How to get top marks in a History essay? (2024)

Make sure that, before your exam, you have planned your answers to a range of questions which have come up in past papers/may come up in the future. Your plan should include, primarily, your judgement and how you expect to be able to argue/form a case for this! (Think of yourself as a lawyer in a courtroom).

So, the most important thing is your judgement, and them you should plan 3 points which can help you to argue in favour of this. In each point, relevant dates should be added into your plan (your plans can help you to revise the dates you should know!) as well as pieces of historical evidence which could help.

With each point you make, you shall need to bring in counterevidence, which could be brought against you (again, like the opposition in a court of law), and you need o defeat this, by offering stronger evidence which favours your opinion. However, you need to make sure that the counter-evidence you are using isn't the weakest there is - although this is easier to defeat, your marker will be well aware that there is stronger evidence which opposes your view which you have just ignored. Make sure you're not taking the easy way out!

The conclusion should reinstate your judgement, state how you think you have shown evidence for this and why you think it is the right view to hold. It should be snappy, but not rushed - a conclusion is very important in academia, and at A Level, this is a good thing for you to practice!

How to get top marks in a History essay? (2024)

FAQs

How to get top marks in a History essay? ›

Make sure that, before your exam, you have planned your answers to a range of questions which have come up in past papers/may come up in the future. Your plan should include, primarily, your judgement and how you expect to be able to argue/form a case for this!

How to ace a history essay? ›

Making Sure your History Paper has Substance
  1. Get off to a good start. Avoid pretentious, vapid beginnings. ...
  2. State a clear thesis. ...
  3. Be sure to analyze. ...
  4. Use evidence critically. ...
  5. Be precise. ...
  6. Watch the chronology. ...
  7. Cite sources carefully. ...
  8. Use primary sources.

How do you write a strong history essay? ›

Writing a History Essay—The Basics
  1. Identify the assignment's goals. ...
  2. Review the available material on the question. ...
  3. Formulate a thesis. ...
  4. Organize the supporting evidence for your thesis. ...
  5. What to do with contradictory evidence. ...
  6. Know your audience or “ideal reader” ...
  7. Write in the simple past tense.

How to get high marks in an essay? ›

10 Tips for Polishing your Essays to Achieve Higher Grades
  1. Plan and Outline. Before you start writing, create a clear outline that includes your main points and supporting evidence. ...
  2. Thesis Statement: ...
  3. Introduction. ...
  4. Evidence and Examples. ...
  5. Transitions. ...
  6. Clarity and Conciseness. ...
  7. Grammar and Punctuation. ...
  8. Vocabulary.
Sep 26, 2023

Is 80 on an essay good? ›

A - is the highest grade you can receive on an assignment, and it's between 90% and 100% B - is still a pretty good grade! This is an above-average score, between 80% and 89% C - this is a grade that rests right in the middle.

How do you get full marks on a history essay? ›

So, the most important thing is your judgement, and them you should plan 3 points which can help you to argue in favour of this. In each point, relevant dates should be added into your plan (your plans can help you to revise the dates you should know!) as well as pieces of historical evidence which could help.

How to write an A* history A level essay? ›

How to structure a History essay?
  1. Introduction – laying out your thesis argument. ...
  2. Body paragraphs – defending your argument. ...
  3. Body paragraph(s) – refuting the opposition. ...
  4. Conclusion – tying up the essay.

How to argue in a history essay? ›

A good argument for a historical research paper should always address how and why something happened in history. It should also put that something into context so that the argument examines any modern-day implications with respect to recent circ*mstances.

How to get a 1st in an essay? ›

A first-class essay will contain a solid argument, a coherent structure, and will also demonstrate a high level of technical knowledge – ensure that you do not forget these points.

How many paragraphs for a 2000 word essay? ›

Of course, some might be a bit shorter or longer, but you can use this average figure to estimate how many paragraphs you will need in your essay. For example, a 2000 word essay will tend to have around 10 paragraphs in it. Your essay should have an introduction paragraph and a conclusion paragraph.

How do you write a 1000 word history essay? ›

When writing a 1000 word essay, it is important to distribute your word count reasonably. Generally speaking, the introduction should take 10-15% of your total word count (100-150 words). The body paragraphs should make up 70 % (700 words), and the conclusion should be around 10-15% (100 - 150 words).

Is it hard to get 40% in an essay? ›

It's relatively easy to score the first 40% but increasingly difficult to achieve the next 60%. Do not be tempted to spend too long on a topic(s) that you know a lot about in the vain hope that somehow the marks you score on that question(s) will make up for a missing answer. It never happens! Plan ahead.

How do you write 100% in an essay? ›

I like the MLA style, which advises that for a percentage less than one hundred, you should write it in words: two percent, seventy-six percent, ninety-nine percent, but, for a percentage greater than one hundred, write it in numerals: 110 percent, 500 percent, 999 percent.

How do you cut 1000 words in an essay? ›

7 ways to reduce word count
  1. 1 Look for redundancies in your argument. ...
  2. 2 Eliminate unnecessary or ancillary information. ...
  3. 3 Get to the point. ...
  4. 4 Delete the and that. ...
  5. 5 Eliminate unnecessary prepositional phrases. ...
  6. 6 Use an active voice. ...
  7. 7 Avoid unnecessary adverbs and adjectives. ...
  8. 1 Investigate the paper's topic more thoroughly.
Apr 25, 2023

How to get a high score in essays? ›

How to write high-scoring essays in 10 easy steps
  1. Step one: Plan your time. ...
  2. Step two: Read the question. ...
  3. Step three: Highlight the issues to address. ...
  4. Step four: Outline your response. ...
  5. Step five: Expand on your ideas. ...
  6. Step six: Plan how you will connect your ideas. ...
  7. Step seven: Write your first draft.

How do you get top marks? ›

Come, let's find out these simple steps that can help you bring success to your exams!
  1. Create a Preparation Schedule. ...
  2. Prepare your Own Notes. ...
  3. Focus on Proper Time Management. ...
  4. Explore Your Weak Areas. ...
  5. Explain the Lessons to Someone Else. ...
  6. Identify and tap the Scoring Sections.
Jan 16, 2023

How to get full marks in essay writing? ›

Everything you include should clearly connect to your topic and argument.
  1. Know How to Write a Conclusion That Supports Your Research. ...
  2. Build a Solid Thesis to Support Your Arguments. ...
  3. Develop an Interesting Opening Paragraph to Hook In Readers from the Get-Go. ...
  4. Always Remember to Edit and Proofread Your Essay.

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