BBC Bitesize GCSE History - Exam Skills - Episode 2 - How to write a good essay

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Xiajie

Exam Skills Episode 2 in a four-part BBC Bitesize GCSE History series explains how to begin and structure a strong exam essay. It emphasizes reading the question carefully, slowing down to identify keywords, and using the PEEL (P-E-E-L) mnemonic for essay structure. The episode then compares common essay types, focusing on factor questions and statement questions, with examples such as the British Empire and the rise of the Nazis.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Episode 2: How to write a good essay

Reading and understanding the question

Types of essay questions

Factor essays

Statement essays

Structuring an exam essay example

BBC Bitesize-GCSE History-Exam Skills Episode 2: How to write a good essay ANNOUNCER: BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts. DATSHIANE: I'm Datshiane Navanayagam. KATIE: And I'm Katie Charlwood. DATSHIANE: And this is Bitesize GCSE History. KATIE: This is the second episode in a four-part series on exam skills. DATSHIANE: And in this episode, we'll be looking at the different types of essays that you might be asked to write in an exam. We'll have some hints and tips and examples on how to write them that gets you those all-important exam marks. KATIE: And we'll use the mnemonic PEEL, P-E-E-L, to help you remember how to structure your essay. DATSHIANE: Remember, if you find it useful to make notes along the way, then just press pause andrewind. We're always here, and at the end we'll have a short, snappy summary so that all those key facts stick. [music] DATSHIANE: So, you've opened up your exam paper and there's a question inviting you to write a beautifully crafted essay. We know you can do it, but how do you begin? First, take a deep breath, relax, and then, most importantly, read the question. It can be so easy to miss a word, or misread it, and write something that might be factually correct and really well argued, but it's not what the examiner has asked for. KATIE: Now, I find it useful to draw a vertical pen line to separate every word in the question. This helps me to slow my brain down and then to underline every important or keyword. This makes sure I've completely understood the question and what the examiner is after. DATSHIANE: A great idea. So, let's look at the types of essay questions you might be asked to write. These might be a factor essay, or a statement essay, or a 'how far do you agree?' question, but whatever type they are, the essay is expecting you to give more than one argument or factor, and here's where you can earn those lovely exam marks. KATIE: See, a factor essay question is asking you to discuss the significance of multiple factors or causes behind a particular historical event, and the key goal for you here is to analyse how important the various factors are and how they contributed to the outcome. DATSHIANE: So, for example, Katie: How far have governments been the main factor in the development of the British Empire? KATIE: Okay, so this is where you pause, you take your time, read the question and underline the keywords, in this case, governments, main factor, and development of the British Empire. We know that there were multiple factors that led to the development, including governments, economic motivations, and ideas like exploration and colonisation. DATSHIANE: Great. And now you should explain how each factor contributed to the event, starting with the factor in the question. Identify the significance of that one and then other factors, and then compare them for their importance. Finally, make a clear argument about whether governments were the main factor, as that is what the question is asking. And if not, say which factor you think was most important. [music] KATIE: So that's a factor essay. What about, say, a statement essay? DATSHIANE: Okay, well, a statement essay is one where you are given a statement about a historical event and then you are asked to agree or disagree. You have to present a balanced argument based on the evidence. KATIE: So, in this case, the essay question might be something like 'The Great Depression was the main reason for the rise of the Nazis. How far do you agree with this statement?' Your turn, Datshiane. DATSHIANE: Okay. So, using your tips, Katie, I'd underline 'The Great Depression', 'main reason', 'rise of the Nazis', and 'agree' . Now we need to focus on the factor that's given in the question, the Great Depression, and we need to either agree or disagree with the statement that this event was the main reason. And to do this, we have to compare it with other factors and provide evidence for both sides of th

FAQs

How should you start when you open your exam paper?

Take a deep breath, relax, and most importantly read the question carefully to avoid missing or misreading key words. Then underline important keywords to clarify what the examiner is asking for.

What is a factor essay question and what should you do in your writing?

A factor essay asks you to discuss the significance of multiple factors or causes behind an event. Explain how each factor contributed, compare their importance, and end with a clear judgement about the main factor.

How do statement essays differ from factor essays?

A statement essay gives a statement about a historical event and asks you to agree or disagree. Build a balanced argument using evidence, comparing the given factor with other factors, and conclude with a clear judgement.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Xiajie