The 4 Mark "Explain One Way" Question (Edexcel GCSE History): Revision Note
Exam code: 1HI0
Summary of Question 3
Question 3 tests your ability to explain one similarity or one difference between two historical events or developments
It always draws on content from two time periods in Migrants in Britain, c800–present
Amount of marks | 4 |
|---|---|
The time that you should spend on the question | No more than 5 minutes |
An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:
In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Migrants in Britain:
Year of exam | Question topic |
|---|---|
2022 | Attitudes in Britain towards migrants (opens in a new tab) |
2023 | Patterns of migration (opens in a new tab) |
2024 | Opportunities for Jewish migrants |
How to explain how historical events and developments are similar and different
This is part of the thematic study, so Question 3 assesses:
Your understanding of continuity and change over time
Your use of similarities and differences
Questions may:
Compare two events across the four time periods of the course
Focus on a specific area, such as settlement
Use the key themes of the course to help with this question. These are:
Patterns of migration
Experience of migrants
Impact of migrants
How to answer an "Explain one way" question
To access Level 2 (3–4 marks), you must:
Read the question carefully
Focus only on the two time periods mentioned
Mention one similarity or one difference, not both
Make a direct comparison between the two events or developments
For the example answer, a direct comparison is that both periods show migrants' ability to create a community in Britain
"Explain one way" question structure
Your answer should include:
Specific and relevant knowledge about the topic to support the comparison
An explanation of the similarity or difference outlined in the question
Your answers could be written in a PEE paragraph:
P — Make a clear statement about how the two events are similar or different
E — Support your point with accurate knowledge from each time period (K)
Use comparative phrases like “similarly… ”, “whereas… ” and “in contrast…”
E — Explain the question (SOC)
Explain why they are different or similar
Link back to the focus of the question
There are 4 marks available for this question:
2 marks for your analysis of a similarity or difference between the two given time periods (SOC)
2 marks for specific knowledge of each time period (K)
Worked example of an "Explain one way" question
Worked Example
Explain one way in which the experiences of migrants in the years c1700-c1900 were similar to the experiences of migrants in the years c1900-present.
(4)
Answer:
One way in which the experiences of migrants in the years c1700–c1900 were similar to the experiences of migrants in the years c1900–present is that migrants often faced discrimination (SOC). In the 18th and 19th centuries, Irish migrants were blamed for crime and poverty in cities such as Liverpool (SOC). Similarly, in the 20th century, Caribbean migrants arriving on the Windrush were often refused jobs or accommodation because of racist attitudes. Therefore, migrants continued to face unfair treatment from British society (SOC).
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