Paper 2 (Structured questions): Global Thematic Studies
A. Content - teachers choose just ONE of these Thematic Studies, then study at least TWO examples from different regions.
• Each study is based around four inquiry questions, and each inquiry question has four lines of inquiry (click each of the four topic titles above for further detail):
Points to note:
• There are no prescribed examples for these thematic studies - teachers have complete freedom of choice regarding which historical examples to study. Some teachers may look at just two historical examples in depth which cover all the inquiry questions; others may choose to look at different examples for different inquiry questions.
• It is allowed to select contemporary examples for all the thematic study options; however, these examples must lend themselves to historical study. For example, it may be appropriate to study the causes of a contemporary event but not the consequences, which can only be assessed historically after the passage of a substantial period of time.
B. Exam Format (Paper 2, 1 hour 45 minutes)
The Paper 2 exam lasts 1 hour 45 minutes (in contrast to the old paper, which was 90 minutes). Students answer three questions:
| Section A |
6 marks |
(= approx. 25 minutes) |
| Section B, Part A |
4 marks |
(= approx. 15 minutes) |
| Section B, Part B |
15 marks |
(= approx. 60 minutes) |
Section A
Section A - question format
• Students answer one question from a choice of two (25 minutes, 6 marks)
• Students will use one relevant historical example from their thematic study to analyse one of the IBO's four historical concepts (cause and consequence, continuity and change, perspectives, significance).
Generate a random Section A question:
SECTION A
Answer ONE of the following questions.
Question 1 Cause and Consequence
Analyse how historical events have had multiple causes. Use one example from your Global Theme to support your response. (6 marks)
Question 2 Perspectives
Analyse how historical events can be seen from different perspectives. Use one example from your Global Theme to support your response. (6 marks)
Section A - approach and assessment
The generic markscheme provides a starting point for assessing responses to this question. A good approach might be to ask students to provide three developed reasons in three detailed paragraphs in the 25 available minutes for the 6 marks available, in the following format:
Chosen Global Thematic Study |
Opening topic sentence |
Substantiating evidence [1] |
Substantiating evidence [2] |
Example 1 |
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Example 2 |
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|
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Example 3 |
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Points to note:
1. Choosing "fixed" topics for Paper 2 Section A questions could perhaps do a disservice to students because the variations of possible questions are so vast. So (for example) maybe the 'perspectives' questions are most suited to certain topics, whereas 'cause and consequence' for another and so on. There is no demand from the IBO that the student declares which 'global theme' their case study fits within, so effectively they can choose this from ANYTHING they have studied within the course which is appropriate.
2. Interestingly, this 'explain' question mirrors the Cambridge IGCSE Part (b) question, which is 6 marks, 12 minutes, needing two reasons. So students familiar with this question might find this approach particularly helpful.
Section B
• Section B is based around the four specific lines of inquiry for the thematic study.
• Students choose one two-part question from a choice of two.
• Part A will be an “explain” question, requiring students to provide a range of reasons.
• Part B will be a “to what extent” question, requiring students to evaluate different perspectives to produce an analytical argument working towards a reasoned conclusion.
Generate a random Section B question:
Conflict Innovation and Transformation Authoritarian Rule Popular Movements
SECTION B
Conflict (from 750 AD onwards)
Answer both Part A and Part B of ONE of the following questions.
Question 1
Part A: Explain how social factors led to the outbreak of conflict. Use one example from the global theme in your response. (4 marks)
Part B: To what extent was technology responsible for the outcome of conflict? Use examples from at least two regions to support your response. (15 marks)
Question 2
Part A: Explain how conflict affected the life of women. Use one example from the global theme in your response. (4 marks)
Part B: To what extent were post-conflict peace-building successful? Use examples from at least two regions to support your response. (15 marks)
Section B, Part A - approach and assessment
The generic markscheme provides a starting point for assessing responses to this question. A good approach - building on the same format as the approach for Section A - might be to ask students to provide two developed reasons in two detailed paragraphs in the 15 available minutes for the 4 marks available, in the following format:
Chosen Global Thematic Study |
Opening topic sentence |
Substantiating evidence [1] |
Substantiating evidence [2] |
Example 1* |
|
|
|
Example 2* |
|
|
|
Example 3* [Optional] |
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*e.g. chosen cause, impact, method depending on the question
Section B, Part B - approach and assessment
The generic markscheme provides a starting point for assessing responses to this question.
This question broadly reflects the essay questions which characterised Paper 2 in the previous syllabus, and should be approached in a similar manner. The main differences are that all questions will use the command term "To what extent....", and that the historical examples used are from at least two regions. It is also imporant to make connections between examples to strengthen the analysis.
C. Comments / Observations from Russel Tarr (ActiveHistory)
Because there is no prescribed content for these options, is a lot of potential for sportting 'overlap' with Paper 2 / Paper 3 topics here. For example:
P2 "Popular Movements" overlaps with P1 > "Protest and Change" , P3 Americas Option 11 - Social movements in the Americas (1945-2020)
P2 "Conflict" > overlaps heavily with the topics in P1 "Conflict and Displacement" AND P1 "Independence and Identity" and various P3 options which address wars and conflicts.
P2 "Innovation and transformation" > P1 "Climate and Innovation" and "Political and economic transitions"; P3 Americas Option 11 - Social movements in the Americas (1945-2020)
P2 "Authoritarian rule" > P3 Americas option 10: Political developments in Latin America (1934-2020)
×
1: Conflict (from 750 AD)
Conflict occurs when groups resort to violence to settle disagreements.
Examples include civil wars, interstate wars, revolutions, wars of independence, terrorist movements, world wars, and proxy wars.
Inquiry question |
Lines of inquiry |
Recommended resources on ActiveHistory |
Why did conflict emerge? |
- Economic causes
- Political causes
- Social causes
- Environmental causes
|
|
What determined the outcome of the conflict? |
- Role of leadership
- Strategies and tactics
- Mobilization of resources
- Role of technology
|
How did the conflict affect people’s lives? |
- Economic impact
- Social impact
- Experiences of women
- Experiences of marginalized groups
|
How was peace established? |
- Military outcome
- Political decision-making
- Social factors
- Post-conflict peace-building
|
×
2: Innovation and Transformation (from 750 AD)
A historical innovation is a new and influential idea, method, or technology.
Examples include technological advances (like the Industrial or Digital Revolutions), or movements which are artistic (e.g. Renaissance), religious (e.g. Reformation), intellectual (e.g. the Enlightenment). Popular ideological movements (e.g. nonviolent resistance, feminism, communism, fascism...) could also provide some interesting overlaps with Paper 1 / Paper 3 topics.
Inquiry question |
Lines of inquiry |
Recommended resources / observations from ActiveHistory |
Why did new innovations emerge? |
- Social factors
- Economic factors
- Political factors
- Environmental factors
|
Early Modern > Reformation
|
How did the innovations transform societies? |
- Economic change
- Political change
- Environmental change
- Cultural change
|
How were the innovations resisted? |
- Resistance from established authorities
- Forms of popular resistance
- Resilience of traditional ideas
- Competing innovations
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How did the innovations affect peoples’ lives? |
- Experiences of innovators
- Experiences of social elites
- Experiences of women
- Experiences of marginalized groups
|
×
3: Authoritarian rule (from 1750 CE)
Authoritarian rule gives power to one leader or a small group.
Examples include monarchies, oligarchies, dictatorships, totalitarian states,, colonial governments or military regimes.
Some systems mix authoritarian and democratic features.
Inquiry question |
Lines of inquiry |
Recommended case studies on ActiveHistory |
Why did authoritarian rule emerge? |
- Role of ideas
- Social factors
- Role of conflict
- Economic factors
|
Note: Early Modern Monarchies, Napoleonic France, Tsarist Russia are other possibilities. |
How was authoritarian rule maintained? |
- Legal methods
- Use of force
- Propaganda
- Popular support
|
How did authoritarian rule affect people’s lives? |
- Economic effects
- Social effects
- Experiences of women
- Experiences of marginalized groups
|
How was authoritarian rule challenged? |
- Internal opposition
- Popular resistance
- Impact of policies
- External threats
|
×
4: Popular movements (from 1750 AD onwards)
Popular movements involve groups of people working together to create change.
These include campaigns led by minority groups, women, youth, and workers for increased rights, as well as independence and anti-colonial movements.
Inquiry question |
Lines of inquiry |
Recommended resources on ActiveHistory |
Why did popular movements emerge? |
- Political factors
- Economic factors
- Role of ideas
- Social factors
|
- Early Modern > Reformation
- Late Modern > Rights and Protest
|
How did popular movements create change? |
- Political participation
- Non-violent methods
- Cultural influence
- Violent methods
|
How were popular movements challenged? |
- Political opposition
- Divisions within the movement
- Violent opposition
- Resilience of traditional ideas
|
What was the impact of popular movements? |
- Political change
- Social change
- Experiences of women
- Experiences of marginalized groups
|
×
Cause and Consequence
• Historical events always have multiple, interrelated, short- and long-term causes and consequences.
• The causes and consequences of historical events result from the interplay of two types of factors—historical actors, who are the people (individuals or groups) who take action, and the conditions within which these actors operate.
• Historical events and their consequences were never inevitable. These causes and consequences could be probable, improbable, intentional or accidental.
×
Change and Continuity
Definition
The processes of societies becoming different and maintaining similarity across time and place. When thinking about continuity and change, historians explore what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Conceptual understandings
• Societies can undergo historical continuity and change at the same time, as these are interwoven processes.
• Historical continuity and change are processes that can be both rapid and transformative over the short term and follow slower patterns and trends over the long term.
• The ways people (both individuals and societies) have experienced historical continuity and change can be positive, negative or a combination of both.
×
Perspectives
Definition
Diverse points of view from and about the past. When thinking about perspectives, historians consider who has a view on past events.
Conceptual understandings
• There are always diverse historical perspectives on events, which are held both by those who participated in and observed events as they took place, and those looking back on events from a later date.
• Historical perspectives are not all equally valid, and historians must determine this validity through an examination of the claims that are being made.
• Historical perspectives can corroborate and support each other as well as be contradictory and lead to ambiguities that historians must try to resolve.
×
Significance
Definition
The value judgements made about historical people and events. When thinking about significance, historians determine which stories should be told.
Conceptual understandings
• Historical significance is constructed through judgements about which people and events should be included in (and/or excluded from) historical narratives.
• The judgements of significance that historians make can reflect the evidence that the historian has at their disposal as well as their values and those of the society of which they are a part.
• People and events can be historically significant because of their power, importance and impact, as well as because of what they reveal about the past, even if they lack power and importance and/or are marginalized.
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Paper 2, Section A - Generic Mark Scheme
| Marks |
Level descriptor |
| 0 |
The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below.
|
| 1–2 |
The response describes the concept with minimal analysis.
The response makes limited reference to an example from the thematic study.
|
| 3–4 |
The response partially analyses the concept.
The response is supported by reference to a relevant example from the thematic study.
|
| 5–6 |
The response clearly and accurately analyses the concept.
The response is effectively supported by a relevant, specific example from the thematic study.
|
×
Paper 2, Section B, Part A - Generic Mark Scheme
|
Marks Level descriptor |
0
|
The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. |
1 |
The response identifies a relevant example from the thematic study. |
2 |
The response describes a relevant example from the thematic study. |
3 |
The response partially explains a relevant example from the thematic study. |
4 |
The response effectively explains a relevant example from the thematic study. |
×
Paper 2, Section B, Part B - Generic Mark Scheme
| Marks |
Level descriptor |
| 0 |
The response does not reach a standard described by the descriptors below. |
| 1–3 |
The response is an outline of unsubstantiated, disconnected assertions lacking a clear judgement.
Where examples are used, they are irrelevant or vague.
|
| 4–6 |
The response is descriptive, and any judgement made is not substantiated.
The examples used are only partially relevant.
The response makes minimal connections between examples.
|
| 7–9 |
The response is mostly descriptive, though there is partial analysis. There is a judgement that is partially consistent with the rest of the response.
The examples used are mostly appropriate and relevant.
The response makes limited connections between examples, though these are superficial and provide limited support to the analysis.
|
| 10–12 |
The response is mostly analytical. There is a judgement that is consistent with the analysis.
The examples used are consistently appropriate and relevant, and support the analysis.
The response makes some connections between examples, and these connections partially support the analysis.
|
| 13–15 |
The response is consistently analytical. There is a reasoned judgement that is consistent with the analysis.
The examples used are consistently appropriate and relevant, and effectively support the analysis.
The response makes well-developed connections between examples, and these connections are effectively integrated to support the analysis.
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