History > Key Stage 4

Coursework

The coursework assignments will be completed by year 11 students during the Winter and Spring terms. Good attendance and personal organization is essential to the successful completion of this work. Although background tasks may be done at home the coursework assignments themselves must be completed in class. It is strongly recommended that students carry out research of their own, be it through the internet, the library or any other resources to which they have access. It is also essential that all students meet the deadlines set for each of the assignments.

The Changing Role and Status of Women in Britain Since 1900

1. Explain why women failed to gain the right to vote between 1900 and 1918. (10)

Target: Causation

Level 1 (1-3 marks): Basic comprehension/description

The candidate describes relevant material and gives little relevant explanation of analysis.

Either:

E.g. simple, descriptive narrative with general coverage of the topic rather than of the specific focus of the question.

Or:

E.g. simple, generalised statements of causation.

Level 2 (4-5 marks): Simple understanding

The candidate describes relevant material and gives a simple explanation or analysis by identifying some causes and/or giving some explanation.

Either:

E.g. developed mono-causal answer - deals mainly with one factor but links it effectively to the question.

Or:

E.g. a narrative implying causation

Or:

E.g. multi-causal explanation which lacks development - deals with a number of factors but with weak links to the question and limited support.

Level 3 (6-8 marks): Developed understanding

Uses relevant material, develops and makes links between the different points within a sustained explanation or analysis by developing reasons why people's ides differed..

Either:

E.g. developed multi-causal answer - deals with a number of factors and explains how they are linked to the question.

Or:

E.g. a selective and structured account establishing some links between causal factors, clearly focussing on the demands of the question - a thorough account, tries to loink factors together relevant to the question.

Level 4 (9-10 marks): Complex understanding

In addition to Level 3 makes one or more reasoned judgments which show an understanding of the complexity of the past. Such judgements may relate to: relationship between different causes, or changes; short-term and long-term causes;the degree of change.

Either:

E.g. a well-argued, sustained multi-causal argument linked to the requirements of the question and arriving at a reasoned judgement - argues in a structured way, linking all factors in a causal web and arriving at a tentative conclusion.

Or:

E.g. a well argued, sustained mullti-causal argument linked to the requirements of the question and arriving at a reasoned judgement - linking short-term and long term causes and arriving at a tentative conclusion.

2. 'Without the First World War British women would not have gained the right to vote in 1918'. Do you agree or disagree with this interpretation? Explain your answer using the sources and your own knowledge.

Main Target: Evaluation of an interpretation

Level 1 (1-3 marks): Basic comprehension/Description

Either:

The candidate shows the ability to extract relevant information from the sources and/or make simple inferences from the sources. E.g. accepts the content and/or nature of the sources at face value and describes the content.

Or:

The candidate shows the ability to extract relevant information from the interpretations or representations. E.g. generalised answer which discusses the interpretation at face value, describing an issue relevant to the question topic but ignoring the question focus.

Or:

Describes relevant aspects of the past.

Level 2 (4-7 marks): Simple understanding

The candidate shows the ability to identify examples of fact, opinion or bias and/or draw simple conclusions about the past, using the sources and/or own knowledge.

Either:

E.g. evaluates the evidence in a simple manner with reference to bias or omission.

Or:

E.g. uses undeveloped knowledge to directly answer the interpretation issue of the question set.

Level 3 (8-12 marks): Developed understanding

The candidate shows an understanding of the issues involved in evaluating and using historical sources by explaining in some depth the conclusions to be drawn about the past using the sources and own knowledge.

Either

E.g. a response which meets the question's demand by mainly or entirely evaluating the evidence in a developed manner, by reference to the nature, purpose and provenance of the sources and interpretations.

Or:

E.g. a response which combines good understanding of the content of the evidence with own knowledge to directly answer the question set.

Level 4 (13-15 marks): Complex understanding

The candidate demonstrates a complex understanding of an historical issue, e.g. by integrating all three of the following skills in a sustained explanation or judgement: the ability to: analyse the meaning of particular sources; apply source evaluation skills, e.g. assessing the reliablility, nature, purpose, usefulness or limitations of the sources: draw conclusions about the past using the sources and own knowledge. E.g. a response which effectively combines both elements of Level 3.

Vietnam

1 Explain why the United States became increasingly involved in the war in Vietnam. (10)

Target: Causation and Change

Level 1(1-2 marks): Basic comprehension/description

Describes relevant material and gives little relevant explanation or analysis.

Either:

E.g. simple, descriptive narrative with general coverage of the topic (rathet than the specific focus of the question);

Or:

Simple generalised statements of causation.

Level 2 (3-5 marks): Simple understanding

Describes relevant material and gives a simple explanation or analysis by identifying some causes and/or giving some explanation

Either:

E.g. developed mono-causal answer - deals mainly with one factor but links it effectively to the question.

Or:

E.g. a narrative implying causation

Or:

E.g. multi-causal explanation which lacks development - deals with a number of factors but with weak links to the question and limited support.

Level 3 (6-8 marks): Developed understanding

Uses relevant material, develops and makes links between the different points within a sustained explanation or analysis by developing different causes..

Either:

E.g. developed multi-causal answer - deals with a number of factors and explains how they are linked to the question.

Or:

E.g. a selective and structured account establishing some links between causal factors, clearly focussing on the demands of the question - a thorough account, tries to link factors together relevant to the question.

Level 4 (9-10 marks): Complex understanding

In addition to Level 3 makes one or more reasoned judgments which show an understanding of the complexity of the past by relating to the relationship between different causes.

E.g. a well-argued, sustained multi-causal argument linked to the requirements of the question and arriving at a reasoned judgement - argues in a structured way, linking all factors in a causal web and arriving at a tentative conclusion.

2. Study Source A. How accurate is this interpretation of the problems faced by the United States' soldiers in Vietnam? Use the sources and knowledge from your studies to explain your answer. (5)

Target: Evaluation of an interpretation

Level 1 (1 mark): Basic comprehension/description

Shows the ability to extract relevant information from the sources.

E.g. describes the content of the source, accepting the interpretaion at face value - answers rely on what the source says.

Level 2 (2 marks): Simple understanding

Shows the ablility to give a simple explanation of the usefulness of particular sources.

E.g. a simple explanation and description of how the interpretation came about - when it was written, selection of information.

Level 3 (3-4 marks): Developed understanding

Either:

Shows an understanding of the issues involved in evaluating and using interpretations by explaining in some depth the purposes or motives of the author and the process by which the author came to the interpretation.

E.g. a developed explanation to evaluate the motives/purposes of the author - explains how provenance can influence the process by which an interpretation is formed.

Or:

Shows an understanding of the issues involved in evaluating and using interpretations by explaining in some depth the conclusions to be drawnabout the validity of an interpretation.

E.g. an analysis of the content of the source to evaluate the interpretation - shows how the content of the source influenced the formation of the interpretation.

Level 4 (5 marks): Complex understanding

Demonstrates a complex understanding of particular interpretations by integrating the following skills in a sustained explanation: by analysing the meaning of particular interpretations; applying evaluation skills, and assessing the usefulness or limitations of the interpretations by applying knowledge to test the interpretations in context, including how and why the author arrived at the particular interpretation.

E.g. as Level 3, but uses knowledge to test the interpretation within the historical context - links provenance and content, testing both against knowledge to judge accuracy.

3. How useful are Sources A to G for explaining why there was an anti-war movement in the United States during the late 1960's and early 1970's?

Target: Evaluation of sources for their utility

Level 1 (1-2 marks): Basic comprehension/description

Either:

Shows the ability to extract relevant information from the sources.

E.g. accepts the content of the sources as accurate information at face value, describing the content.

Or:

Shows the ability to make simple inferences from the sources

E.g. generalised evaluation/learned response - makes comments about the types of sources.

Level 2 (3-5 marks): Simple understanding

Shows the ability to give a simple explanation of the usefulness of particular sources.

Either:

E.g. comments on the usefulness or the limitations of the sources based on the amount of information contained therein - or based on simple knowledge - infers usefulness from analysing the content of the sources.

Or:

E.g. comments on the usefulness or the limitations of the sources in terms of provenance or reliability bias - argues that the usefulness of the sources depends on who wrote them, when they were written or the inferred motives of the authors.

Level 3 (6-8 marks): Developed understanding

Shows an understanding of the issues involved in evaluating and using historical sources by explaining the usefulness or limitations of particular sources.

Either:

E.g. uses applied knowledge to develop and argument about the usefulness OR limitations of the sources.

Or:

E.g. links the content of the sources to knowledge to point out the limitations of sources, plus any omissions. Answers will begin to address the question 'useful for what?'

Level 4 (9-10): Complex understanding

Demonstrates a complex understanding of an historical issue by integrating the following skills in a sustained explanation or judgement thereby showing the ability to analyse the meaning of particular sources applying source evaluation skills (assessing the usefulness or limitations of the sources); and drawing conclusions about the past using the sources and own knowledge.

E.g.uses applied knowledge to develop an argument about the usefulness/limitations of the sources.. May link knowledge to the content and provenance of the sources to explain that some sources are more useful than others. May also attempt to resolve conflict between the sources and address the question 'useful for what?'

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