Essay-Marking Workshop PDF

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Lecture 7 – Essay Marking Exercise o don’t be too descriptive o don’t simply report what historians have said, you have to show your opinion as well o need a good understanding of conflicting interpretations o take two fundamentally different ideas, put your take on what you think of these and form your argument from there o ANSWER THE QUESTION, WHAT IS YOUR ARGUMENT o Need independent thinking and originality throughout o If you can’t summarise your argument in one or two sentences, chances are you don’t have an argument o Think outside of the box o Find something unusual to compare your argument or sources to o Maybe don’t just use the classic ‘the gest’ or the other typical ones o Make sentences in your essay that match up to the mark scheme o What makes a strong introduction? - Directly tackles the question - Situates the essay within the historical debate (ie. Who does it agree with? Argue against? And why? - Outlines some of the major issues to be discussed - Clearly articulates the argument of the essay - It does NOT:  ‘set the scene’  Generally describe the topic/ period  Restate the ‘importance’ of the topic  Generically pointing out that it is an area of ‘debate’ amongst historians, instead say what that debate is and by which specific historians and who do I agree with?...