1. The Thematic Essay
Questions set will require coverage of the whole period, which will be of at least 100 years.
The whole period will not need to be covered in every paragraph.
There should be balanced coverage of the period in the course of the essay.

2. The Thematic Essay Types of question:
‘X was the most significant turning point in Y during the period from A to B.’ How far do you agree with this view?
How far do you agree that X remained the same throughout the period?
‘X was the main cause of Y throughout the period.’ To what extent do you agree with this view of the period from A to B?
Quotation about the period. How far do you agree with this view?
Assess the reasons for X throughout the period.
To what extent was X the main factor in Y?

4. Skills for the Thematic Essay
Focus on the issue in the Question.
- TIE BACK YOUR ANALYSIS TO THE KEY TERMS IN THE QUESTION
Support the argument with relevant and accurate knowledge.
- HARD EVIDENCE AT PACE (CAN YOU INTERACT WITH IT ?)
Analysis of the issues
-COMPARE WHERE YOU CAN
Reach a supported and developed judgement
-A SUSTAINED CONCLUSION AND IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS
Show synthesis across the whole period
-PRE and POST 1917 IN EVERY PARAGRAPH

5. The Thematic Essay and Synthesis
What is synthesis?
The bringing together of material from across the whole period
Making links and connections between the material
Explaining the similarities and differences, continuity and change between the events
Comparing events/issues in each paragraph
This is much easier if the essay is structured thematically and not chronologically

6. Thematic Essay Mark Scheme
Level 6 A
The answer has a very good focus on the question. Detailed and accurate knowledge and understanding is used to analyse and evaluate key features of the period studied in order to reach a fully developed synthesis supporting a convincing and substantiated judgement. There is a well-developed and sustained line of reasoning which is coherent and logically structured. The information presented is entirely relevant and substantiated.

7. Good historical skills
AO1 – Knowledge – A Level
Demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring concepts, as relevant, of cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance.
Good historical skills

8. Second order concepts AO1 - knowledge
Demonstrate, organise and communicate knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the key features related to the periods studied, making substantiated judgements and exploring concepts, as relevant, of cause, consequence, change, continuity, similarity, difference and significance.
Second order concepts

9. Chief examiner feedback
This was less well done than the interpretations work.
Far too many factors based essays – a clumsy rule of thumb is that ever paragraph must compare / analyse across the 1917 pivot.
Chronology is death in this writing.
Students short of time ended up with weak conclusions which were more assertion than sustained judgement.
Some students were so obsessed with synthesis that they did not keep tight to the line of argument they set out in their introductions. Key terms are as important here as in all other examined writing.