Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis — A-Level History Revision
Revise Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis for A-Level History. Step-by-step explanation, worked examples, common mistakes and exam-style practice aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR.
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Go to Evidence & Counter-evidence BalanceWhat is Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis?
This topic explains the crucial difference between 'narrative' (story-telling) and 'analysis' (argument). A-Level History rewards analysis, which involves explaining the significance of events, weighing the importance of factors, and substantiating a clear argument, rather than just describing what happened.
Board notes: 'Avoid narrative' is one of the most common pieces of feedback given by examiners for AQA, Edexcel, and OCR. The move from descriptive GCSE-style answers to analytical A-Level answers is a key challenge for students.
Step-by-step explanationWorked example
Narrative: 'In 1929 the Wall Street Crash happened. This led to the recall of American loans, which caused mass unemployment in Germany.' Analysis: 'The Wall Street Crash was a critical turning point because it triggered the recall of American loans, which destabilised the German economy. The resulting mass unemployment created a fertile ground for political extremism, which the Nazis skillfully exploited to attract popular support, thus demonstrating the crucial link between economic crisis and political radicalisation.'
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Common mistakes
- 1Writing a chronological account of events without explaining their significance or linking them to the question.
- 2Using phrases like 'This led to...' or 'Then this happened...' which encourage a narrative flow.
- 3Including lots of factual detail (AO1) without using it to support an analytical point.
Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis exam questions
Exam-style questions for Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.
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Step-by-step method
Step-by-step explanation
4 steps · Worked method for Avoiding Narrative: Moving to Analysis
Core concept
This topic explains the crucial difference between 'narrative' (story-telling) and 'analysis' (argument). A-Level History rewards analysis, which involves explaining the significance of events, weighi…
Frequently asked questions
But don't I need to include facts and dates?
Yes, but they must be used as evidence to support your analysis. The facts are the building blocks, but the analysis is the structure you build with them. Never just list facts; always explain their significance in relation to the question.
What are some good 'analytical' words to use?
Words like 'consequently', 'significantly', 'therefore', 'this demonstrates', 'the most important reason was...' all signal to the examiner that you are thinking analytically and building an argument.