What can I do to get higher marks in my exam?

When examiners mark your paper, they look for three main things: knowledge about the subject, understanding of this knowledge and how it applies, and quality of your argument.Firstly, you must know your subject material. Make sure you have revised the topics and know definitions of key words so that you use them correctly, e.g. What is first-past-the-post?Secondly, practise explaining your subject material to someone else (your classmate or other friend, a parent, a tutor or teacher, your goldfish or even a teddy bear will do!) Read the news and watch shows such as Question Time and Prime Minister's Questions (for UK politics of course!) to develop a wide range of examples, e.g. What does first-past-the-post look like in the UK?Thirdly, develop a strong argument. Practise drawing up plans for exam answers using your knowledge and examples. Finally it's worth noting that each exam board works slightly differently. Look through past papers and mark schemes to see exactly what will get you the top marks in your exam! We can certainly explore this together.