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GCSE History
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What do you do in GCSE History?
The GCSE History course covers a wide range of time periods whichever exam board is studied. All options include studying History from three eras - medieval, early modern and modern; over three time scales, short, medium and long; and in three geographical contexts. British History must form 40% of the course.
How to revise for History GCSE?
Start early as there is a lot of content over many time periods with many key dates and facts, so it is easy to confuse them. Starting early and revising each unit as they are completed will help you to distinguish between time periods. Work out which areas you find the most challenging so that you can focus on them using strategies such as the Save My Exams revision notes, mind maps and flashcards. You can then complete past papers and Save My Exams original topic questions to test yourself again. The questions in History are unlike questions in other subjects so it is important to practice the different types of questions you will face.
How to answer GCSE History questions?
The structure is key to answering GCSE History questions. Ensure that when you have made a point you then explain it fully and support it with examples, you need to be able to elaborate on your answer to demonstrate thorough understanding. In source-based questions ensure that you include different interpretations and apply them within your answer. You also need to ensure that you discuss the provenance of the sources provided - who is the author? Where is the source from? Look carefully at the command words in the question these will help you to understand what you need to include - in 'do you agree' questions you need to ensure that you reach a conclusion and give your opinion.
How to get a 9 in GCSE History?
The grade boundary in 2022 for a grade 9 was around 75% across the exam boards. To achieve a grade 9 you must ensure that you start revision early, read around the subjects covered from other sources and ensure that you structure your answers clearly. You need to demonstrate throughout the paper that you have a thorough knowledge and an excellent understanding of the content.
How many History GCSE papers are there?
This depends on the exam board. Edexcel and OCR specifications have 3 papers whereas the AQA GCSE has two papers.
How long is History GCSE exam?
This depends on the paper and the exam board. The two exams for AQA are 2 hours. For Edexcel Paper 1 is 1 hour and 15 mins whereas Paper 2 is 1 hour and 45 mins. The OCR papers are between 1 hour and 1 hour 45 mins.