This is a source-based paper. You need to extract information from the sources given, identifying inferences too. I have added times as guides to complete your answers – 60 minutes=24 marks=2.5 minutes per mark.
Subject Report: After every examination, the IB conducts a review of the strengths and weaknesses. They make recommendations to teachers and future students on how to improve the quality of their answers.
1a (3 marks = 7.5 minutes)
- Make three points and support with evidence. Possibly infer from the source too. Advice is to use firstly, secondly and thirdly.
- Subject Report: some answers include points that paraphrase an earlier point.
1b (2 marks = 5 minutes)
- Make two different points and support with evidence from the source.
2 (4 marks = 10 minutes)
- How does the origin, purpose and limitation of the source affect the value a historian puts on to it? How useful is it? You can use contextual knowledge here.
- Subject Report: ensure you use the words ‘value’ and ‘limitations’. Answers which have low scores are those which only discuss the origins and purposes with regard to the reliability of the sources. You must develop the link between these and the ‘value’ and ‘limitation’.
3 (6 marks = 15 minutes)
- Compare and contrast two sources. What is similar and what is different? Aim to identify TWO similarities and differences. Use words such as whilst, however, whereas, similarly, yet et cetera. Quote the source but only briefly.
- Subject Report: Be explicit with the words ‘similarity’ and ‘difference’.
4 (9 marks = 22.5 minutes)
- This is a mini-essay. This is where you include both your knowledge and analysis of sources. Use all the sources, referring to them as ‘Source B says/ explains’ that…Also, make sure your essay reaches a conclusion which answers the question.
- Subject Report: Timing is the biggest obstacle to achieving high scores for this question.