Highlight the key terms of the question and determine exactly what it is asking you to do.
Select three to four discussion points or arguments, and write these as a dot-point plan.
Provide a direct answer to the question in the first sentence. This is your contention (your main argument).
Develop your main ideas or themes in short, focused discussion points of 3-5 sentences. Begin each paragraph with a signpost to help your reader see the structure of your argument.
If you are answering a question focused on causes, order your discussion points chronologically, beginning with the earliest and concluding with the last. If a period is provided in the question, try to select discussion points that cover the entire period.
Ensure that you include some form of specific evidence in each discussion point, such as dates, names, quotations, laws, statistics, and so on.

What you should NOT do:

DO NOT USE PERSONAL PRONOUNS

This is not an essay, so there is no expectation that you write a full introduction and conclusion paragraph. One or two sentences are sufficient. Rather than trying to outline or summarise your arguments, aim to capture the central argument or big idea explored throughout your response.
Avoid narrative (retelling the story without any argument) or irrelevant discussion (anything the question does not ask for).

How to unpack questions:

Take time to read the question and think before jumping straight to answer the question. You want to avoid assuming you know what the question is asking you when you first read it. It is helpful to:

Read all parts of the question
Read the question at least twice
Highlight the key terms of the question
Re-read the question after you finish writing each discussion point
Use keywords from the question at the start of your response and in each of your main discussion points to help show you are answering the question

Well-prepared students can lose marks because they overlooked or ignored the requirements of the question. You need to focus on what your teacher wants you to show, not what you want to say.

Command words:

Tell you what historical skill you are expected to show in your answer. Below is a list of the most common instructional verbs:

Identify	Extract or list the most relevant information.
Describe	Give an account of the main features of a concept or source.
Outline	Provide a summary of the most relevant or essential points.
Compare	Discuss similarities and differences between two concepts or sources.
Explain	Provide a methodical commentary on how or why something occurred. Break your response into several steps. Offer commentary on causes, response and outcomes.
Analyse	Break a concept into its components - for example, the different causes of World War I - and explain each of them in a connected manner.
Evaluate	Present a judgement. Discuss strengths/merits and weaknesses/limitations and use these to support an overall opinion.
Discuss	Present a fluid and coherent viewpoint or interpretation on a topic. Organise your justification or reasons into separate discussion points. Support with evidence.
To what extent	Present a judgement as to how much you agree with a proposition. Weigh up evidence for and against the idea in the question and use these to support an overall opinion.