What to include in a history essay
Introduction
Mention the context of the question. E.g. if the question is to do with
extent the civil rights movement made a difference in the 1960s, talk
about what happened to the civil rights movement in that time like
for example, the Greensboro sit-ins, 1960.
Mention the factors you will be discussing for example: ‘in order to
reach a judgment for this question, I will be looking at ________,
________ and ______.
State what your criteria for judgment will be e.g: ‘in order to make a
judgment for this question, I will be looking at to what extent did the
civil rights movement make a difference in the 1960s.
After you have stated this, give a basic judgment. Don’t go into too
much detail with this, save the detail for the conclusion! For
example, ‘In the 1960s, the civil rights movement made a huge
difference because it was in this time period that segregation was
ended.’ Don’t give much more detail than this!
First Factor
For example, say that your first factor for this question was the
successes of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, don’t start the
paragraph by saying ‘in this factor I will be looking at the strengths of
civil rights movement in the 1960s.’ This is boring and a waste of
time! Jump straight into the factor by something like ‘the civil rights
movement had a lot of successes in the 1960s, the most significant
(words like this are good, the examiner are looking for words like
these!) being the end of segregation in America.’ Then expand on
this, say how segregation was ended in this time and what the
impacts and consequences (two more words the examiner are
looking for!) of this were. Make sure to go into detail with this but
Introduction
Mention the context of the question. E.g. if the question is to do with
extent the civil rights movement made a difference in the 1960s, talk
about what happened to the civil rights movement in that time like
for example, the Greensboro sit-ins, 1960.
Mention the factors you will be discussing for example: ‘in order to
reach a judgment for this question, I will be looking at ________,
________ and ______.
State what your criteria for judgment will be e.g: ‘in order to make a
judgment for this question, I will be looking at to what extent did the
civil rights movement make a difference in the 1960s.
After you have stated this, give a basic judgment. Don’t go into too
much detail with this, save the detail for the conclusion! For
example, ‘In the 1960s, the civil rights movement made a huge
difference because it was in this time period that segregation was
ended.’ Don’t give much more detail than this!
First Factor
For example, say that your first factor for this question was the
successes of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, don’t start the
paragraph by saying ‘in this factor I will be looking at the strengths of
civil rights movement in the 1960s.’ This is boring and a waste of
time! Jump straight into the factor by something like ‘the civil rights
movement had a lot of successes in the 1960s, the most significant
(words like this are good, the examiner are looking for words like
these!) being the end of segregation in America.’ Then expand on
this, say how segregation was ended in this time and what the
impacts and consequences (two more words the examiner are
looking for!) of this were. Make sure to go into detail with this but