a level history coursework word count

A Level History Coursework AQA – A Guide

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• Post date January 8, 2024
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This guide shows you how to plan, research and write A Level History Coursework for AQA using ideas, resources, examples and structure. This coursework is weighted in the following format. Assessment Objective One (AO1) 10% (20 marks), Assessment Objective Two (AO2) 5% (10 marks) and Assessment Objective Three (AO3) 5% (10 marks). For AQA coursework this gives a total of 20% (40 marks) divided as shown above across all three of the A Level History Assessment Objectives.

A Level History Coursework AQA – Ideas, Examples and Resources

Choosing an Issue and Question – You are required to identify an issue or topic that you wish to study and develop a question from this. This gives a broad scope for potential questions. There are however two specific requirements of the question.

• The question must not duplicate any of the content that you are studying for examination assessment in components 1 and 2.
• The question must place the issue or topic in the context of approximately 100 years of history.

Question Ideas, Example and Selection

There are two potential ways to ensure that you cover the 100 year requirement for this coursework. You could identify an issue and related question which traces development over approximately 100 years. Alternatively, you could focus on a narrower issue but place it in the context of a 100 year period. Lets look at a couple of examples below to make this clear.

• Q1. Q. ‘Despite a period of unprecedented economic and social change, British women remained marginalised and downtrodden’. During the period 1760-1867, assess the validity of this view. – This is the perfect example of a broad issue and question from which you could analyse development over the time period.
• Q2. In the context of the period 1905 to 2003, to what extent was the Cuban missile crisis the biggest turning point in the relationship between Russia and the USA? – This question highlights a more specific issue (the Cuban missile crisis) and places it in context of the relationship between the two countries over the c100 year period.

There are some key points to consider when selecting a question for your coursework.

• Question formulation – Students are advised to use the type of question formulations seen in AQA examinations and shown in the examples above.
• Historiographical debate – There needs to be a scholarly debate around the question or issue. This means differing views on the question from different historians. This makes it easier to select appropriate works to analyse and compare.
• Primary sources – Is there a range of primary sources and primary material available to support the coursework? These primary resources need to be accessible to the student.

Coursework Resources

• Library – school, local, college, university – you should be able to borrow appropriate works.
• Teacher – your teacher should be able to provide you with copies of appropriate resources to use.
• JSTOR – www.jstor.org – contains a large collection of journal articles from historical publications covering numerous topics. These will often engage in the historical debate by replying to opposing views.
• Purchase Books – many second-hand books are available to purchase at very cheap prices through Amazon or similar sites.

A Level History Coursework AQA – Structure and Planning

First section – introduction to the question (c. 350 words).

Introduction to the overall topic. You need to put the question into context by providing relevant information regarding what was happening at the time. You then need to define any key terms in the question. For the British women example question above you would need to define ‘remained marginalised and downtrodden’ .

This we could do by defining;

• remained as showing continuity rather than change
• marginalised as a group treated as insignificant and peripheral. 
• downtrodden as a group oppressed or treated badly by those in power.

You would then need to set-out valid criteria by which the question can be judged in order to provide an accurate answer. These criteria will go on to become your factors as you can see in the plan below.

For the British women example question, we could potentially use the following criteria to judge whether they remained marginalised and downtrodden. Did women’s lives change for the better, during the period, in the following different areas?

• Socially and Culturally
• Legally and Politically
• Education and Work

Second Section – Historians Viewpoints (c. 800 words – 400 each)

In this section we look at the viewpoints of two different academic historians. In order to achieve the highest marks, Level 5 (9-10 Marks) we need to do the following:

• Show a very good understanding of the differing historical interpretations raised in the question.
• Convincingly evaluate the interpretations with reference to time, context and/or limitations placed on the historians.

Using the example Cold War question shown above, you could analyse the views of a US historian writing after the Cold War has ended, with a Soviet historian writing during the period. This would enable you to contrast the content of both works and evaluate the interpretations given. This would also show how the time period affected the works, how limitations affected the works, how purpose affected the works, amongst many other issues that help to explain the authors differing viewpoints.

Third Section – Factor 1 and Source 1 (c. 650 words Factor 1 and 350 words Source 1)

In this section you cover the first factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Socially and Culturally factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.

• Level 5 (17-20) marks – Very good understanding of change and continuity within the context of approximately 100 years.

You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Socially and Culturally factor being covered here.

Fourth Section – Factor 2 and Source 2 (c. 650 words Factor 2 and 350 words Source 2 )

In this section you cover the second factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Legally and Politically factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.

You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Legally and Politically factor being covered here.

Fifth Section – Factor 3 and Source 3 (c. 650 words Factor 3 and 350 words Source 3 )

In this section you cover the second factor that you have identified from your criteria in the introduction, as well as one of your primary sources that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question this section would concentrate on the Education and Work factor that we are using as criteria to answer the question. Crucially you have to cover the time period and show your understanding of change and continuity as illustrated by the mark scheme detailed below.

You then add to this section your evaluation of your first primary source that matches with this theme. So for the British women example question you would have a primary source that related to the Education and Work factor being covered here.

Sixth Section – Overall Conclusion (c. 350 words)

In the final section you need to produce an overall conclusion that fully answers the coursework question. So for the British women question you would be answering ‘did they remain marginalised and downtrodden during this period?’. This will take into account everything you have considered throughout the piece of work including your criteria, the viewpoints of the academic historians, the primary sources and the factors that you have covered from your criteria. In reaching a final judgement and conclusion, you need to take into account the entire period considering continuity and change across it, as you should have done throughout the rest of the coursework.

A Level History Coursework AQA – Primary Source Analysis

Looking at the primary source mark scheme table from the AQA website can help you to understand the requirements. Firstly, you must ensure that three sources are used and that there are a minimum of two different types (can be two different types of written source). To achieve the highest marks you must then ensure that a range of relevant and well supported comments are made on the value of the sources. Finally, you must provide a balanced and convincing judgement on the merits of each source in relation to our question.

Assessing Your Primary Sources

• Provenance – The five W’s of Who, Why, What, When, Where; can help you to identify the provenance of a primary source and assess its value or limitations.
• Tone and Emphasis – How does the tone and emphasis impact the value of the source. Is it impartial, critical, formal, aggressive, empathetic, mocking, candid etc?
• Content – What is the actual content of the source saying? How true is this in terms of your contextual knowledge? Is there value in the inaccuracies of the content?
• Value/Limitations and Judgement – The above three points ( Provenance, Tone and Emphasis and Content ) can be used to assess how much we can learn from the source, by weighing up value and limitations, as well as giving judgement on the merit of the source.

How To Improve Further at A Level History

Pass A Level History – is our sister site, which shows you step by step, how to most effectively answer any A Level History extract, source or essay question. Please click the following link to visit the site and get access to your free preview lesson. www.passalevelhistory.co.uk

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• A-level History NEA: important reminders for summer 2023

Published: Thursday 23 Mar 2023

As we approach the 15 May NEA deadline, we have a few important reminders for the submission of the A-level History NEA (7042/C) component for this summer. For summer 2023, we’re also back to our original requirements for our A-level specification .

NEA word limit

In 2019 we announced a word limit of 4500 words for our A-level History NEA (7042/C). These changes were introduced for the first time in summer 2022.

A reminder that for summer 2023:

• NEA submissions that exceed the 4500 word liit will automatically incur a 5-mark penalty
• the word count should be recorded on the candidate record form, and should encompass everything in the main body of the text, including quotations. However, titles/headings, footnotes/references, appendices and the bibliography should not be included in the word count
• if we find any discrepancies or suspect that a word count has been inaccurately recorded on the candidate record form, we’ll investigate and may request all NEAs for all students from your school or college.

To avoid any mark penalty for this summer, students should accurately record the word count on their candidate record form. If a student exceeds the word limit, your moderator will apply the penalty. Please do not apply this to your own marking or internal moderation.

Candidate record forms

You’ll need to sign a candidate record form for Component 3 NEA Historical investigation 2023 and attach this to your students’ work. The form allows you to record your assessment of your students’ NEA and for both teachers and students to authenticate the work.

Remember to check the accuracy of marks by ensuring students’ mark totals are correct on the candidate record form and that these are correct before you submit them.

The candidate record forms are really important for moderators, and you can use them to record any supporting information regarding your assessment. The detail on these forms makes it clearer for the moderator to understand why marks have been awarded in different sections and gives you an opportunity to justify your decisions.

Centre declaration sheet

All schools and colleges must submit a signed centre declaration sheet for 2023 to confirm that internal standardisation has taken place. If more than one teacher has been involved in marking your students’ work, one person must be responsible for ensuring that the work has been assessed to the same standard.

Sending student samples

You’ll need to include the following forms when sending students’ samples to your moderator:

• a copy of the candidate record form for every student in the cohort
• a completed historical investigation question approval form for 2023 for each NEA question
• a signed centre declaration sheet.

The deadline to submit centre-assessed marks is 15 May 2023 .

Support and resources

Your AQA appointed A-level History NEA adviser is available to help with all aspects of the NEA. You can find out more about the NEA adviser service on our website. If you haven’t already got your adviser's details, your exams officer should have them. If not, just contact the team at [email protected]

Remember, teacher online standardisation is also available at any time on Centre Services before you start marking your assessments. This online resource allows you to mark students’ NEA work yourself and then, after you’ve entered your marks, the lead moderator’s marks are revealed and explained. This is a great activity to do before marking and internal standardisation to ensure that your marking is in line with our lead moderator’s standard.

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