1. Essay Do's and Don'ts Introductions Development Conclusions
Paper One Revision
Essay Do's and Don'ts
Introductions
Development
Conclusions
In the Exam Room

2. Introductions Do Don’t
Start you essay with an attention-grabbing first sentence
Set out the issue clearly in the introduction
Give an indication of your line of argument in the introduction
Write a linking sentence at the end of your introduction to provide a smooth transition into the topic sentence of the second paragraph
Don’t
Answer the question in the introduction
Just re-phrase the question.
Just make a list of points you are going to make
Use personal terms like ‘I’ or ‘My’.

3. Development Do
Make sure that your essay has a logical or clear structure
Check that the first sentence in each paragraph should contain the main idea. You will get marks for argument as a result.
Follow this up with evidence, details, facts, figures, quotes.
Include ‘toolkit’ words which ensure that you are arguing, debating.
Keep sentences simple, direct, clear and relevant.
Don’t
Exaggerate claims e.g. ‘This proves that..’
Quote overly long chunks from historians – this is your essay being assessed.
Use slang or abbreviations. Formal English, please.
Use nursery language: ‘The workers were not happy about..’
Use two sentences when one would do.
Miss out parts of the essay – check back to question several times.

4. Conclusions Do Don’t Answer the question
Summarise the main points in your argument
Check that the conclusion is based on evidence presented in the essay.
Check that the conclusion is in line with the line of argument presented in the introduction.
Refer to words, phrases used in the essay title e.g. if a quotation was used.
Don’t
Introduce new evidence in the conclusion.
Say ‘In conclusion…’. That is stating the obvious.

5. In the Exam Room Do Don’t Read all the questions Panic!
Write on the exam paper
Put question number in margin
Underline key words /phrases to be discussed /defined.
Write plan on exam script. Markers may credit this if you don’t finish.
Allocate 40 minutes for each question.
Check back to the question /plan during the 40 minutes.
Write legibly
Write for 80 minutes. You should have prepared for this!
Have a conclusion.
Don’t
Panic!
Write out the question. Wastes time.
Think you can wing your way through an essay without the examiner knowing what you have done. You will be found out.
Invent facts, details. Again, you will be caught.
Try to impress by writing long, complex sentences. This is no substitute for clear thinking and clear writing.
Memorise an essay and then copy it out irrespective of the phrasing of the question.

6. Planning is Britain Topic Choose 3 topics and write 3 plans for them.
Make revision notes/ plans for them
Germany Topic
Write a plan for Economic factors in growth of Nationalism
Make revision notes/ plans for it