Top 10 Exam Tips to Study History


The best History exam tips in a row

You will soon take the History exam. When you know the exam material, it is important to practice a lot. And go through the following exam tips. We have collected the best History exam tips for you so that you will not make any mistakes that you could have prevented. Read through these tips and focus on the right things. Together we ensure that you pass the final exam. No stress!

tips to study for history exam

Top 10 exam tips to Study History

Exam Tip History # 1: Make sure you know the causes and consequences

History is about cause-effect and making connections. Make sure you know what the cause was and what the consequences were of all the events. Possibly set a timeline for yourself, so that you know which events came first.

Exam Tip History # 2: Make sure you know the concepts and dates

Make sure you know all the history concepts. Write down all concepts and hear yourself. See if you can explain exactly how and why for each term. This also applies to dates: write down the years of important events. Examine yourself to see if you know which event belongs to which year.

Exam Tip History # 3: Watch historical documentaries and films

Watch films and / or documentaries about the historical topics of the exam. You can often find this on the internet. Video often lingers better than dry text and sometimes offers a different perspective.

Exam Tip History # 4: Ask yourself about sources

Resources are essential in the history exam. Practice many questions that let you use resources. Always read the explanation for a source first. Always ask yourself who wrote the source. Is this source reliable? Does the writer have a certain ideology or idea that places the source from a different perspective?

Exam Tip History # 5: First view the source

If the source is a picture, first look at this picture and read the caption. Do NOT read the exam question yet. What does the maker want to make clear to you with this picture? Consider that first for yourself. Afterward, read the exam question. Write in the exam question what the picture tries to make clear. This also applies to cartoons. Consider which historical event is depicted in the cartoon. Is there information about the cartoonist of the cartoon? Which side is he on? What is his view of the event? When was the cartoon made?

Exam Tip History # 6: You are allowed to bring a dictionary

It is permitted to bring a dictionary to the history exam. This way you can look up concepts during the history exam that you no longer know what they mean.

Exam Tip History # 7: Mark the material you don’t know yet

Make a few copies of the course material. Read through a copy again and mark everything you didn’t know with a highlighter. Repeat this material for yourself. Then read the subject matter again from another copy that you have made. Repeat the process with the highlighter. You should mark less dust this time. Repeat this process until you no longer have to mark anything.

Exam Tip History # 8: Underline important elements

For a difficult exam question, underline the most important elements of the question and check whether these elements are reflected in your answer.

Exam Tip History # 9: Turn your answer into a story with facts and examples

Do not answer questions on the history exam in 1 sentence. Always make a story out of it. Don’t put nonsense in your story to make it look as long as possible. Always use facts and examples in your answer. Students often give general answers to the exam. Make sure you incorporate your factual knowledge about historical matters in your answers.

Exam Tip History # 10: Formulate your answer with sources as follows

Is a source being used? Build your answer as follows: “in the source it says (quote) …. and that means … (explanation).”