How To Ace The As Edexcel Unit 2 Government & Politics Exam

Tips on answering long answer questions - Only have one point per paragraph. If you move on to a new point, start a new paragraph.

- Have an introductory sentence at the start of each paragraph to introduce the point of the paragraph (someone should be able to read just the first sentences of your paragraphs and get a good idea of how your essay progresses).

- If necessary have a concluding sentence to your paragraph showing how what you`ve said in the paragraph relates back to the question.

- Have one example backing up every main point that you make. Keep the examples as up to date as possible. So if you have two equal examples that prove the same point, where one involves Cameron and one involves Thatcher, use the Cameron one.

- Keep the factual information relevant, ier ensure that whenever you use a fact it is backing up a point that you`ve made. There are no marks available for irrelevant knowledge, no matter how detailed or accurate it is.

- Always begin the conclusion with `In conclusion` or `To conclude` or something similar, in order to tell the examiner that this is your conclusion, and that you meant to finish the essay when you did.

- Don`t make any new points on the conclusion, sum up your arguments and come to a final judgement.

- Be balanced yet decisive in your answer, ie accept that there are good points on both sides of the debate yet come down more on one side than the other. Don`t say that one side is wholly right (ie the other side has no valid points) as this will rarely, if ever, be true. At the same time don`t hover in between two positions without giving a definite answer. Eg "This essay will argue that both sides make good points" is not an interesting answer to a question.

- Be sure to consider both sides of the debate equally. Depending on the question and your own preferences, this can either be done by having the first half of the essay arguing one side, and the second half arguing another, or by considering both sides of the debate within each paragraph (where each paragraph makes up a unit of the answer, eg each paragraph might be one of the functions of parliament, and you`d consider within each paragraph whether parliament was effective at carrying out that function).

- If at all possible, try to discuss how the advent of coalition government affects your answer to the question. This won`t be relevant to all questions, but if it is relevant you should discuss it as it will show you`re up to date with developments.

- Use abbreviations (sparingly) to save time - "first-past-the-post" (FPTP) etc.

Tips on answering stimulus based short answer questions - For the 10 mark question try to use a roughly equal mix of extract evidence and your own knowledge.

- Only use short quotes from the extract, don`t copy out long passages.

- Timing is everything when you have so little time to answer each question, don`t overrun on the 5 or 10 mark ones and leave yourself just 10 minutes to do the 25 marker.

- Use real world examples, and make them as up to date as possible.

- If the 25 mark question asks you to just give one side of a debate (ie `Make a case against an elected chamber`) then just do this, don`t start discussing arguments on the other side of the debate. Some 25 mark questions will require you to consider both sides of a debate (ie Assess the strengths and weaknesses of a codified constitution), in which case spend roughly half your time considering each side.