A full set of revision notes (3 pages in total) covering the problem of evil and suffering, in the WJEC/EDQUAS Religious Studies specification under Theme 2 (a-c). Notes were created with both A02 and A01 elements in mind and helped me consistently reach A*, A and B+ grades. CONTAINS NOTES ON The types of evil: moral (caused by free will agents) and natural (caused by nature). The logical problem of evil: classical (Epicurus) - the problem of suffering. J. L. Mackie’s modern development - the nature of the problem of evil (inconsistent triad). William Rowe (intense human and animal suffering) and Gregory S. Paul (premature deaths). Religious responses to the problem of evil (i): Augustinian type theodicy: Evil as a consequence of sin: evil as a privation; the fall of human beings and creation; the Cross overcomes evil, soul-deciding; challenges to Augustinian type theodicies: validity of accounts in Genesis, Chapters 2 and 3; scientific error - biological impossibility of human descent from a single pair (therefore invalidating the ‘inheritance of Adam’s sin); moral contradictions of omnibenevolent God and existence of Hell; contradiction of perfect order becoming chaotic - geological and biological evidence suggests the contrary. Religious responses to the problem of evil: Irenaean type theodicy: Vale of soul-making: human beings created imperfect; epistemic distance; second-order goods; eschatological justification; challenges to Irenaean type theodicies: concept of universal salvation unjust; evil and suffering should not be used as a tool by an omnibenevolent God; immensity of suffering and unequal distribution of evil and suffering.

Full set of revision notes (1438 words). A concise overview but covers all characters, context, critical comments, intertextuality and quotations that I found to be necessary, particularly for the 45 minute answer time alongside 2 other poems in exam conditions. Created with the AQA specification in mind, so covers A01, A02, A03, A04 and A05 skills. I used these notes throughout my year 13 studies and was able to consistently reach A*, A and B+ grades. In terms of references to page numbers etc. I used: David Haig, My Boy Jack. Nick Hern Books, 2012 edition

Full set (6 pages) of revision notes on both inductive and deductive proofs, covered in theme 1 (a-c) and theme 1 (d-f) of the WJEC/EDQUAS Religious Studies A-Level specification. These notes are necessary for component 2, the Philosophy of Religion paper. I have ensured they contain sufficient depth of knowledge to fulfill both A01 and A02 elements of questions. CONTAINS NOTES ON Inductive arguments – cosmological: Inductive proofs; the concept of ‘a posteriori’. Cosmological argument: St Thomas Aquinas’ first Three Ways - (motion or change; cause and effect; contingency and necessity). The Kalam cosmological argument with reference to William Lane Craig (rejection of actual infinities and concept of personal creator). Inductive arguments – teleological: St Thomas Aquinas’ Fifth Way - concept of governance; archer and arrow analogy. William Paley’s watchmaker - analogy of complex design. F. R. Tennant’s anthropic and aesthetic arguments - the universe specifically designed for intelligent human life. Challenges to inductive arguments: David Hume - empirical objections and critique of causes (cosmological). David Hume - problems with analogies; rejection of traditional theistic claims: designer not necessarily God of classical theism; apprentice god; plurality of gods; absent god (teleological). Alternative scientific explanations including Big Bang theory and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Deductive arguments - origins of the ontological argument Deductive proofs; the concept of ‘a priori’. St Anselm - God as the greatest possible being (Proslogion 2). St Anselm - God has necessary existence (Proslogion 3). Deductive arguments - developments of the ontological argument: Rene Descartes - concept of God as supremely perfect being; analogies of triangles and mountains/valleys. Norman Malcolm - God as unlimited being: God’s existence as necessary rather than just possible. Challenges to the ontological argument: Gaunilo, his reply to St Anselm; his rejection of the idea of a greatest possible being that can be thought of as having separate existence outside of our minds; his analogy of the idea of the greatest island as a ridicule of St Anselm’s logic. Immanuel Kant’s objection - existence is not a determining predicate: it cannot be a property that an object can either possess or lack.

Full set of revision notes for English Literature A-Level, created with the requirements of the AQA specification in mind. These notes have been compiled over my time at sixth form, and helped me consistently achieve A*, A and B+ grades. I have been careful to include all the assessment objectives. Such as A01 and A02, as personal interpretations will be built upon, ensuring your response is well-argued and convincing. As well as this, these notes will provide a foundation for the use of relevant terminology and coherent, accurate written expression. The use of A03 is essential to a successful essay response, as it shows a depth of understanding and has the ability to strengthen your interpretation. I have selected elements of context that will be applicable to any exam question you are faced with, for example ‘Gertrude Stein said WW1 had produced a lost generation. Fitzgerald had already captured this sense of exhaustion and pointlessness when he wrote ‘This side of paradise’ in 1920’. A04, the need to explore connections across literary texts, can be covered via the structure of the Love Through the Ages Paper through the comparison of the text to poetry. Despite this, in order to show a depth of knowledge and throughly researched answer I have included references to other literature, an example being, ‘Tom Buchannan’s racism highlights a deep flaw in America’s self-image. The practice of slaveholding is incisively criticised by Mark Twain in ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ in 1884’ A05 is also taken into account with a variety of different interpretations that can be used alongside your own independent analysis to show wider awarness. I have included traditional standpoints such as a Freudian reading as well as specialist critics, such as Lois Tyson, a feminist critic, ( Lois Tyson in ‘What’s love got to do with it?’, a psychoanalytic reading of Gatsby claims it is a drama of dysfunctional love).

Full set of notes over a 31 slide powerpoint p, resentation, created for revision purposes. All information necessary for Theme 1 (a-c) and Theme 1 (d-f)the Buddhism paper, under the WJEC/EDQUAS A-Level Religious Studies specification. Contains Notes on: Accounts of the birth of the historical Buddha and the Four Sights: The ways in which Buddhists read these narratives. Hagiographical and mythological interpretations of the conception dream of Maya, events surrounding the birth, the prophecy and early life. The biographical impact of the Four Sights and wider religious interpretations of their meaning in terms of dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence), anatta (insubstantiality/no-self). B. The Awakening/Enlightenment of the Buddha: An explanation of the main features of the accounts of what led to the Buddha’s Awakening under the Bodhi Tree; including knowledge of past lives, knowledge of the role of karma in the lives of all beings, the path to the cessation of dukkha, meanings of the Mara/temptation narratives, and the earth touching mudra. C. Buddhist texts as sources of wisdom and authority – their use and treatment in daily life: The Patimokkha as one of the sources of wisdom and authority for the Theravada monastic sangha. Its use and treatment as a recited text. The seriousness of the Four Parajikas ‘defeats’, leading to expulsion from the sangha. D. The Pali Canon: its role in Buddhism as a whole: The Tipitaka. The authority of the Vinaya for the Theravada sangha, the wider authority and significance of the Sutta Pitaka, the relevance of the Abidhamma for the commentarial development of Buddhism. The importance of the Pali Canon as a source of wisdom. E. The main themes and concepts in two Mahayana texts: The Heart Sutra - the philosophical content regarding the mutual identity of emptiness and form. The Parable of the Burning House in the Lotus Sutra - exemplifying the concept of skilful means and the provisional nature of the teachings. F. The contribution made to the development of Buddhist thought by the work of contemporary Buddhist teachers: A comparison of the background and work of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh: their practical interpretation of Buddhist teachings for life in the West: with reference to Thich Nhat Hanh’s emphasis on simple practices (smiling, breathing and walking) and the Dalai Lama’s emphasis on acts of kindness; both teachers’ views about compassion and non-harming.

Full set of revision notes for the play ‘Othello’ by William Shakespeare, created under the learning objectives of the AQA exam board. I created this resource as my own source of revision, and was able to achieve consistent A*, A and B+ grades throughout year 12 and year 13. Includes details regarding all notable characters, with following sections covering in depth; key themes, genre, setting, structure, language, imagery, context, critic’s views, contemporary approaches and key connections between other texts. Will provide material to strengthen your A01 skills, with creative, original interpretation and conceptualisation of the text which has the potential to become a well argued and convincing essay response. A02 skills are also central to the notes, for example I have detailed the techniques and methods Shakespeare uses to present Othello’s strengths and weaknesses, including his eventual downfall. This will provide a firm foundation for you to build upon your own interpretations on how meanings are created across the text. I have found that A03 is integral to a strong essay response, so I have weaved important aspects throughout the entirity of the notes, including references to contemporary sources such as the publications of William Davies in 1614, and John Knox in 1558 which will undoubtably add to the strength of your response. Alongside specific snippets of knowledge more widespread, overreaching elements of context are also covered, such as the fact that ‘Christian traditions of the Renaissance suggested that Africans were descendants of Noah’s son, Ham, who was cursed by his father’, which will broaden your ability to successfully fulfill A03 with confidence. A04 is covered in sufficient depth to ensure the exploration of connections across literary texts is as simple as possible. To ensure clarity, I have selected examples easy to add to any Othello essay you may be faced with. For example, ‘In Hamlet, the tragic heroine Ophelia goes mad when her lover Hamlet rejects her. Ophelia drowns having fallen out of a willow tree. This shows that love and madness are often linked together in Renaissance drama’. Obviously this element is valuable to illustrate parallels between Desdemona and Othello’s relationship and those presented in other Shakespearian tragedies. A05 (the ability to explore literary texts informed by different interpretations), is also woven throughout the resource. I have included examples of modern day, critics such as Marilyn French and Karen Newman as well as references to certain productions. I’ve referred multiple times to Oliver Parker’s 1995 adaption, an example being, ‘The visual imagery of Oliver Parker’s 1995 film explicitly links Iago to the Devil, he covers his hands in soot when he speaks of the ‘divinity of hell’ and is often seen against a dark background’. These insights will prove essential to a strong, well-researched and balanced argument.

OCR - Y219 Full and complete revision notes covering the entire Russia 1894-1941 topic. Covers all 4 subheadings; The rule of Tsar Nicholas II, The 1917 Revolution, The Civil War and Lenin and The rule of Stalin. Covers the entire unit in chronological order, following the OCR provided specification , including key statistics. 20 pages of crucial information. INCLUDES NOTES ON The rule of Tsar Nicholas II Character, attitude and abilities of Nicholas II; political, economic and social problems of Russia in 1894; opposition, liberals, populists and Marxists; national minorities; the influence of Pobedonostsev, Witte; the Russo-Japanese War; the causes, extent, nature and consequences of the 1905 Revolution; Witte and the October Manifesto; the Fundamental Law; the Dumas; repression and reform under Stolypin; the political social and economic situation in Russia in 1914. The 1917 Revolutions The impact of the First World War 1914–1917, defeats, losses, economic dislocation, food shortages, transport problems, inflation; Nicholas’ leadership; Rasputin; criticism in the Duma; the events of March 1917; Kerensky, the Provisional Government and Petrograd Soviet; return of exiles and the April Theses; July Days; Kornilov Revolt; events of November 1917; the roles of Lenin and Trotsky. The Civil War and Lenin The Constituent Assembly, Lenin decrees; Civil War, White forces, foreign intervention, Red Army, ‘war communism’, reasons for Bolshevik victory/White defeat; murder of the Tsar; Red Terror, Kronstadt Rising; NEP; constitution and government; strengths and weaknesses of Lenin as leader. The rule of Stalin Character and abilities of Stalin; rivalries and divisions in the Bolshevik party, Trotsky, Bukharin, Kamenev, Zinoviev; Stalin’s tactics and victory, ‘socialism in one country’ v ‘permanent revolution’; consolidation of power, propaganda and ‘Cult of Personality’, growth of police state (OGPU, NKVD, purges and gulags); economic policies in the 1930s, agriculture, kulaks, voluntary and forced collectivisation, mechanisation; industrialisation, Gosplan, first two Five Year Plans; economic, social and political effects of Collectivisation and Five Year Plans.

OCR - Y110 Full and complete revision notes covering the OCR topic from Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783–1853. Also includes a seperate document for the enquiry topic: Peel and the Age of Reform 1832–1853 (the source question). Covers the entire unit in chronological order, following the OCR provided specification , including key statistics. 24 pages over two documents of crucial information. INCLUDES NOTES ON Pitt the Younger Royal support, the 1784 election; reform of finance and administration; trade; the impact of the French Revolution; radical threats; Whig splits 1790–1794; anti-radical legislation 1794–1801. Lord Liverpool and the Tories 1812–1830 Liverpool and the radical challenge 1812–1822, the Corn Law 1815, Peterloo, government policy on law and order, the Gagging Acts and the Six Acts 1819. Tory governments 1815–1830; Liverpool, Canning and Wellington as Prime Ministers; Huskisson on trade and finance; Peel at the Home Office; repeal of the Combination Laws and Test and Corporation Acts; Roman Catholic Emancipation. Foreign Policy 1783–1830 Ending isolation 1783–1789; French Revolution to 1793; Pitt as War Minister 1793–1806 (Blue water strategy, Coalitions, Peace of Amiens); War with Napoleon – blockades, coalitions and the Peninsular campaign; Castlereagh 1812–1822 (Vienna Settlement, Congress diplomacy), Canning 1822–1827 (Holy Alliance, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and the Greek Question to 1830). Parliamentary reform and the Great Reform Act 1832 Whigs and Tory attitudes to reform 1783–1830; early reform attempts 1785–1830; reasons for parliamentary reform 1828–1830, extent of popular discontent 1830–1832, the aims and terms of the 1832 Act. Pitt the Younger Royal support, the 1784 election; reform of finance and administration; trade; the impact of the French Revolution; radical threats; Whig splits 1790–1794; anti-radical legislation 1794–1801. Lord Liverpool and the Tories 1812–1830 Liverpool and the radical challenge 1812–1822, the Corn Law 1815, Peterloo, government policy on law and order, the Gagging Acts and the Six Acts 1819. Tory governments 1815–1830; Liverpool, Canning and Wellington as Prime Ministers; Huskisson on trade and finance; Peel at the Home Office; repeal of the Combination Laws and Test and Corporation Acts; Roman Catholic Emancipation. Foreign Policy 1783–1830 Ending isolation 1783–1789; French Revolution to 1793; Pitt as War Minister 1793–1806 (Blue water strategy, Coalitions, Peace of Amiens); War with Napoleon – blockades, coalitions and the Peninsular campaign; Castlereagh 1812–1822 (Vienna Settlement, Congress diplomacy), Canning 1822–1827 (Holy Alliance, Spain, Portugal, Latin America and the Greek Question to 1830). Parliamentary reform and the Great Reform Act 1832 Whigs and Tory attitudes to reform 1783–1830; early reform attempts 1785–1830; reasons for parliamentary reform 1828–1830, extent of popular discontent 1830–1832, the aims and terms of the 1832 Act.