How to write A*
essays in A level
Poli1cs (Edexcel)
1. Assessment overview
2. Your assessment objec6ves
3. Guides for each ques6on type
4. Your one page crib sheet for exam structure
, 1-POLITICS A LEVEL ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
There are 3 papers in the Edexcel Poli1cs A Level.
Each is out of 84 marks and is equally weighted (so each paper is worth 33% of your final grade).
Paper 1 – UK Poli4cs & Core Poli4cal Ideas
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 30 Source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
2 30 Non source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
3 24 Core poli1cal ideas ques1on (from a choice of 8 8 8
2)
Paper 2 – UK Government & Non-Core Poli4cal Ideas
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 30 Source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
2 30 Non source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
3 24 Non-core poli1cal ideas ques1on (from a 8 8 8
choice of 2)
Paper 3 – Compara4ve Poli4cs – USA
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 12 Compara1ve ques1on (from a choice of 2) 6 6 -
2 12 Compara1ve theory ques1on 6 6 -
3 30 Two non-source essay ques1ons (2 from a 10 10 10
30 choice of 3) 10 10 10
In Year 12 there are three types of ques1ons you’ll encounter:
• 30 mark source essays
• 30 mark evalua1ve essays
• 24 mark poli1cal ideas essays
In Year 13, you will encounter two extra essay types:
• 12 mark compara1ve ques1on
• 12 mark compara1ve theory ques1on
, Wri4ng an A level Poli4cs Essay
There is no ‘right’ way to write an essay. In this handbook, we will recommend approaches designed
to meet the assessment objec1ves effec1vely and clearly. However, any ‘essay structure’ is only as
good as the knowledge and line of argument that it is used to communicate.
So… to write a good essay, you need to know your stuff!
Make sure you are consistently reviewing classwork, and suppor1ng your wider understanding by
cul1va1ng a poli1cs diary; using PreChewed Poli1cs; using the Poli1cs sec1on in the Wigoder library,
listening to news podcasts regularly- it is the founda1on for being an A* student.
CONSTRUCTING A LINE OF ARGUMENT
A line of argument means that your essay, from start to finish, will promote a par1cular point of view
on the ques1on raised. A strong line of argument will be:
• Stated clearly in the introduc1on
• Sustained throughout the body of your essay
• Reiterated and summarised in the conclusion
The best arguments are sustained throughout and the reader will be in no doubt as to which view
you are suppor1ng.
However, an evalua1ve essay also requires balance. This doesn’t mean that you need to give equal
weight to the arguments that you don’t agree with. It means that you need to ensure that you cover
the arguments from the other side fairly in your essay, and then explain why in your view they are
wrong.
Ques4on stems
In A level Poli1cs, all 30 mark essays use the stem ‘evaluate the view that...’ The line of argument
should always be an affirma1on or rejec1on of the view iden1fied in the ques1on. Never ‘hedge’
your argument (i.e. say ‘all arguments are equal, we can’t know either way’ etc.)
24 mark ques1ons use the stem “evaluate the extent to which”. The line of argument here should
always be a considera1on of whether the ideology’s strands agree more/less than they disagree.
Similarly, there is no joy in simply sugges1ng there is agreement and/or disagreement within the
ideology (i.e. they agree and they disagree) - you need to come to a clear conclusion.
12 mark ques1on use the stem “Examine” (if you do not need to incorporate compara1ve theory)
and “Analyse” (if you do). In these instances, there is no expecta1on to express a view point; rather
you will be drawing similari4es and differences between two countries.
ESSAY STRUCTURE
An evalua3ve essay, whatever the discipline, will tend to have three parts:
Introduc6on
• Introduce your argument clearly
essays in A level
Poli1cs (Edexcel)
1. Assessment overview
2. Your assessment objec6ves
3. Guides for each ques6on type
4. Your one page crib sheet for exam structure
, 1-POLITICS A LEVEL ASSESSMENT OVERVIEW
There are 3 papers in the Edexcel Poli1cs A Level.
Each is out of 84 marks and is equally weighted (so each paper is worth 33% of your final grade).
Paper 1 – UK Poli4cs & Core Poli4cal Ideas
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 30 Source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
2 30 Non source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
3 24 Core poli1cal ideas ques1on (from a choice of 8 8 8
2)
Paper 2 – UK Government & Non-Core Poli4cal Ideas
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 30 Source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
2 30 Non source essay ques1on (from a choice of 2) 10 10 10
3 24 Non-core poli1cal ideas ques1on (from a 8 8 8
choice of 2)
Paper 3 – Compara4ve Poli4cs – USA
Ques4on Number of Type of ques4on AO1 AO2 AO3
# marks
1 12 Compara1ve ques1on (from a choice of 2) 6 6 -
2 12 Compara1ve theory ques1on 6 6 -
3 30 Two non-source essay ques1ons (2 from a 10 10 10
30 choice of 3) 10 10 10
In Year 12 there are three types of ques1ons you’ll encounter:
• 30 mark source essays
• 30 mark evalua1ve essays
• 24 mark poli1cal ideas essays
In Year 13, you will encounter two extra essay types:
• 12 mark compara1ve ques1on
• 12 mark compara1ve theory ques1on
, Wri4ng an A level Poli4cs Essay
There is no ‘right’ way to write an essay. In this handbook, we will recommend approaches designed
to meet the assessment objec1ves effec1vely and clearly. However, any ‘essay structure’ is only as
good as the knowledge and line of argument that it is used to communicate.
So… to write a good essay, you need to know your stuff!
Make sure you are consistently reviewing classwork, and suppor1ng your wider understanding by
cul1va1ng a poli1cs diary; using PreChewed Poli1cs; using the Poli1cs sec1on in the Wigoder library,
listening to news podcasts regularly- it is the founda1on for being an A* student.
CONSTRUCTING A LINE OF ARGUMENT
A line of argument means that your essay, from start to finish, will promote a par1cular point of view
on the ques1on raised. A strong line of argument will be:
• Stated clearly in the introduc1on
• Sustained throughout the body of your essay
• Reiterated and summarised in the conclusion
The best arguments are sustained throughout and the reader will be in no doubt as to which view
you are suppor1ng.
However, an evalua1ve essay also requires balance. This doesn’t mean that you need to give equal
weight to the arguments that you don’t agree with. It means that you need to ensure that you cover
the arguments from the other side fairly in your essay, and then explain why in your view they are
wrong.
Ques4on stems
In A level Poli1cs, all 30 mark essays use the stem ‘evaluate the view that...’ The line of argument
should always be an affirma1on or rejec1on of the view iden1fied in the ques1on. Never ‘hedge’
your argument (i.e. say ‘all arguments are equal, we can’t know either way’ etc.)
24 mark ques1ons use the stem “evaluate the extent to which”. The line of argument here should
always be a considera1on of whether the ideology’s strands agree more/less than they disagree.
Similarly, there is no joy in simply sugges1ng there is agreement and/or disagreement within the
ideology (i.e. they agree and they disagree) - you need to come to a clear conclusion.
12 mark ques1on use the stem “Examine” (if you do not need to incorporate compara1ve theory)
and “Analyse” (if you do). In these instances, there is no expecta1on to express a view point; rather
you will be drawing similari4es and differences between two countries.
ESSAY STRUCTURE
An evalua3ve essay, whatever the discipline, will tend to have three parts:
Introduc6on
• Introduce your argument clearly
