What Sets Band 6 Apart?
So, what distinguishes a Band 5 essay from the coveted Band 6âs?
- Depth of Analysis.
Band 6 essays reflect a superior understanding and insight into the topic. Remember, youâre a historian, not a textbook. Donât just regurgitate facts. Donât just tell us everything you remember about your topic area. Instead, you want to analyse a good range of sources critically in order to formulate your own opinion (more on this under Point #3 đ).
- Use of Evidence.
Itâs no secret that, in Ancient History, sources are our bread and butter. As a rule of thumb, aim for at least ONE source for each point you make, or at least THREE sources per body paragraph.
And donât over-rely on ancient historians like Herodotus and Plutarch. High-scoring responses have a balance of primary sources (written AND archeological) and secondary sources (e.g. quotes and interpretations from modern historians). Yes, this will take a bit of memorisation, but it will be worth it. The marker will have no choice but to see how much research (and passion!) youâve put into your topic.
Note: If thereâs a stimulus source they ask you to reference, donât forget to include it amongst your own sources!
- Critical Evaluation of Your Sources.
âMost people will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.â â Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War
Well, you heard him. Donât be like most people!
Itâs not enough to simply reference sources. Even the most renowned ancient historians were only human; and, as humans, it is inevitable that we inject our own biases, motivations, and opinions into our works. For instance, Herodotus relied heavily on oral accounts, potentially leading to inaccuracies in his documentation. Tacitus was a Roman senator with a clear political stance, and his animosity towards figures like Nero and Agrippina may have influenced his accounts.
Discuss these historiographical issues to weigh your evidence. Occasionally assessing your sourcesâ reliability will provide more nuance, depth and complexity to your essay. Show that youâre not just a reciter of facts, but a critical thinker (as all historians should be!).
You donât need to write 5+ sentences evaluating your evidence. Unless the question is specifically addressing historical validity, a brief 1-2 sentence comment to weigh your source should suffice.
- Strong (and Consistent) Judgement.
This may be obvious, but decide your stance and stick to it. Your thesis should guide Every. Single. Paragraph. Use assertive language to convey your perspective and reinforce your argument.
If your answer isnât straightforward, you can use words like âoverallâ, âgenerallyâ or âdespiteâ to incorporate a bit of nuance, whilst remaining assertive. This allows you to acknowledge complexities without undermining your main point.
- Answer the Question
Most essay questions start with âAssessâ, âAnalyseâ, âEvaluate, or âTo What Extentâ. Know what each of these directives are asking of you. Weâll go through some exemplars (below) to see how you can deal with these directives.
For now, hereâs a breakdown of common directives and what they require:
- Assess: Weigh up the value or importance of something.
- Analyse: Break down the topic into its parts and examine each part in detail.
- Evaluate: Make your own judgement about the value or importance of something.
- To What Extent: Explore the degree to which something is true. Look at the limits and boundaries of the idea posited in the question.
- Clarity and Structure.
Organise your essay well. This is what weâll go through now! đđ
Essay Structure
A well-organised essay enhances clarity and readability. Obviously, the ideas you explore in each paragraph will depend on your topic area and the question. But, the ideal structure for a high-mark response can look a little something like this:
- Introduction
- State your thesis in your first sentence i.e. immediately tell the marker your stance.
- Give a brief outline of the major event(s) or personality youâre focusing on. This will likely include giving a date range.
- Outline the main arguments that you will present in your body paragraphs (typically 3 ideas in 3 body paragraphs).
- Body Paragraphs
- Each paragraph should focus on one main idea.
- For example, if Iâm answering the question âTo what extent did Pericles influence his time?â, I might structure my ideas like this:
Body Para 1: Periclesâ political influence on the reformation and expansion of democracy.
Body Para 2: Periclesâ patronage of arts and expansion of culture.
Body Para 3: Pericles as a strategos and his military strategy.
- Notice how each paragraph has a main idea, with the potential to talk about more âmini-ideasâ underneath them e.g. Body Para 1 can discuss Perclesâ various reforms, introduce the Golden Age of Athens, and consider Periclesâ orations and public speaking skills which inspired civic engagement.
- Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main point and links directly to the essay question.
- Follow the SEW framework for the meat of your paragraph:
- S: Source
- E: Explain the source (what does it tell us?)
- W: Weigh the evidence (consider historiographical issues, context, bias, purpose, etc.). Note: Donât spend all your time on this.
- Use cause-and-effect analysis. Just like in English essays, donât just recount events, but explain what happened and then discuss the impact of those events.
- Conclusion
- Restate the main argument of your essay by directly answering the question i.e. try to use the words of the question, and interrogate the directive phrase in the question.
- Summarise your key arguments.
Note: Your body paragraphs are where the real gold is. So, donât break your back over the introduction and conclusion. These paragraphs can be really quick. Think 3-6 sentences (depending on the question).
Unpacking the Essay Question
Unless you have crazy good psychic abilities, the very first step is to read the question and understand what it wants from you. Break it down into its core components:
- Directive phrases. Look for verbs that indicate how you need to answer the question e.g. assess, evaluate.
- Content phrases i.e. who, what, when and where? See if the question specifies context or a particular moment in time. For instance, for the question âEvaluate the impact of the Punic Wars on the social structure of Romeâ, you shouldnât start thinking about the Macedonian War.đĽ´
- Formulate Your Stance. Once youâve read the question, think about all the juicy information youâve collected in your brain over the many many months of studying this topic, and work out what your stance is.
Past Examples
I have lovingly crafted some samples of what would be considered high-scoring responses to past HSC questions. đđ
Example 1: âAssessâ Introduction
Question: âAssess the impact of the Persian Wars on Athens and Sparta.â (25 marks)
2017 HSC Ancient History Section IV - Historical Periods, Question 38 - Option H - Greece: The Greek World 500-440 BC.
Example 2: âEvaluateâ Body Paragraph
Question: Evaluate the view that the Athenian navy made the greatest contribution to Greek victory and Persian defeat. (25 marks).
2019 HSC Ancient History Section IV - Historical Periods, Question 27 - Option F: The Greek World 500-440 BC.
Remember, Ancient History essays are all about showcasing your in-depth insights (âI have my own perspectives and interpretationsâ), maintaining clarity (âI have no doubts about my positionâ), and showcasing a range of sources (âLook at all this research Iâve done!â). Good luck!
Want more personalized study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!
Written by KIS Academics Tutor, Celeste Thomson. Celeste is currently working as a Chemical Risk Engineer with a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) / Master of Biomedical Engineering. She has been tutoring (and loving it!) since 2017, with a particular focus on English, Mathematics, and Science. You can view Celesteâs profile here and request her as a tutor.