Competing tensions: building a balanced, synthesised argument

What this note covers

1. What a competing tension actually is
2. Why examiners reward synthesis, not a list of two sides
3. Selecting real examples that carry the argument
4. Planning under time pressure: a five-minute structure
5. Command words: matching the response to what is actually asked
6. Referencing sources precisely without padding
7. Worked example: applying the method to a rights-based statement
8. How this skill is examined and what separates a top response

8 sections · 12 key terms & formulas · 6 common mistakes