Transcript REVISION GUIDANCE

Classics & Ancient History
University of Bristol
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PRAGMATISM
Focus on what’s essential: arguments and ideas, not just facts
and quotes. Read around the subject, not just your notes.

PLANNING
Cover all your units properly, but don’t be too inflexible.
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PRACTICE
How long since you last wrote by hand, or under time pressure?

PREPARATION
Sleep. Eat sensibly. Exercise. Listen to energising music.
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PERSPECTIVE
It is only an exam...
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ANSWER the question
Prepare sufficient topics – so you can answer any question.

EVIDENCE and support for your points
No vague assertions – but no quotes or footnotes required.

INTERPRETATION and argument
Engage with scholarly debates, not just narrative or description.

ORGANISATION
Plan your answers, leave enough time for all questions.

UNFLAPPABILITY

ESSAY
Herodotus described his work as a historie - ‘This is
the exposition (apodexis) of the inquiry (historie) of
Herodotus of Halikarnassos’ (I.1) – but the precise
meaning of that term, and the status of his work as
‘history’ in any modern sense, is widely disputed (see
e.g. Finley 1986; Cartledge 1993: 18-35).

EXAM
Herodotus described his work as a historie, an
enquiry; however, modern scholars disagree over the
precise meaning of that term, as well as whether his
work can be considered ‘history’ in a modern sense.