How do I address the essay question?

When dealing with essays under exam conditions, you need to be able to quickly work out what is being asked and what you should include. It is often helpful to go through the question and pick out the key words.

For example, “Their rise to power was made possible because of the failure of existing governments to deal with existing economic and political problems.” With reference to two single-party leaders, to what extent do you agree with this statement?

For this question you should pick out: 1) rise to power 2) existing governments 3) economic and political problems 4) two single-party leaders and 5) to what extent.

Plan:

1. Decide on your single-party leaders (e.g. Lenin and Hitler)
2. Focus on rise to power (define the time periods (e.g. Lenin - October 1917, Hitler - Chancellor Jan. 1933 then consolidation)
3. What were the existing governments (e.g. Lenin - Provisional Government, Hitler - Weimar Government)
4. Existing problems (e.g. Lenin - Great War and weak economy, Hitler - Wall Street Crash and unpopualr Weimar government)
5. Counter arguement...try to provide balance (e.g. Lenin - Popular appeal, Hitler - Nazi ideology)
6. Include historiography, if you can't remember specifics go with wider schools of thought (Soviet, Revisionist, Liberal, Realpolitik etc)
7. Remember the question asks "to what extent" - do you agree with the statement or is the counter more accurate?