hello and welcome to my channel. Now, in today's video, I'm going to be teaching you how you can potentially get an A star in your history coursework by following the tips and advice that I got/acquired from doing my history coursework and gaining an A star. Oh, that firstly disclaimer, this is not a guarantee that you will get an A star. Obviously, you're gonna put in the work, the time, the effort, and hopefully with that and a bit of luck, then you can also get an A star as well, but it's not guaranteed. So don't come running to me if you don't get any style. This is just the advice that I'm giving from what I've done to get the A star. Okay, now that this claimant is done, we can actually get on to what we're gonna be talking about. So, answer the first thing that you need to be doing to get your start is to engage in the content that is being taught. Quick side note, my coursework was based on the causes of the First World War.

just so it gives you a bit of context for when I gives you some examples. So in my school, they taught us all the content that we needed to know for our coursework to be able to write a substantiated argument. So firstly, just engage in that content. Make sure you're not. Now you don't have to enjoy it, but enjoying it definitely helps. And so make sure you understand what's being taught and just get a foothold in it and understand what's going on. So leading on from that, I would say make sure to try and get ahead. So read up on what's going to be taught about. For example, if you're going to be talking about the Algeciras conference in 1905, then make sure to read up about that. So then you know how Germany got a conciliatory strip of the French Congo. And then BAM, you know that. So when you're in the lesson, you already know what's going on. It's refreshing your memory. And then if your teacher asks you questions on it.

make sure you put up your hand because then that'll just reinforce what you've very been taught, and you've already learned. So, really getting ahead really does give you that foothold to jump onto the higher level. Okay, so next I would say, once you start engaging in the content and you started to learn about it and read ahead, maybe trying to find a few sources that can add to your repertoire of knowledge. They get some contemporary sources, and get some secondary sources. Also, get maybe ten of each as like a little baseline to aim for. If you get the contemporary sources as they are the main things that you want to be researching and writing about when it comes to your coursework, but make sure to know what you're going to add to them. So, you think about, okay, maybe how could I interpret this? What does this mean? So, start thinking about how you would add to the sources and how that would link into your arguments, even though at this point in time you may not know what question you're going to be writing.

about just get some ideas blowing through your head that'll really help when it comes to planning paragraph whilst you're doing this make sure to think about the context of the sources. So when was it written or what would this suggest? How does this context infer what might be said like what's the socio-political climate at the time? Has this got a bearing on what would be said? And just go along with that and then hopefully that will give you something to think about and it will get your bearings of why something's been written. Like your next piece of advice I have is to write some practice essays. I don't think this is very common but our teacher definitely said to write some practice essays for it. So they gave us some looks like homeworks go and do and I really do think it helped so just right you don't have to know much just write a normal history essay on a topic. So give yourself a question or get your teacher to give you a question. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to do that.

for you and then it just means that you get a bearing of what's going on. It gets you into this thing. It acclimatizes you essentially into the content that you're learning about. And with those essays, get your teacher to mark them. And then if they mark them, they should be able to give you some feedback. Now that feedback is gonna be crucial with your coursework because essentially it isn't your coursework. So they can mark it and then give you feedback on it. And this feedback will be used for your coursework. So if your teacher says, Oh, it's a really good essay, but you haven't evaluated it enough, then think, Okay, well, I'm - my coursework. I need to be extra sure that I include lots of evaluation and make it good evaluation. Okay, so this comes to the point where you need to start figuring out what your question is going to be. So firstly, decide your judgment. So what is the issue that you're going to be talking about and what side are you arguing for? Please do not sit on the fence. It's a level you

should be sitting on the fence. I'm sure you won't be sitting on the fence, but just pick an argument and stick with it. At this point, you should have had quite the sources, so there should be some direction of which side you think would have more evidence to support it. And then just go with that side and pick a question. I argued for my question. Say, for example, my question was: how far was Germany's decision to go to war in 1914 driven by the desire for territorial expansion? Now, I was arguing for territorial expansion, so therefore this question I was supporting. Whereas if it was: how far was Germany's decision to go to war in 1914 driven by defensive measures, then I'll be arguing against the question. So think about which way you want to go. Okay, so once you've decided your question, I would say to create a sheet. I'm so quick yourself a table, and this is where you're going to start citing what kind of paragraph ideas you're going to be doing. So I started thinking about things.

like the slit throat of the bring hypothesis defensive concerns territorial expansion diplomatic failure things like that. So I just started going off those and I started to create a sheet. So I got all the sources I had acquired by this point and I put them in a column. And then I wrote a little summary about each one just to remind myself when I came back to it what it was about. And then I put the Harvard reference on it. Say I had that when I came around to it please do that. I'll save you so much time at the end. And you don't have to rush and think about it or like the last day. And then just put in the last little column what paragraph you were going to be putting that in. And then once you've done that, go back to move your summary bit. And underneath it do a couple spaces and say how that source will contribute to that paragraph and what you're going to write about in it. That gives you some basis and understanding of where you're going to

go that sauce and how you can use it. Okay, so next point I would say is draw up a detailed plan. So let's say just draw up your ideas and organize them neatly into a document, as this allows you to move them around at a later date if you don't feel they fit quite right. I did this, so I started off things with my first paragraph, and then I found that this paragraph wasn't actually gonna work very well being there, so I adjusted it, and I think that made my argument a bit stronger. I guess after you've done your detailed plan, I would then move on to do your completion, which sounds like a really bizarre idea because firstly yourself there in judgment ways. I'd say do your conclusion because this is the last thing in your paragraph, so it makes you keep a consistent line through your work. So by doing a paragraph in conclusion, obviously you will come back to re-enter later at some point after you've agitant all your other paragraphs, but to start off with just do your

conclusion. So, you know what your judgment is, and that you'll stick to it, because the whole point to get a good mark is just keeping your argument consistent. I guess after you write your conclusion, then you write your introduction. Start setting out what your argument is, where you are arguing all along with this. Also, state what you're arguing against, so state the other paragraph ideas, so just include the other viewpoints, so that the people know what you're gonna be talking about. At this point, you may want to include one or two sources, but I'd say that's it, and don't get into those sources, because you'll use them later on. You may also want to put why your viewpoint is superior into you. This bit of your coursework just set it sets out for when it comes down to the conclusion, so it says you can clearly see if you just read the instruction and the conclusion that your argument is consistent, link into a question as well. Okay, I think at this point is probably a good time to mention that you should start

referencing. So whilst you're writing things and if you include some sources in your introduction, for example, just give them a lot of reference. If you're using Word document, you can literally just click the reference button and it'll do it. And make sure you just reference it. If you're not too sure how to reference things properly, just go to a website called Cite This For Me and it'll help you pretty much. Also, if you use a source once and then you can reference it again straight after, just type in a bit that is ibid and that'll be the same as above. Okay, so at this point I'll go back and find some more sources. So once you know exactly what you're talking about, find small sources that will support you and challenge your argument. I'll say most importantly, try and find some sources that counter your argument and find out how you can use them. Make sure to acknowledge these sources. So say, Okay, well this point has some validity, but it's the nasty falls down because of this. So bring in

the source that you're going to counter against, and then use your own knowledge and say, Okay, what it's not very good because of this, then bring in say a second resource and say, This is also agreed upon by Fisher, or whatever like that. So then it shows that you're using your own knowledge. Make sure to also put some context there because that can evaluate it really well. And then a contemporary source, a second source even, will just back it up and solidify your argument on where you stand. And then at this point is probably time to start writing your main paragraph. Finally, so I'd say you need to write maybe about three, four, five paragraphs, something along those lines. They should probably be quite long because they're gonna be big chunky paragraphs. They're gonna be analytical, they're gonna be evaluative, they're gonna be really good, and they just gonna show you why you're so good in history. I'd say you need to include at least a minimum one primary resource of one contemporary source per paragraph. It's fine if you do one and a

bug masonry well analyze it really well, and use your second resources to back it up and things of that. So I'll say maybe between two and four sources per paragraph, something along these lines, and with the main paragraphs also make sure to use your own knowledge all the time. So this may be a good time to give back to your learn content and go engaging it again, because that'll really help just refresh your mind. Also, go back to a paragraph sheets where you decided what sources were gonna be in each pair, and use the summaries, and they will just remind you again what sources you have and which sources you can use each paragraph. And then once you've written each paragraph, I would say believe it may be a day or go back for the next day, something like that, and then just go over it and say okay, I don't like the sound of this. It gives you a fresh perspective when you like slept on it pretty much. And then once you've done that, you can improve them, which is always a good thing once you've read a

paragraph what you could do is try and consult your teacher, which is always a good thing. And of course, what they can't tell you a lot, so why would say is just give them the paragraph, get them to read it, and I'm pretty sure they can say if this paragraph is good or this paragraph is improving. If this in is improving, then obviously go back and rewrite it, redo it, think okay where did I go wrong in this, what happened, and also do this often, does that keep you on track with where you are, and even if that means missing a lunch time for them to go read it and tell you if it's good or bad, go to it as this is your coursework. It will help you, it will get your grade up, it will you need to do this, and then obviously once you've done all your paragraphs, you'll have your first draft. And now with your first draft, what I would say to do, you've noticed you can do this with your paragraphs when you do them, is highlight them so get each assessment objective.

and just highlight them and be critical with yourself. As the more critical you are, the better. But don't be too critical, wise bad. So just say okay wherever I used my knowledge, wherever I evaluated, where have I been analytical, that kind of thing. And then if you see loads of white space in a certain area, go over what's wrong with that bit. And then maybe delete it, rewrite it. And this is where you can go back and use the essays that you've written before. So when they say, Oh, you've really lacked on your evaluation, then maybe you can look at it and see, Okay, maybe I can print in my evaluation. Or maybe to see, Oh, actually there's quite a few white spaces or there's not much highlighted for the evaluation. So then you can say, Okay, in this white space, I'm gonna include a bit more evaluation. And then go of it like that. And that will just help to improve it and make it a bit better. And then once you finally finished your course, forget over it, get someone to proofread it.

whether it be a friend, teacher, parent, anyone. I'll apps get loans read it and one thing I did was I went three, and if you go and click like control Evan word, and then you could type in a certain word to make sure you haven't used it too much. For example, one word I found myself always using was furthermore, and more either, so I would just type it in and it would say maybe like you've used this word ten times. So then I would just click through and cut it down and replace it with something like additionally. But also, don't just use a word you don't know to replace it with if you don't know what it means because if you put it in, it could make your I can not make sense. And remember to compile your bibliography as this will also be needed. So just get all half a referencing that you've done in your paragraph sheets and just put them in, and that'll make sure that you actually got it done. And so once you've done all this, you should have quite a good piece.

of coursework that is hopefully an A-star sign. I might also say, at this point, if you get the chance, maybe discuss your ideas with your classmates, and they may have some good ideas. However, do not, under any circumstance, copy them, rip them off, or do anything that could get your work disqualified. So just use them for a different perspective and a different idea. In terms of work, I would work for roughly two hours a night, something along those lines. And along with working each night, I would obviously book my free periods and also in my history coursework, the lessons so you can work out helped, and I probably work, and obviously I put quite a lot of effort and work into my coursework anyway. That has been my tips for history coursework. I really do hope this has helped you. If it has, wish to even like subscribe if you'd like, and I will see you in the next video. Thanks for watching. Bye.

How To Get an A* in History A-level Coursework

How To Get an A* in History A-level Coursework