Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The 16 Mark "How Far do you Agree" Question (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Summary of Question 3 or 4
Questions 3 and 4 require you to:
Evaluate the statement in the question
To use second-order concepts in your answer
You need to evaluate the statement given in the question against other reasons
Two possible reasons are provided for you in the stimulus box under the question
You only need to answer either Question 3 or Question 4
Do not answer both questions as you will not have time and will not be awarded more marks
Unlike for the 16-mark question in Paper 1, you are not awarded marks for Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPaG)
Amount of marks | 16 |
---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | 5 minutes of planning 20 minutes of writing |
An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:
In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Henry VIII and His Ministers:
Year of Exam | Question Topic |
---|---|
Question 3: Wolsey’s personality and his rise to power Question 4: Cromwell's changes to government | |
Question 3: Cromwell’s fall from power in 1540 Question 4: Reasons for the dissolution of the monasteries | |
Question 3: Wolsey’s foreign policy and the Treaty of London Question 4: Reasons for Anne Boleyn's execution | |
Question 3: Did Henry VIII achieve all his aims as a monarch by 1529? Question 4: Henry VIII’s religious changes and the Pilgrimage of Grace | |
Question 3: Reasons for Wolsey's fall from power Question 4: Thomas More and opposition to the Reformation in England | |
2023 | Question 3: Wolsey's reforms and the Eltham Ordinances Question 4: The importance of Wolsey in Cromwell's rise to power |
Making judgements in history
The 16-mark question relies on your ability to weigh all the evidence and state your opinion
Students often find this part the hardest to do
There are some common mistakes students make when making a judgement, they include:
Not giving a clear judgement. Students do this by:
Explaining that all of the reasons are the most important
Failing to decide which factor is the most important
Using language in their answer which is not decisive e.g. “kind of” or “maybe”
Contradicting your judgements
Students sometimes haven’t planned their answers properly. They start to write their answer with one judgement and then change their opinion halfway through
In the example question, you may state in the introduction that the main reason why Cromwell came to power was his experience in Parliament. However, in the conclusion, you state that it was his loyalty
Doing this means that there is not a sustained judgement and you can not access Level 4 (13–16 marks)
Good judgements will:
Explain the second-order concept outlined in the question in full
There is no "right" or "wrong" answer in history
If you are unsure of your opinion, pick the side of the argument that you have better or more evidence to support
Consider other reasons
Even if you fully believe a reason is the most important, you still need to present evidence for other reasons
Be sustained throughout your answer
They should be used to structure your answer and help you explain
This is why planning your answer is important
What makes a great conclusion in GCSE History?
Conclusions are usually where most of your judgement marks will be awarded
Students often rush their conclusions so they are not as developed as they could be
All great conclusions have these three elements:
Judgement – Start with your opinion. Try to include the words from the question. Consider including referring to the second-order concept mentioned in the question
Counter – Give an example from the other side of the argument to show your awareness of this
Support – Explain why, after considering all the evidence, you have reached your judgement. Use your best piece of evidence to show your opinion
How to answer a "How far do you agree" question
In the exam, you will be given the option of two questions to answer
You only need to answer one question
You will not receive more marks for writing both questions
You should put an "X" in the box next to the question you have chosen to answer
The "How far do you agree" question will present you with a statement which you have to create a sustained judgement around
For example, Question 4 is:
'Cromwell's experience in Parliament was the main reason for his rise to power.'
Underneath both Questions 3 and 4, you will have a stimulus box with two key knowledge suggestions
If you only use these suggestions in your answer, you are limited to a maximum of 13 marks
You can choose not to use any of the suggestions, but you can still achieve full marks
To answer this question successfully you should
Read the answer carefully and multiple times (if you have the time)
Annotate the question to find the key demands of the question
Plan your answer
In your plan include what key knowledge you wish to use and an outline of your argument
This will help you to create a sustained judgement
AWAITING IMAGE
"How far do you agree" question structure
Your answer should consist of:
A logical structure e.g. PEEL paragraphs
Specific and relevant knowledge
A range of knowledge
An explanation of the second-order concept outlined in the question
A clear and sustained judgement throughout the answer
A conclusion
If you want to include an introduction you can, but it is not necessary
Your answers could be written in PEEL paragraphs:
P - Make a point about the question
This should include your judgement
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made (K)
Evidence needs to be relevant and specific to the question
E - Explain why this evidence supports your point
Your explanation should be focused on the second-order concept outlined in the question (SOC)
L - Link your explanation back to the question to help sustain your argument and show your understanding of the question
The question is out of 16 marks:
6 marks for a wide range of specific knowledge of the period and the topic stated in the question (K)
10 marks for the analysis of the key second-order concepts of cause and consequence, similarities and differences and importance (SOC)
Worked example of a "How far do you agree" question
Worked Example
4 'Cromwell's experience in Parliament was the main reason for his rise to power.'
How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
(16)
You may use the following in your answer: • Cromwell's loyalty • the Act in Restraint of Appeals You must also use information of your own. |
Answer:
I disagree with the statement that Cromwell's experience in Parliament was the main reason for his rise to power (SOC). Although it was an important factor, it was not the main one as his loyalty was the main reason.
Cromwell became the king's chief minister in 1534 due to his experience in Parliament. Cromwell was a member of Wolsey's council in 1519 and an MP for Taunton in 1519. In 1531, he became a member of the Privy Council. After 1530, Cromwell was also heavily involved in Parliament and was important in the passing of many significant reforms which were important to Henry VIII. These reforms included the Act in Restraint of Appeals which gave Henry VIII the power to grant annulments and became the head of the Church of England (K). Cromwell's experience in Parliament helped him to rise to power because Cromwell showed how effective and quickly he was at carrying out the instructions and wishes of the king (SOC).
The main reason why Cromwell rose to power was due to his display of loyalty. During Wolsey's time as the king's chief minister and during his fall from power, Cromwell continued to show his loyalty to him. In Parliament and even with audiences with the king, Cromwell remained loyal to Wolsey (K). Therefore, this was the main reason for Cromwell's rise to power because this impressed Henry. Henry wanted to promote Cromwell to the king's chief minister if he would be as loyal to Henry, as he was to Wolsey (SOC). This was the main reason because there were many other ministers who had similar experiences in Parliament to Cromwell but were not chosen (SOC).
Another reason why Cromwell rose to power was due to his personality. Cromwell was well-liked in the Royal Court as he was charming, witty and ruthless. This resulted in his rise to power because he gained many supporters in the Royal Court, including the King. In addition, his ruthlessness meant that the king could rely on Cromwell to undertake controversial and immoral acts (K). This allowed him to rise to power because this characteristic of his personality prevented his consideration as the first minister from being challenged as other ministers did not have this ability (SOC).
Overall, the main reason why Cromwell rose to power was not because of his experience in Parliament but was due to his loyalty. Although his experience in Parliament helped him to rise to power, it shows how effective he was as a minister (K). His loyalty to Wolsey won the king's approval because his level of loyalty impressed him so much (SOC).
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