Answering Explanatory and Judgement Questions
This page focuses on the structure for answering explanatory questions (Question 4) and judgement questions Questions5/6 in the Edexcel GCSE History Crime and punishment exam.
Question 4: Explaining why
- No introduction required
- Three PEEL paragraphs (Point, Evidence, Explain, Link)
- One paragraph should include own knowledge
Definition: PEEL - A paragraph structure that includes a Point, Evidence to support it, an Explanation of the evidence, and a Link back to the question.
Question 5/6: Making a judgement
- Introduction
- Three SPEND + PEELE paragraphs
- Conclusion
Vocabulary: SPEND - An acronym for Statistics, Places, Events, Names, Dates, used to ensure comprehensive coverage of historical information.
The guide emphasizes the importance of using specific criteria when making judgements:
- Effectiveness
- Duration
- Scope
- Impact
- Significance
Highlight: The conclusion should clearly state whether you agree or disagree with the question, summarize your main points, and explain your reasoning.
The page also provides a range of useful phrases to express the extent of agreement or disagreement, from 0% to 100%. This helps students articulate their judgements more precisely in Edexcel GCSE History Crime and punishment model answers.
Example: Phrases like "significant extent," "vast extent," or "far-reaching extent" can be used to express strong agreement (75-100%), while "slight extent," "limited extent," or "minor extent" indicate minimal agreement (0-25%).