How do I answer an "explain" question?

A question asking you to "explain how" or "explain why" (6 or 8 marks) might seem simpler than the longer-answer questions, but it is still testing the same skills: development of points and analysis. You should aim to discuss 2-3 points. Whilst 2 developed points is often enough, the best answers will touch on three issues to ensure maximum marks in case an examiner doesn't feel one point is developed enough. A vague "Point, Evidence, Explain" structure should be followed; you should make your initial point, back it up with evidence, and then explain and analyse how this relates to the question. The sample answer provides an example of this structure: the first sentence tells the examiner the point you're making, the second sentence backs the point up with evidence and develops it a bit further, and the rest of the paragraph further explains and analyses the issue. Always link your points back to the question. Normally, you are being asked to explain why something happened, or explain the effects of something - to do this you must link your points back to the topic at hand. For example, looking at the sample answer, you can see that the answer explicitly links points back to the answer using clear phrases such as "This meant that the lives of African Americans were changed because...". If possible, develop your analysis by considering limitations to the point you're making (see paragraph 2 of the sample answer) but do not get too hung up on this, these questions are only worth 6-8 marks and it is possible to get full marks without doing this, it just makes your answer appear a bit more sophisticated to examiners if you have managed to do it. These pieces of advice are best demonstrated through a sample answer: Explain how WWII affected the lives of African Americans? (8 marks) One of the ways in which WWII affected the lives of African Americans was in how it developed the civil rights movement. Approximately 125,000 African Americans fought overseas in WWII, and this meant that they were able to see how black populations were treated in other countries. In many cases, such as in Britain and France, black people were not subject to the same level of discrimination and segregation. This meant that African Americans saw their treatment at home as far more unfair, adding impetus to the movement for equal rights. WWII also affected the lives of African Americans because the distinction between “black” and “white” areas of life and professions was blurred – for example, in January 1941 the Women’s Army Corps began to allow Black women to train and join as nurses. This meant that the lives of African Americans were changed because opportunities opened up for them to learn new trades and professions which had previously been restricted to the white population, thus reducing segregation at the professional level. This was, however, limited because a lot of the training and day-to-day activities were still segregated by race. Lastly, WWII affected the lives of African Americans because it increased the proportion of the black population living in urban environments. A large proportion of African Americans had moved to cities whilst they partook in the war effort, and others migrated to the cities after returning from war hoping to find new jobs. This meant that African Americans were able to pursue a broader range of professions – as there were more jobs available in the city – and their lives were changed as the increased density of the black population in urban areas meant that they were able to form their own black communities.