When doing the tests:

· If you don’t know the details, don’t ever take a chance. For example “The Spanish conquered the Inca empire so easily because the Inca was like a house of cards, if one part falls down the rest will follow.” is a much better answer than “I think that the Spanish etc…”.

· Don’t hesitate, if you are uncertain but still want to put the fact in your answer, write as if you know, if it is wrong it is wrong. You don’t get any extra credit for writing that you hesitate about your knowledge, on the contrary you are only showing the examiner that you don’t know the subject. Remember that a complete stranger will read your answers next year.

· Questions in History are rarely an invitation to speculate or to state what you think is the truth, there are certain facts that you simply have to know, if you don’t know the facts avoid answering the question.

· Be accurate with details otherwise skip the detail. The Spanish Armada sunk 1588, alternatively the end of the 1580’s, end of the 1500’s, but never ever 1586.

· Answer the question, nothing else! Teachers are not impressed by facts but by structured and analyzing answers. If you are asked about what peasants thought don’t answer what the merchants did.

· Try to avoid vague words such as Spaniards, people, England etc. You should instead write who you mean, if you mean the nobles of Spain, write that not the people of Spain. If you mean that peasant got political rights or the Netherlands got independence from Spain, right exactly that, don’t use words as THEY or just stating that the Netherlands got independent but state from whom they got independent

· Use proper language, no cursing.