Transcript How to succeed on Paper A971/11

Background
 Peter Lidington
 History teacher for 25 years
 Head of History at Clifton College, Bristol 1994 - 2009
 OCR GCSE Examiner for 23 years
 Team Leader for 16 years
 Senior Team Leader for 2 years
 OCR Modern World History (A971)
 55000 candidates (35000 Germany depth study)
 200 examiners
 Consistent/Standardised approach to marking is
essential.
A971/11: Basic Points
 Know what you have to do before entering the exam
room:
 The paper has 2 parts – Part 1 & Part 2 (2 hours)
 Part 1 consists of 3 sections:
Section A, 1919 – 1939
Section B, 1945 – 1975
Section C, 1948 - 2005
Answer questions from just ONE of these sections
 Part 2 is the Germany depth study.
 From the section you choose answer
Question 1 (cartoon based - 15 marks) and ONE other
question (20 marks)
 Part 2 – Depth Study: Germany 1918 - 1945
Answer Question 4 (source-based) and ONE other
question. (20 marks each)
 NB Large numbers of candidates answered questions
from more than one section in Part 1 and all questions
in Part 2 in the recent January exam.
Part I: Section A 1919 - 1939
 3 topic areas:
a) The Treaty of Versailles and its effects.
b) The League of Nations.
c) The collapse of peace & the lead-in to the Second
World War in the 1930’s.
One question on each topic area.
Question 1a: Source – based (cartoon) 7 marks
 What is the message of the cartoon? Use the cartoon
details and your own knowledge to explain your
answer.
 Key = getting the main message – without this the
maximum mark possible is 3.
What is the message of
this cartoon?
Use the details of the
cartoon and your own
knowledge to support
your answer
Message:
 There will be another war in the future.
 Peace will not last.
 What has been decided at the Conference will not work.
It is not about the effects of the Treaty on Germany
Eg Germany has been harshly treated. (Level 2 only- 3marks)
But contextual knowledge support must be about how
the harsh terms of the TOV would lead to war.
 Example:
The message of this cartoon is that peace will not
last.(level 3 : 4 marks). This is indicated by the caption
saying that the child is ‘future cannon fodder’
implying that peace will not last beyond 1940. (Level 4
5 marks). The cartoon is saying that many thought that
the terms imposed on Germany in the TOV, such as
the severe military restrictions which limited the army
to 100,000 men, were too harsh and would make
Germany want revenge in the near future.
(Level 5 : 7 marks)
What is the message of this cartoon?
 Message:
Without the USA the LON is weak/incomplete and will
collapse/fail. (Level 3 : 4 marks)
 Source support:
This is shown by the figure of Uncle Sam, representing the
USA, lying against the keystone which is missing from the
centre of the bridge. (Level 4 : 5 marks)
 Contextual knowledge:
When the League was formed, the USA refused to join
leaving it without the most powerful country in the world
and, therefore, without the strength to act effectively as an
international peace-keeping organisation. (Level 5 : 7
marks)
Question 1b : 8 marks
 A more general question on the same topic area as the
cartoon.
 The key to success is using supported
explanations of valid reasons.
 Identification of reasons without explanation and/or
description of events/factors = maximum 4 marks.
 ONE explained reason = 5 – 6 marks.
 More than one explained reason = 7 – 8 marks.
You can get full marks for just 2 developed explanations.
Explain why it was difficult for the ‘Big 3’ to reach
agreement at the Paris Peace Conference. [8
marks]
 Identification/description of reasons: eg they each
had different aims; describes what each wanted –
revenge for Clemenceau, 14 Points for Wilson, a just
punishment for Lloyd George.
But NO explanation or comparison of reasons
Max. 4 marks
What is explanation?
‘There was disagreement among the ‘Big 3’ as to the outcome
of the Conference. Clemenceau thought it necessary to
cripple Germany for all the destruction of land and
industry suffered by France whereas Lloyd George wanted
to protect the British Empire and to impose a just
punishment so that Germany would not seek revenge in
the future.
(5 marks)
This is why Clemenceau wanted such high reparations and
the splitting up of German territory while Lloyd George
favoured a smaller financial penalty and severe restrictions
on the German navy. (6 marks)
 The same principles of supported explanations apply
to part b answers in questions 2, 3, 5 and 6.
 The only difference is in the number of marks
available: One explained reason = 4 – 5 marks
Two or more explained reasons = 6
marks
Questions 2,3,5 and 6
 The style and structure of all these questions are the
same.
 The way to answer these questions is the same.
 Remember: you only answer either question 2 or
question 3 and either question 5 or question 6.
 3 parts to each question:
a) 4 marks
b) 6 marks
c) 10 marks
Example: (a)What were Hitler’s aims in
foreign policy? [4 marks]
 Do not write an introductory sentence or two (or
more)!
 Do not describe what he did in his foreign policy.
 Do use bullet points
Eg - to gain living space (lebensraum)
- to destroy the TOV
- to unite all German-speaking people
- to destroy Communism
One mark for each point.
 You can get a second mark for supporting detail such
as:
- to unite all German-speaking people such as those in
the Polish Corridor and the Sudetenland. (2 marks)
Describe how the LON tried to improve living and
working conditions around the world in the 1920’s.[4]
 Again, use bullet points/short sentences.
Eg. – the LON worked hard to get refugees back home
(plus an example for 2nd mark)
- the ILO banned lead from paint
- the LON worked to get rid of diseases such as
cholera, smallpox, leprosy, dysentry.....
In this last example, we allowed 1 mark for each valid
disease! (Jan. 2011)
Part c: ‘The Treaty of Versailles was unfair on Germany.’
How far do you agree with this statement? Explain your
answer. [10]
 The key factor is to produce a balanced answer which
explains agreement and disagreement.
 If you only deal with one side, ie. your answer only
shows how you agree or disagree with the statement,
the maximum mark you can get is 6.
 As soon as you explain how the TOV was both fair
and unfair on Germany the lowest mark you can get
is 7.
 Aim for 2 explained reasons (at least) for each side
of the argument = Level 4 : 8 or 9 marks.
Example:
The TOV was unfair on Germany because the Germans
did not believe that they had lost the war. In 19 19,
many Germans did not understand how bad
Germany’s military situation was at the end of the war.
They believed they had simply agreed to a ceasefire
and, therefore, should be at the Conference to
negotiate rather than being treated as a defeated
nation. They were not represented and were forced to
accept a harsh settlement – the ‘Diktat’. [Level 3 : 4
marks] + another explained reason of unfair [L3 : 5 or 6
marks]
However, Germany was operating double standards.
Their call for fairer treatment did not fit with the harsh
way they treated Russia in the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk.
Therefore, the imposition of reparations and territorial
losses on Germany was fair. [Level 4: 7 marks]
+ another explained reason of fair. [Level 4: 8 or 9
marks]
 Level 5 : 10 marks
There is ONE mark available for evaluation of ‘how far’
the TOV was unfair on Germany.
This must add something more to the answer than just
repeating what has already been stated and also
cannot be a stock concluding sentence:
Eg ‘Therefore it is obvious that the TOV was more unfair
than fair on Germany’.
Remember, you can score 9 marks just for explaining 2
reasons on either side of the argument.
Depth Study: Germany 1918 - 1945
 Answer Question 4 (source-based & 3 parts – a, b, c)
and either Question 5 or Question 6.
 Question 4 will often have the same style of question
as Question 1a so the way to answer it is exactly the same!
Eg What is the message of this cartoon?
This was the case in June 2010 & January 2011 (Question 4c)
 Questions 5 & 6 are exactly the same style as Questions 2 &
3 so the same principles apply again.
Question 4: Other types of question
asked.
 Why was this poster/picture/source published?
 How useful is this source as evidence of …. ?
 How far does this source prove that .... ?
 Are you surprised by this source?
The key factor in all these types of questions is to use
contextual knowledge in your answer (your own
knowledge about what the source is dealing with)
Why did the Nazis publish this illustration? Use the source and your
own knowledge to explain your answer. [6 marks] ( Jan. 2011)
An illustration published in a Nazi children’s book in the 1930’s
 You need to identify the purpose rather than just a
valid message:
 Message – published to show that Jews have become
wealthy by taking advantage of Aryan Germans; Jews
are sly/devious/untrustworthy/paedophiles. [L2 : 2-3
marks]
 Purpose – published to get people/children to
hate/reject/distrust Jews. [L3 : 4 marks]
The caption can be important!
 Unlike the ‘What is the message’ questions, contextual
knowledge will raise the level of mark whether you
just have a message or the purpose.
‘This source was published in a children’s book because
race studies formed part of the education of Aryan
children. The Nazis blamed the Jews for the problems
of Germany and that Jews had become wealthy at the
expense of Aryan Germans’. Message + CK = L4 : 5
marks.
 Add purpose to the answer:
‘This source was published to persuade children to
reject/distrust Jews. It was in a children’s book because
race studies formed part of the education of Aryan
children. The Nazis blamed the Jews for the problems
of Germany ……’ Level 5 : 6 marks.
How useful is this source as evidence of Nazi propaganda? Use the
source and your own knowledge to explain your answer. [7 marks]
‘As the time for the Fuhrers arrival drew near, the crowd
grew restless. Suddenly, the beat of the drums
increased and a fleet of black cars rolled into the
arena. The stadium looked like a sea of swastikas.
Hitler began to speak. The crowd hushed into silence
but the drums continued their steady beat. Hitler’s
voice cut through the darkness. The crowd began to
chant ‘Sieg Heil’ over and over again.’
(A German citizen remembering a Nuremberg rally)
 You need to show how the source is useful using
contextual knowledge to explain AND you also need to
explain other types of propaganda techniques used by
the Nazis:
These rallies were organised by Goebbels. They gave a sense of belonging
to a great movement which was further inspired by Hitler speaking and
the chanting of the crowd. The Nazis recognised that these rallies
created a feeling of order. [Level 3: 3 – 4 marks]
However, other propaganda methods were also important for spreading
the Nazi message, such as radio broadcasts. Cheap radios were made
available for the public and the Nazis controlled all the radio stations.
[Level 6 : 7 marks]
 Just identifying other forms of propaganda = 5 marks!
 Just explaining other forms of propaganda = 6 marks!
 How useful …. The 1st sentence of the 2nd paragraph is
enough.
1)How far does the source prove that …..?
2)Are you surprised by this source ….. ?
 Neither of these types of question have appeared on
recent Germany papers but they have on USA papers.
 1) You need to explain both sides to get top marks –
details from the source, supported by relevant
contextual knowledge plus other relevant factors not
in the source supported by contextual knowledge.
 2) You need to explain why you are surprised AND not
surprised using the source and contextual knowledge
support for top marks.
Grade Boundaries: Max. 75
 January 2011
A : 54 B : 46 C : 39
 June 2010
A : 53 B : 45 C : 37
 Revise carefully & thoroughly
 Get the technique right .
 Get the timing of each question right – follow the
advice given on the exam paper.
 Answer the question asked.
GOOD LUCK!