NCEA 1.5 Writing Historical Essays Origins of World War II Essay Lesson 1 NCEA 1.5 Writing Historical Essays Essay Plans Handouts: SC/NCEA Essay Questions sheet

Essay Writing Requires Good Content Knowledge Content Knowledge is about these types of questions: What Happened? Who was involved? When did it happen? Where did it happen? You cannot answer deeper questions unless you can answer these types of questions

You don’t believe me? Try this then Answer this essay question: What were the various aims of the 1916 Easter Rebellion leaders? What effect did the Easter Rebellion have on Irish conflict up to the end of 1919? Thought so….You can’t…..Why? Because you know nothing about it…Yet

CONTENT UNDERSTANDING REASONING What Who When Where Why How What happened? Who was involved? When did it occur? Where did it occur? UNDERSTANDING Why How Why did this happen? How did it come about? Consideration of CAUSE and EFFECT REASONING Argument Debate An Essay Requires a REASONED Argument built on: Good CONTENT knowledge and Good UNDERSTANDING

Summary of Essay Plans Analyse the essay question Key word(s) Time frame Essay theme Make a plan using the 1-2-3 point format Start with three key-points for each question Continue onto the three sub-points Continually Go back to the question ask yourself if the essay question is being answered Ie is the structure/plan going to answer the question