The Difference between Success and Failure.

There can be a thin line between a Grade C and a Grade D, but there are certain things you can do to ensure that you get the best possible grade. Ten things you should be able to do to gain a C grade or above: 1. Know that 'unreliable' and 'inaccurate' sources still have their use in history. 2. Demonstrate the interconnections between different causes, consequences and changes. 3. Detect bias in the wording and tone of a source where it exists. 4. Know that the reliability of a source depends on the purpose for which it is to be used. 5. Make comparisons between different sources. 6. Make statements that are always backed up by evidence. 7. Assume that the examiner knows nothing and that all answers have to be explained. 8. Express reasons and value judgements. 9. Understand and act upon the keywords in the question. 10. Use specialist terminology in well-formed sentences. Ten things that will stop you gaining a C grade 1. Giving answers in note form. 2. Answering questions in colloquial English. 3. Giving answers that are often unsupported by facts or figures. 4. Having factual knowledge but you are unable to apply this knowledge to a new situation. 5. Ignoring keywords in a question. 6. Ignoring parts of questions. 7. Leaving large parts of questions unanswered. 8. Not understand key words such as 'describe', 'explain', etc. 9. Providing 'lists'. 10. Usually completing the whole paper early.

Ten things that you should NEVER do 1. Accept sources at face value. 2. Be unable to identify the authorship of source documents. 3. Have little grasp of chronology. 4. Make comments about the usefulness of a source rather than its reliability. 5. Provide long lists of reasons with no explanations. 6. Rely too much on 'learnt responses' especially when dealing with historical sources e.g. photographs were inevitably "only an instant in time" and cartoons "only one person's opinion" without any further comments except to say that "more sources are needed". 7. Spell 'bias' incorrectly. 8. Tend to assert that primary sources are always more reliable than secondary ones. 9. Believe that all sources are unreliable. 10. Not answer the question that has been asked.