HSC Predictions (2 Viewers)

[Mrtechz]

Has anyone looked for trends in previous examinations?

List your predictions of what we could be asked on for the Germany, Cold war and Speer sections.

 

[slyhunter]

Germany, going off by recent years, focus on the Great Depression, social and cultural life in Nazi Germany, Nazi racial policy and Nazi foreign policy since questions on these have not been asked for a number of years.

For the personality, they can literally toss anything at you. Part A as usual understand Speer's background and rise to prominence whereas part B, brace yourself for anything.

I didn't do Cold War so can't help you there. Sorry.

 

[enoilgam]

For Germany, they could do something like "Assess the role which Germany's defeat in WW1 had on the collapse of the Weimar republic". They could also ask about Hitlers rise to power, such as something to do with the Night of Long Knives etc.

 

[slyhunter]

For Germany, they could do something like "Assess the role which Germany's defeat in WW1 had on the collapse of the Weimar republic". They could also ask about Hitlers rise to power, such as something to do with the Night of Long Knives etc.

I don't think they'll be that specific, going off by the syllabus.

 

[enoilgam]

I don't think they'll be that specific, going off by the syllabus.

To be honest I think that it will be very similar to previous years.

 

[cem]

They can't specify something like Night of the Long Knives as that isn't a specified dot point.

That means that it is possible that a school might actually not teach it - yes I know that that it wouldn't make sense no to do so but it is possible. For instance one teacher may cover 'initial consolidation of Nazi power' and do one paragraph of notes on Night of the Long Knives but spend a full lesson and a page of notes on social changes as part of the consolidation - now they have taught the dot point but have put an emphasis on one aspect over another. It would therefore be unfair to pick one aspect of that consolidation of power and focus a question on that. A question on consolidation is possible and don't forget the issues as opposed to the content dot points as they could be the focus of the questions as well e.g. successes and failures of democracy.

Just a note - a couple of years ago a number of students got caught with a question on social and cultural change in the Weimar and Nazi periods - but many students had only prepared for the Nazi period. The alternative question was also awful, if I remember it correctly.

 

[enoilgam]

They can't specify something like Night of the Long Knives as that isn't a specified dot point.

That means that it is possible that a school might actually not teach it - yes I know that that it wouldn't make sense no to do so but it is possible. For instance one teacher may cover 'initial consolidation of Nazi power' and do one paragraph of notes on Night of the Long Knives but spend a full lesson and a page of notes on social changes as part of the consolidation - now they have taught the dot point but have put an emphasis on one aspect over another. It would therefore be unfair to pick one aspect of that consolidation of power and focus a question on that. A question on consolidation is possible and don't forget the issues as opposed to the content dot points as they could be the focus of the questions as well e.g. successes and failures of democracy.

Just a note - a couple of years ago a number of students got caught with a question on social and cultural change in the Weimar and Nazi periods - but many students had only prepared for the Nazi period. The alternative question was also awful, if I remember it correctly.

Fair enough, I didnt realise this. I just thought that maybe the BOS would throw something really specific to catch students out. Also, just on your last point, people should be aware of the possibility of a combo question, because when I did the HSC people in my class prepared for Weimar only (because usually they ask one Weimar and one Nazi)

 

[Mrtechz]

Anyone have any predictions for the Cold War?

Last time a question on the Korean war was asked was in 2006, same with a question on Afghanistan.

I've pretty much ruled out the possibility of there being a question on Detente and the Berlin Wall.

Ideologies of communism and capitalism question looks like a possibility.

Truman doctrine also looks like a possibility.

 

[apollo1]

My teacher pretty much ignored detente bcuz it has been used a lot recently. i reckon the cold war question will be something on korean war, afghanistan or the renewal period

 

[Mrtechz]

My teacher pretty much ignored detente bcuz it has been used a lot recently. i reckon the cold war question will be something on korean war, afghanistan or the renewal period

Yeah, that would make sense. Though you can still make a reference to detente in other questions as well.

 

[Mrtechz]

Would anyone have a sample answer or have any tips on how to go about answering this question on the Korean war?

Evaluate the view that the Korean War was the most significant crisis affecting superpower relations in the period 1948-1962.

 

[enoilgam]

Would anyone have a sample answer or have any tips on how to go about answering this question on the Korean war?

Evaluate the view that the Korean War was the most significant crisis affecting superpower relations in the period 1948-1962.

I didnt do this topic but I can give you some general tips. First, with this question you need to choose a view point of view(ie the Korean war WAS the most signficant crisis or it WAS NOT). This position is your thesis, and it is the basis for your response - you must explicitly state this thesis in the introduction. Next, you need to think of 3-4 reasons which support your argument and list them in the intro. They will become the basis of each section in the body of the essay. Once you have done that, you continue on to the body of your essay. In the body, you explain how each of those reasons supports the view that the Korean war was the most significant crisis affecting.... Make sure to devote one section to EACH reason.

 

[Mrtechz]

I didnt do this topic but I can give you some general tips. First, with this question you need to choose a view point of view(ie the Korean war WAS the most signficant crisis or it WAS NOT). This position is your thesis, and it is the basis for your response - you must explicitly state this thesis in the introduction. Next, you need to think of 3-4 reasons which support your argument and list them in the intro. They will become the basis of each section in the body of the essay. Once you have done that, you continue on to the body of your essay. In the body, you explain how each of those reasons supports the view that the Korean war was the most significant crisis affecting.... Make sure to devote one section to EACH reason.

Thanks for that. Quick question, would it be considered sitting on the fence if I were to argue that while the Korean war was a significant crisis affecting superpower relations it is not an accurate statement to say that it was the MOST important crisis affecting superpower relations?

 

[enoilgam]

Thanks for that. Quick question, would it be considered sitting on the fence if I were to argue that while the Korean war was a significant crisis affecting superpower relations it is not an accurate statement to say that it was the MOST important crisis affecting superpower relations?

Thats perfectly fine, as it gives your argument more depth as opposed to saying "No it was not the most important crisis or yes it was"

 

[Skyzor]

I have strong feeling that for the Cold War they will ask something on "To what extent did the policies under Ronald Reagan contribute to the end of the Cold War".

Renewal of the Cold War as a syllabus section hasnt been asked in over 3 years. Detente I wont study much highly unlikely to be asked for a third time in 4 years...

For people doing the Cold War, what are the chances of a question being on 'disarmament agreements 1987–1991'?, its such a small section in all text books, dont see it being an essay question

 

[scuba_steve2121]

If this has already been said I apologise but if you look at the Germany questions for the past ten year there has always been one Wiemar and one Nazi question, thus if you short of time study one of them, I did it and it worked out great, i saw the Wiemar question and smiled. "Assess the influence of the German army on the successes and failures of the Wiemar Republic by 1933." one of the least studied areas in the syllabus IMO but i made sure i had a solid 4 pages of notes on that area and came out of the modern exam with an solid 85. for Speer like someone above said, brace yourself for a shit storm, part B is the shittest part of the exam IMO, just make sure you can bullshit some gitta serney, van der vat quotes in there.

if you have questions regarding Germany or the Second indo-china war I will be happy to help, my essays were always above 20/25 for those

 

[cem]

If this has already been said I apologise but if you look at the Germany questions for the past ten year there has always been one Wiemar and one Nazi question, thus if you short of time study one of them, I did it and it worked out great, i saw the Wiemar question and smiled. "Assess the influence of the German army on the successes and failures of the Wiemar Republic by 1933." one of the least studied areas in the syllabus IMO but i made sure i had a solid 4 pages of notes on that area and came out of the modern exam with an solid 85. for Speer like someone above said, brace yourself for a shit storm, part B is the shittest part of the exam IMO, just make sure you can bullshit some gitta serney, van der vat quotes in there.

if you have questions regarding Germany or the Second indo-china war I will be happy to help, my essays were always above 20/25 for those

Not quite true - they have been known to throw in a question that covers both Weimar and Nazi periods in the one question - e.g. the one that asked for cultural and social change for both periods.

With the Part B of the personality - please, please do two things - answer the question and use the quote given and don't just throw quotes by historians around unless they are emphasising your actual answer to the question and/or relating to the quote.

 

[scuba_steve2121]

Not quite true - they have been known to throw in a question that covers both Weimar and Nazi periods in the one question - e.g. the one that asked for cultural and social change for both periods.

With the Part B of the personality - please, please do two things - answer the question and use the quote given and don't just throw quotes by historians around unless they are emphasising your actual answer to the question and/or relating to the quote.

I don't want to call bullshit preemptively but you can point to the year of which that question was asked?

and yea generally answering the question tends to help, was just pointing out if they don't have quotes they aren't going to get far

 

[enoilgam]

Not quite true - they have been known to throw in a question that covers both Weimar and Nazi periods in the one question - e.g. the one that asked for cultural and social change for both periods.

With the Part B of the personality - please, please do two things - answer the question and use the quote given and don't just throw quotes by historians around unless they are emphasising your actual answer to the question and/or relating to the quote.

This.

 

[cem]

I don't want to call bullshit preemptively but you can point to the year of which that question was asked?

and yea generally answering the question tends to help, was just pointing out if they don't have quotes they aren't going to get far

2007 'Explain how and why German social and cultural life changed in the period1923–1939.'

The other question was on German foreign policy 33 - 39.