must answer the question (ie: how reliable or useful is the source: extremely; quite; somewhat; limited etc)
Discuss the strengths and/or limitations of the source; refer to obvious bias or deliberate distortion if evident
Omission – what aspect of the event or issue does the document not discuss (ie other causes or consequences)
Quote written documents or describe a particular element of a visual source
Discuss viewpoints that agree with the extract (if possible)
Discuss viewpoints that disagree with the extract
It is not enough to list schools (eg: Marxists; revisionists); you need to know what particular historians have argued about specific aspects of the revolution

17. Section A, Outcome 2 (VII)
Question d:
Top students are now starting to quote historians (Assessor’s Report on the 2010 Revs exam)
Use well-known historians
Use signposting throughout to indicate where viewpoints differ or concur (Similarly; on the other hand; in addition; however)
Summarise your findings in the final sentence; link back the question directly
Eg: “Therefore, this extract is of limited use because…”
Approximately 250 words
15 minutes
Address this in the appropriate place in the Answer book

18. SECTION B
REVOLUTION TWO

19. Section B, Outcome 1 (I)
Remember that you must write on a different revolution from the one you referred to in Section A
Mark this in the appropriate place in the Answer book
AOS 1 - Movements, Ideas, Leaders and Events
The task in Section B, Outcome 1 is essentially the same as Section A, Outcome 2
Document analysis: Any of a document, commentary, visual representation or interpretation
Format: a, b, c & d
20 marks; 30 minutes including planning
Address this in the appropriate place in the Answer book

20. Section B, Outcome 2 (I)
Refer to the same revolution as you did in Section B, Outcome 1
AOS 2: Creating a new society
Format: Argumentative Essay
ONE essay question per revolution - no choice given as in past exams
Questions are specific to one of the four revolutions
Accompanied by a quote from a participant or historian, or a general statement
This could help you engage with the broader debates on the Revolution

21. Section B, Outcome 2 (II) Read the question carefully
Highlight/underline the key words
Write a brief plan to structure and organise your response
If a change and continuity question, only minimal reference to AOS 1; otherwise, none at all
20 marks; 30 minutes
Argue a clear, strong contention that refers directly to the question
Develop a complex contention; avoid simply agreeing or disagreeing with the question (eg. some goals met; not all)

22. Section B, Outcome 2 (III)
Use paragraphing with clear topic sentences
Expand on topic sentences with relevant and specific evidence:
policies or speeches
key documents
key events
statistics and quotes
important individuals, institutions & groups
accurate dates
Historians’ views can be included but they should be used to support your ideas, not as evidence
If you do use them, they should be used to support evidence or arguments rather than in the place of them

23. Section B, Outcome 2 (IV) Approximately 500 words
Brief intro and conclusion (about 50 words each)
Three body paragraphs of about 150 words each
Three types of questions:
Aims and goals
Crisis and response
Change and continuity
Can focus on any of:
Political
Social
Economic

24. Section B, Outcome 2 (V) Suggested essay structures:
1. Social; economic; political
Aims and goals style questions
Change and continuity style questions
2. Moderate; radical; moderate
3. Military; political; social; economic
Crisis and response style questions
4. By social group (eg: nobility; bourgeoisie; urban workers; peasants; the very poor)
Social aims and goals or change and continuity style questions

25. Section B, Part 2 (VI)
Sample Intro: Russia [November 1917 – 1924 death of Lenin] ‘The New Economic Policy was an absolute compromise of Bolshevik ideals and illustrated Lenin’s desire to maintain power for power’s sake.’ Do you agree with this view of the Bolshevik revolutionaries? Use evidence to support your answer. [HTAV Sample exam 2009] By the time of Lenin’s death in 1924, the Bolsheviks had compromised most of their revolutionary goals. This was undoubtedly due in part to the Bolsheviks’ desire to establish a dictatorship and destroy their political opponents. Socially and economically, however, the Bolsheviks were forced (by circumstances largely beyond their control) to implement policies that betrayed their most deeply cherished aims. (60 words)

26. General hints and tips I
Neat hand-writing!!!
Write within the designated space on the page
Use blue or black pen; no pencil
Answer the question
Use signposting
Use reading time well (also thinking time)
Respond to long written documents first OR
the revolution you feel most confident with
Be time-disciplined in the examination
Genuine practice examinations completed under examination conditions (e.g. time)

27. General hints and tips II
Get accustomed to the layout and format of the exam (VCAA samples and past exams; HTAV; Insight)
Responding to the right question in the right part of the Answer book
Use specific facts and information
Avoid vague remarks like: “met the needs of the people” or “made the French happy”
Read the captions accompanying documents carefully
Spell and use the terms “bias” and “biased” properly
Something is not biased or unreliable because it is a primary source
Something is not useful or reliable because it is a secondary source

28. General hints and tips III
Roughly 500 words per Outcome.
It’s a matter of words, not how many lines you fill
If you use the extra space in the Answer book, use the correct area and clearly label your continued response
If you use a second Answer book, indicate this CLEARLY
Know the chronology of key events and dates
Understand the chain of cause and effect
Be able to work backwards chronologically from an event so you can discuss causes
Speak to your teacher as often as possible
Read, read, read
Write, write, write

29. Preparation resources I
Past and sample VCAA exams on the VCAA website
Assessor’s report
Both available at the VCAA website
2010 exam is the best
Prior to 2005 are NOT useful at all
HTAV and Insight practice exams
Erikson & Kerr, VCE Revolutions Teacher Pack (HTAV, 2010)
Chief Examiner’s advice in “The Age”
(eg. 12 September 2011)

30. Preparation resources II
For historiography:
Textbooks
Cambridge series: “Analysing…” (not America)
HTAV series (eg. “Liberating France”)
Access to History series
Cambridge Checkpoints 2010
Past examinations
Borrow one or two key works by noted historians

31. The exam won’t test all you know, but you have to know all it tests.