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Exam Skills for OCR GCSE Ancient History

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do you answer the AO3 source questions, judging an ancient source for its usefulness to an enquiry?

The AO3 source skills: making supported inferences from a source, comparing two sources, and judging how useful a source is for a stated enquiry using content, provenance (nature, origin and purpose) and contextual knowledge, rather than labelling a source reliable or biased.
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to the AO3 source questions, explaining how to make supported inferences, compare two sources, and judge how useful a source is for a stated enquiry using content, provenance and contextual knowledge, with a method that transfers across the Greek and Roman options.
14 min answer →

How should you revise OCR GCSE Ancient History, and how do you manage the time in each two-hour paper?

Revision and exam technique for OCR GCSE Ancient History: how to revise the prescribed sources as well as the content, how to drill each question type against its mark scheme, and how to manage the time across the two-hour papers, balancing the short questions, source questions and the extended essays.
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to revision and exam technique, explaining how to revise the prescribed sources as well as the content, how to drill each question type against its mark scheme, and how to manage the time across the two-hour papers, balancing the short questions, source questions and the extended essays.
12 min answer →

How do you write the period-study essay, and how do the SPaG marks affect it?

The period-study extended essay: how to plan and structure a balanced 'How far do you agree' answer, argue both sides with precise evidence, reach a supported judgement, and write accurately for the 5 SPaG marks carried on the period-study essay (printed at 20 marks).
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to the period-study extended essay, explaining how to plan and structure a balanced 'How far do you agree' answer, argue both sides with precise evidence, reach a supported judgement, and write accurately for the 5 SPaG marks carried on the period-study essay (printed at 20 marks).
13 min answer →

How do you write the depth-study essay, the highest-tariff question on the paper?

The depth-study extended essay: how to plan and structure the highest-tariff essay on the paper, integrate detailed knowledge with the prescribed sources where relevant, argue a balanced case and reach a sustained judgement, with the depth-study essay tariffed up to 25 marks.
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to the depth-study extended essay, explaining how to plan and structure the highest-tariff essay on the paper, integrate detailed knowledge with the prescribed sources, argue a balanced case and reach a sustained judgement, with the depth-study essay tariffed up to 25 marks.
13 min answer →

How is OCR GCSE Ancient History assessed, and what do the three assessment objectives reward?

The structure and assessment of OCR GCSE Ancient History (J198): the two components and their period and depth studies, the three assessment objectives (AO1 knowledge, AO2 explanation and analysis, AO3 use of sources), the question types and mark tariffs, and the SPaG marks on the period-study essays.
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to the structure and assessment of the J198 course, explaining the two components and their period and depth studies, the three assessment objectives (AO1 knowledge, AO2 explanation and analysis, AO3 use of sources), the question types and mark tariffs, and the SPaG marks on the period-study essays.
13 min answer →

What are the second-order concepts, and how do they shape the AO2 explanation and essay questions?

The second-order historical concepts behind AO2: causation (long-term causes and immediate triggers), change and continuity, consequence, and significance, and how to use them to answer 'Explain why' questions and the extended essays with ranked, analytical argument.
An OCR GCSE Ancient History skills guide to the second-order historical concepts behind AO2, explaining causation (long-term causes and immediate triggers), change and continuity, consequence and significance, and how to use them to answer 'Explain why' questions and the extended essays with ranked, analytical argument.
13 min answer →