Cambridge AS & A Level History (9489): syllabus, papers and marking
Source and essay answers marked in levels; the note beside each mark says whether it was lost on knowledge, on using the source, or on reaching a judgement.
Syllabus for examination in 2026 (2027–2029 revised content; paper structure unchanged) · June and November series · grades A*–E (A Level), a–e (AS)
History 9489: where the marks go
A Level History 9489 has two AS papers (Historical Sources and an Outline Study) and two A Level papers (Historical Interpretations and a Depth Study). The source papers reward a focused comparison and a two-sided argument about a statement, using the sources as evidence; the longer papers reward a sustained, evidenced judgement. Content was revised for 2027, with the paper structure unchanged.
Our papers use original source sets and questions on the options and depth studies, and marking is in levels with the descriptor quoted. Each answer is checked for whether it stays on the focus of the question.
Paper structure and what we mark
| Paper | Time | Marks | Weight | Questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 — Historical Sources | 1 h 15 min | 40 | 40% AS · 20% A Level | One two-part source question on the prescribed topic |
| Paper 2 — Outline Study | 1 h 45 min | 60 | 60% AS · 30% A Level | Two two-part questions from three on the chosen option |
| Paper 3 — Historical Interpretations | 1 h 15 min | 40 | 20% A Level | One interpretations question on the chosen topic |
| Paper 4 — Depth Study | 1 h 45 min | 60 | 30% A Level | Two questions from three on the chosen depth study |
Syllabus outline
- AS Papers 1 and 2: one option from Modern Europe 1774–1924, the USA 1820–1941, or International history 1870–1939, each with three topics
- A Level Paper 3: one topic from the origins of the First World War, the Holocaust, or the origins and development of the Cold War
- A Level Paper 4: one option from European history 1919–41, the USA 1945–93, or International history 1909–94
- Skills: source comparison, support and challenge, interpretations, essay judgement
How each paper is marked here
- Source questions are marked in levels, with the descriptor quoted and the missing comparison or challenge named.
- Essays are marked in levels for evidence, argument and judgement.
- Opening soon: levels rubric in testing.
Where History 9489 candidates lose marks
- Comparison that ignores the question’s focus — Part (a) names what is to be compared, such as attitudes or attempts to deal with an event; similarities outside it cannot be credited.
- Provenance in place of the argument — Comments on reliability or bias that do not serve the question are not relevant.
- One side of a two-sided question — Part (b) wants the sources to support and to challenge the prompt, and both can always be found.
- Long quotations and ellipses — Short quotations are enough; the long ones suggest the source was not understood.
- Own knowledge left out — Context is how an answer reaches the higher levels, and it is seldom used well.
Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for 9489
See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.
Questions teachers ask
- Which options are covered?
- The European, American and International options, with the prescribed topic for the series.
- Is this available everywhere?
- The 2027–2029 syllabus is not offered in all administrative zones; check yours.
- When does it open?
- After the levels rubric test; ask to be told.
- Is this official Cambridge marking?
- No. Cambridge International Education marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for 9489. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
- Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
- No. Every 9489 paper here is original and written to the syllabus for examination in 2026 (2027–2029 revised content; paper structure unchanged), in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
- Which papers are marked?
- None yet are marked question by question. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
- How is the next paper chosen?
- From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
- When are the exams?
- June and November series. Grades A*–E (A Level), a–e (AS).
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