HIGHER HISTORY2009

A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE

The 2009 Higher History Paper saw one highly significant change…..

The introduction of Revised Marking Instructions for Paper I

To bring Paper I marking more in line with the Extended Essay

The New Marking Instructions

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

ANALYSIS

STRUCTURE

SPECIFIC MARKS ALLOCATED UNDER EACH OF THESE HEADING

NEW MARKING INSTRUCTIONS

Knowledge and Understanding—-6 marks

Argument/Analysis----------------10 marks Structure------------------------------4 marks

Deliberate weighting to Argument/Analysis

“Raise the Ceiling…..Keep the Floor where it is”

KNOWLEDGE

ANALYSIS

ANSWER THE QUESTION! DO WHAT IT ASKS YOU TO DO!

STRUCTURE

NEW MARKING INSTRUCTIONS

Under the previous holistic Marking Instructions, essays were always assessed in terms of Evidence, Analysis, and Structure

The Revised Marking Instructions continue this---but award specific marks for each of the three aspects

PREPARATION

Several models were considered before we decided on the 6/10/4 version……

Trial marking was carried out—schools in Angus, and other areas………

A full day was spent preparing the markers……

FEEDBACK FROM MARKERS

Feedback was very positive…….

Markers appreciated being able to award specific marks for components………new system made it more clear why specific marks were awarded….

They reported increases in marks at the top end of the range………..

Implications For Schools?

NO CHANGE!.........

CONTINUE TEACHING ESSAY SKILLS AS BEFORE……..

ENCOURAGE ANALYTICAL AND EVALUATIVE WRITING, AS WE ALL DO…….

WELL-STRUCTURED ESSAYS WILL BE REWARDED!

DISCUSSION?

AND NOW……

THE GOOD NEWS!

THE 2009 HIGHER HISTORY PAPER HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED…………

VIRTUALLY NO ADVERSE CRITICISM…….

GENERALLY REGARDED AS A FAIR PAPER

EXTENDED ESSAYS

Extended essays continue to allow candidates the opportunity to demonstrate effectively both their knowledge and their skills of analysis and evaluation.

The revised Marking Instructions introduced in 2007 continue to allow candidates the opportunity to access the full range of marks.

WHAT THE MARKERS SAID

Generally, markers commended the good quality work being done in many schools.

They recognised and praised the quality of the teaching and preparation…and the diligence of many candidates in responding to this.

Many markers commented on the quality of some of the evaluation and argument

In addition, there appeared to be an increase in successful attempts to show an awareness of historical debate and historiography

SUCCESSFUL EXTENDED ESSAYS

Successful Essays were produced on a wide range of issues……

Medieval---------the Church, Henry II, Early Modern—American Revolution Later Modern—Bismarck, German Unification,

Liberal Reforms, Labour Government

BUT………

THERE WERE A FEW

PROBLEMS!

SHORT PLANS------we are still getting Extended Essays with plans of under 100 words! Please……allow your candidates to use the maximum!

INADEQUATE PLANS-----Plans which are largely lists of facts are unlikely to lead to quality essays

OVER-DEMANDING ISSUES

“How important were changes in leisure activities in Scotland up to 1930?”

“To what extent did foreign intervention influence the outcome of the Spanish Civil War”

A number of markers reported their concern on the issue of the over-demanding title, like these above. Titles like these usually did not lead to quality work.

“GROUP” ESSAYS

A number of markers expressed concern at an apparent increase in this practice….

Basically, a batch of essays from a centre which are very similar in structure…….

Same title…….. Same structure and order….. Same quotes being used…… Sometimes even very similar sentence and

paragraph structure and phrasing

SOME CONCERNS

Yes, we all support our candidates as they work on their Extended Essays………

But, the issue of the “Group” essay, appears to go well beyond support …….

Into the area of Malpractice……on which the SQA issues guidance to Markers

GOOD PRACTICE

Vast majority of centres are behaving very honourably…….giving their candidates effective guidance, advice and support---KEEP DOING THIS!

If some candidates choose the same issue?---that’s fine, but continue to apply the usual common sense precautions……e.g. by making them use different isolated factors, or different dates

Avoid the Whole Class Essay!

PAPER I

MARKERS WERE IMPRESSED BY THE QUALITY OF SOME OF THE ESSAY-WRITING……

MANY CENTRES CONTINUE TO PRODUCE CANDIDATES WHO SHOW A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE PERIODS BEING STUDIED, AN ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF SPECIFIC ISSUES, AND TO STRCTURE THEIR ESSAYS APPROPRIATELY

THESE ARE NOT MEANINGLESS PLATITUDES……THE MARKERS ARE TELLING US THIS!

WELL DONE!

AREAS OF SUCCESS

Medieval—markers noted successful responses to many of the questions, particularly those dealing with the Church, David I, Henry II.

Early Modern---examples of successful essays on Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, and Joseph II

Later Modern—there were effective responses to questions on Democracy, the Labour Government, the rise of Hitler, and American and Russian topics

Some Specific Problems

Later Modern, Question 1--some candidates wrote almost exclusively on Votes for Women.

Question 4—some candidates wrote extensively on the Liberal Reforms

Questions 8 and 9—some candidates used factual content which was more appropriate for the “other” Nazi question

Question 17---a few instances of a failure to understand “black radical movements”

Paper II

Markers reported a general improvement in answers to source comparison questions, with an encouraging readiness to give overall comparisons, in addition to point-by-point comparisons……

The quality of the 8-mark question showed some improvement, generally…..

Some good responses to specific topics-Patterns of Migration, Cold War, Ireland

Appeasement and the Road to War

Markers reported many effective answers……

Question 3 appears to have been quite successful

Question 5 was done particularly well by many candidates, with many responses which were virtually essay length

Areas of Difficulty

Insufficient Recall---too many candidates are still making insufficient use of recall…..they virtually wring the sources dry, but fail to apply enough recalled information

Evaluation of Every Source—again, some candidates are still evaluating each of the sources, and effectively wasting valuable time by doing this

Appeasement—Specific problems

Question 1---too many candidates answered only in terms of Britain, despite the question instructing them to consider other countries----a maximum of 3 marks was awarded in these cases

Question 2---some candidates carried out extensive evaluations of the cartoon, and added virtually no recall.

Advice to Centres

Keep up the good work!—the overall quality of teaching and learning in Higher History is good…….

Continue to remind your candidates of the need to read questions thoroughly……..

Advise candidates to choose from a range of topics for their Extended Essays—avoid the whole class/group essay approach

2010

The revised Marking Instructions for Paper I have been successful-----they will continue……

As will the MIs for the Extended Essay…..

2011……….

APPEALS

The Appeals system is peculiar to the Scottish education system……

It permits schools to generate internal evidence for the purpose of national awards…….

Very few other countries do this……

BASIC PRINCIPLES

FAIRNESS TO THOSE CANDIDATES FOR WHOM APPEALS ARE SUBMITTED…….

AND FAIRNESS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT……

IN OTHER WORDS, THE INTERNAL EVIDENCE MUST MATCH THE STANDARDS OF THE EXTERNAL EXAMINATION

INTERNAL EVIDENCE

Paper I must have the correct number of questions……..5 on Britain, and 4 on European and World

Paper II must have 5 sources, and 5 questions

Question origin must be clear…… Current PN paper only……. Current version of NABs……. Marking Instructions!.......

DISCUSSION

2009 PAPER

APPEALS