A “PATHWAY TO SUCCESS” AT A/S LEVEL.
ADVICE TO STUDENTS
This guide is an attempt to raise awareness of exactly what is required from you as students at A/S level in History. It is an attempt to provide you with a “pathway to A/S success”, in the form of a course companion to be used in conjunction with the guidance from your own class teachers.
Carlyle wrote that History was a “distillation of rumour”, and if we accept his interpretation then there cannot be right or wrong in History, merely supported judgement, with the emphasis upon “supported.” History therefore is not an exact science. It is shades of ‘grey’ rather than black and white.
One of the stated aims for the subject is:
“to develop (students) understanding of the nature of historical study, for example, that history is concerned with judgements based upon available evidence and the historical judgements may be provisional”
If this is the case then success can only be measured in terms of quality of response rather than merely in factual accuracy. The emphasis of this guide is to provide an approach to learning which encourages you to produce:
- quality answers to historical problems every time.
- answers which meet the criteria laid down by the examining boards within their level of response mark schemes,enabling you to progress to the higher levels.
However, at this point it is important to warn all those amongst you who are in search of the elusive “short cut” to A/S success, that you will not find it within the pages of this booklet. A/S by definition requires advanced understanding of your period of study. Your factual knowledge is taken for granted by examiners, what they hope to measure are your powers of selection, discrimination and analysis. Indeed, this marks the distinction between GCSE and “A” Level. You will be required to “analyse, evaluate and interpret” historical sources and historical interpretations of topics.
Analysis - to identify key issues in history
Evaluation - to assess the importance of related issues
Interpretation - to understand different views relating to these issues
Form Judgements - reach conclusions on these issues based upon the critical use of evidence.
Your judgements and conclusions will need to be communicated through clear, concise logical arguments that are supported with appropriate evidence. This evidence can only be acquired through disciplined self study and individual research through wider reading!!! Reading around the subject will help to develop and refine your powers of expression. You cannot expect to be able to communicate an effective historical argument if you do not express yourself properly. If you only have limited knowledge about a topic you will not be able analyse an issue in context . As Alexander Pope wrote :
“a little learning is a dangerous thing !”
Having read through this booklet you may well argue that what is written is a statement of the obvious, and mere common sense. I’m not going to apologise for that. In my experience, common sense doesn’t always prevail when sixth formers sit down to an examination in History. What I hope to share with you in this booklet is a systematic approach to achieving quality of response.
So, if the ultimate goal is quality of response, how do you actually achieve it? I think that it is vitally important
- to understand the target of each question
- to consider how you are expected to respond to those questions.
Crucially, the WJEC provides your teachers with level of response mark schemes and I believe that these are essential to your progress in History. If you can understand these, they can be a means of constructive self- assessment. In theory you will then be a position to mark your own work, to measure progress and to highlight weaknesses. Ultimately, your clear awareness of the target of each question, supported by your understanding of what is required in your answers will enable you to find a successful pathway through A/S. Let us now consider these issues within each of the three units of study facing you this year.
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