Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
The 16 Mark "How Far do you Agree" Question (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Summary of Question 5 or 6
Questions 5 or 6 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 5 or 6
Do not answer both questions as you will not have time and will not be awarded more marks
This question has changed the time coverage for this question
Previously, the question focused on a period of at least 200 years
For the 2025 exams, the question will cover either a complete period or at least 200 years
Amount of marks | 16 + 4 SPaG marks |
|---|---|
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:
An example of Question 5 and Question 6 in Paper 1 In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Crime and Punishment in Britain:
Year of Exam | Question Topic |
|---|---|
Question 5: The work of the Fielding brothers and the improvement in law enforcement in the years c1500- c1900 Question 6: The establishment of Pentonville prison and the use of prisons in the years c1700- present day | |
Question 5: The Norman Conquest and changes in law enforcement in medieval England Question 6: Changes in criminal activity in the period c1500-c1900 | |
Question 5: The attitude of the authorities and the changes in the use of the death penalty Question 6: Specialisation and the development of police work since the creation of the Metropolitan Police | |
Question 5: The role of religion and the increase of crime against authority Question 6: Progress in dealing with the crime of smuggling in the years c1700-present day | |
Question 5: The idea of retribution and methods of punishment during the medieval period Question 6: The impact of transportation and the Bloody Code on crime | |
2023 | Question 5: Changes in criminal activity in the period c100- c1700 Question 6: The work of Robert Peel and changes in law enforcement in the years c1700-c1900 |
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
For example, in the example question you state in the introduction that the work of the police has significantly changed. However, in the conclusion you state that the work of the police has not significantly changed.
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 get SPaG marks
In Paper 1, students have access to an additional four marks for answering either Question 5 or 6
This is awarded for SPaG ( Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar)
SPaG marks are allocated in the following categories:
SPaG mark | Reason for this mark |
|---|---|
0 |
|
1 |
|
2-3 |
|
4 |
|
You can boost your SPaG marks by:
Ensuring key terms mentioned in the question are spelt correctly in your answer
Making sure that you use paragraphs in your answer
Allowing yourself an appropriate amount of time to re-read your answer to check for mistakes
Reading the answer in your head as if you were speaking it. Where you would take a breath, make sure there is a comma or full stop
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, in Question 6, this is:
'The work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present.'
Underneath both Questions 5 and 6, 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
You can still achieve full marks by not using the two stimulus points
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
'The work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present’.
How far do you agree? Explain your answer.
(16)
You may use the following in your answer:
You must also use information of your own. |
Answer
I agree with the statement, that the work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present. The work of the police has changed due to the increase in professionalism in the profession and technology (SOC).
The work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present due to the increase in professionalism. The police have become more professional as there has been a significant development in specialist groups. In 1878, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was established to investigate serious crimes and gather evidence. In the modern period, there are several specialist police units such as the Fraud Squad and the counter-terrorism police (K). This shows a significant change in the work of the police between the years 1829 - and the present because the police work from 1829 to the 1870s was ineffective as the first detective force lacked detectives and received inadequate training. However, since then, the police has become a multi-branched organisation the specialisms of the police work have resulted in a more effective and efficient police work (SOC).
Another way in which the work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present is due to technology. Technology has introduced new crimes which has changed the way the police work. New crimes, such as online fraud, have removed some of the police from patrolling the streets, which was common during the Jack the Ripper murders. Instead of responding to crimes face to face, the police now combat crime online and over the phone. Technology has also helped the police to tackle crime. In 1829, police officers would patrol areas on foot, or horse. However, today, police officers use cars and helicopters. The police also have ANPR and speed cameras to help with their police work (K). Therefore, the work of the police has changed significantly in the years 1829 - present because of technology. It has not only changed the way they tackle and monitor crime, but it has also created new crimes and introduced new ways of responding to them (SOC).
Although the work of the police has changed significantly, the work of the police in some aspects has also remained the same. The concept of the police has not changed in the years 1829 - present day, as police are still expected to respond to crime and to help deter it. In addition, police are also still expected to fight public disorder. For example, the police have responded to public disorder from the Chartists in the nineteenth century and those opposing the Poll Tax in 1989-90 (K). Therefore, the work of the police has remained the same in some aspects. The expectation that the police respond to crime and keep public order remains the same. However, how the police do this has changed dramatically as technology such as radios, transport and tools used to identify criminals have helped the police to respond and deter crime (SOC).
Overall, I agree with the statement that the work of the police has significantly changed in the years 1829 - the present day. The increased professionalism and technology have impacted and changed the work of the police dramatically. Technology such as speed cameras and ANPR has changed the way the police record, tackle and manage crime (K). Although there have been significant changes to the work of the police, the concept of police work has not changed. The police are still expected to respond to and deter crime, which has been the same since 1829 (SOC).
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