1. Essay success in Higher History
St Joseph’s Academy
Essay success in Higher History

2. Feedback – general points
Introductions – not bad, usually doing 1 or 2 of 3
Knowledge – ok
Analysis – ok, need more and to start using A+
Length – not writing enough
Conclusions – some essays didn’t have them (why?) and those that did lacked structure

3. Types of essay – Higher History
Isolated factor essay
How important were the social surveys of Booth and Rowntree in the Liberal government’s decision to introduce social reforms, 1906—1914? marks
Asking you to look at the reasons for a historical event – why did X happen? Which factors are more important than others?
Assessment essay
27. To what extent did the reforms of the Labour Government of 1945—1951 meet the needs of the British people? marks
Asking you to look at how successful something was i.e. a set of reforms or the civil rights movement. Which bits worked better than others?

4. Marking
Introduction – 2 Knowledge (facts) – 6 Analysis (explanation with reference to question) – 6 Evaluation – 4 Conclusion - 2

5. Introductions 2 sentences of background to the issue E.g.
‘Before women received the vote…’
A list of factors
There were many reasons for X such as ….(listing fine)
A line of argument
It can be argued that X was the most important factor because… OR
It can be argued that the reforms did/ did not meet the needs of the people because…
All 3 = 2marks
2/3 = 1 mark
1 = 0 marks

6. Knowledge
6 marks for accurate, relevant facts. Should include a date, a law, a name, a statistic etc. E.g. In 1906 The Liberals passed the School Meals Act meaning Local Authorities were permitted to tax people in order to provide one free meal per day on schooldays.

7. Analysis
4 marks for explaining with relevance to the question. e.g. The introduction of free school meals met the needs of the British people because it meant that needy pupils were now receiving one nutritious meal per day and it allowed them to learn without the distraction of hunger

8. Analysis +
This is when you give a balanced argument or give two different historical interpretations
e.g.
On the one hand the old age pension was a great success and was very popular with 970,000 old people benefitting from it by 1914 however on the other hand Seebohm Rowntree had identified 35p per week as being the bare minimum needed to survive and the pension fell short of this meaning it did not do enough to help the old.
You need to do this at least twice in your essay to get full marks for analysis.

9. Evaluation – to be attempted if you are already achieving 16/20
Basic – 2 marks available
This factor is the most important factor because…
The factor is the least important factor because… OR
The Reforms did/ did not meet the needs of X group because…
You must be saying something new – not repeating your analysis
Advanced – remaining 2 marks available
Factor X is more important than Factor Y because…
The giant of ‘want’ was met better than the giant of ‘squalor’ because….

10. Conclusions – 3 parts Opening sentence;
In conclusion, there were many reasons for X. OR
In conclusion, the reforms meet the needs of X to an extent.
Balance;
On the one hand… (take one point of view here and explain it)
On the other hand (take another point of view here and explain it)
Overall decision
Overall… (come to a final decision and back it up with hard & convincing evidence to make your point)

11. Homework Everyone has three targets
You should complete the target tasks at home using today’s notes
Then resubmit to Miss Quigley for enhanced mark – Monday 7 March
Due on:
You only need to do the target tasks, do not redo whole essay!

12. Homework – pick one essay and try to improve your mark from the last timed essay.
25. “It was solely due to their efforts in the First World War that British women were enfranchised in 1918.” Discuss. 20 marks 26. How important were the social surveys of Booth and Rowntree in the Liberal government’s decision to introduce social reforms, 1906—1914? 27. ‘The Liberal Reforms of failed to meet the needs of the British people’. Discuss. 20 marks 27. To what extent did the reforms of the Labour Government of 1945—1951 meet the needs of the British people?