Hi yall,
I just have a general question about studying for modern history exams. I find because theres so much to remember and so many dates I don't know an effective way to study? I normally just use my notes and write practice essays but I was wondering if anyone had other suggestions that work well specifically for modern??
Thanksssss
Hey! Practice essays are defs the best way to go, way better than writing notes (imo) because you are actually
engaging with the content, rather than just writing out facts. That being said, if you are the type to write notes, then that is still A-okay, I just recommend that you adapt your note taking habits
Rather than just writing down/dot-pointing facts and a timeline of events, gear your notes towards analysis, and assessing the significance of said facts/events.
For example, I am a huge advocate for writing tables. Detail tables are fab! Down the left hand side you put all the syllabus dot points, then have one column for detail and then another column (if you want) for quotes
I also really really really really like argument table and linking tables. An argument table works really well for the personality study - have all the major events/issues in regards to your personality down one side, then how they relate/can be used to argue for and against the key debate. So for example how can the Treaty of Brest Litovsk be used to argue that Trotsky was a practical revolutionary or a naive idealist? Linking tables are similar. You want to have the key syllabus dot points/events listed both in the top row and the left hand column, linking how each factor or issue relates to one another
You can find my examples of these tables in the notes section!
Hope this helps!
hiya everyone!
I was just wondering what's the go for referencing study guides? Theres really good info in these two I found (not Ken Webb dw) and if I was wondering if I had to paraphrase or quote? Or do I just reference it in the bibliography and leave it at that?
Thanks in advance!!
DO NOT QUOTE A STUDY GUIDE. Firstly, even if a study guide is super good/helpful, it is not a sophisticated source. A study guide is merely a collection of relevant detail to the HSC syllabus - more often than not their analysis is not their own. If they are presenting a particularly unique argument that you wish to include, find out who they are referencing instead! What historian have they derived that argument from? If you can't find it exactly, you can for sure paraphrase what they are saying if you think that it is important, but don't reference the actual study guide within your essay.
(not Ken Webb dw)
i have trained you well