Advanced Higher History dissertation - Marking instructions

2. Marking instructions
Your Dissertation is worth 50 marks. You will be
marked based on these four criteria:
• Structure
• Analysis / Evaluation / Line of argument
• Thoroughness
• Historical sources

3. Structure
To achieve good marks for your dissertation’s
Structure, you should include:
• An abstract/introduction (with context,
research methods, main findings, conclusion)
• Separate sections which describe, analyse and
evaluate key elements of the issue
• Clear conclusion which summarises key points
and makes overall judgement

4. Analysis / Evaluation / Line of argument
To achieve good marks for your dissertation’s Analysis,
Evaluation and Line of argument, you should include:
• Regular explanation of the relevance of each
factor based on your overall question (with
evidence) e.g. was the factor important or not?
• Mini-conclusions in each chapter which evaluate
each factor’s overall relevance, linking to your
essay’s line of argument

5. Thoroughness
To achieve good marks for your dissertation’s
Thoroughness, you should include:
• Strong detail to describe and support
arguments, including evidence of extensive
personal reading and research
• Evidence linked to analysis, evaluation and line
of argument

6. Historical sources
To achieve good marks for your dissertation’s
Historical Sources, you should include:
• Various historians’ opinions on the issue,
including reasons for these views
• A comparison of these views
• Reference and analysis of at least one primary
source (but ideally more than this)