MOCKS – the debrief!

VITAL DOCUMENTREAD and LEARN!

… and the donkey award goes to… !

General points

• READ the front of the paper• Do Section C and Germany• Do NOT do Sections A and B – NEVER, NEVER!!• With source questions: take time to think about the

key purpose and message of sources• You can all do so much better if you work together

on revision as well as working alone• Use knowledge specific to the years mentioned in

questions and sources

A few more general points• Make sure you number the questions correctly• Never miss questions out• Learn the demands of each question so your responses

are really focussed and can be written to time• Reflect the words of the question back in your first

sentence• Effective revision stands out - if it doubt, flash specific

knowledge (esp IR&G)• Don’t be phased by hard questions – breathe and think

“how do I approach this?”

International Relations and Germany (A971/11)

How to squeeze out every mark!Be aware that the examiners sometimes use

similar wording. They also sometimes don’t use all the types. Q marks may vary.

This is a guide only!

There are different question types on the paper

• What is the message… SC/Ger with source• Why was this poster published… Ger with source• How useful is this source… Ger with source• Does this source prove… Ger with source• Are you surprised by this source…• Describe… or ‘What did…’ SC/Ger (comprehension)• Explain… SC/Ger (explanation)• How far/successful… SC/Ger (judgement)

What is the message…

• 7 marks• Full marks = you identify the main message of the

source and support it with details from the cartoon AND your contextual knowledge

Suggested phrases:“The main message of the cartoon is…”Then: make one point about it using details from

what you can see in the source AND make another point about it using contextual knowledge.

How similar are these two sources?

• 7 or 8 marks• Full marks: compares the perspectives of the sources

and the people who produced them by setting the sources in their historical context

Suggested phrases:“The sources are/are not very similar. Source X gives

the view/impression that… and the context to this is… Source Y gives the view/impression that… and this is similar/not similar to Source X because at the time…”

NB: not used in 2011 and 2012

Why was this poster published…

• 6 or 7 marks• Full marks = Use contextual knowledge to

explain the purpose of the poster at the time it was published

Suggested phrases:“The purpose for publishing this poster in (date)

was …” and flash specific contextual knowledge

Does this source prove…

• 6 or 7marks• Full marks: Argues yes or no by commenting

on details from the source using contextual knowledge. Provide a clear judgement.

Suggested phrases:“The source partly proves if used in context/does

not prove… The source shows… and the context to this is… Therefore…”

Are you surprised by this source?

• 6 or 7 marks• Full marks: Yes or no referring to the content of

the source and checking it against contextual knowledge.

Suggested phrases:“On the one hand I am surprised by this source

because I can see that… and I know that… On the other hand I am not surprised because I can see that… and I know that…”

NB: not used in 2011 and 2012

Describe… /‘What did…’

• 4 marks• Full marks = one mark for each relevant point

up to four• So don’t waste time doing five! • If you can only think of three, add a bit of

supporting extra detail to one

Explain…

• 6,7 or 8 marks• Full marks = Explain two reasons in detail• So, flash lots of specific knowledgeSuggested phrases:First sentence focussed upon the question. THEN“Firstly, … was … because … and as a result …Secondly, … was … because … and as a result …OR “One reason why … was because … and this meant… In

addition… because… and this meant… Final sentence: “Therefore overall …”

How far/successful…

• 10 marks• Full marks = Explains by agreeing and disagreeing and

with evaluation of ‘how far..’ ‘successful’ • Always check to see if there is a term to define e.g. what

is meant by success?• Flash lots of knowledge about the topicSuggested phrases:“In order to judge if … we need to define … I will define … as

… (OR I … agree with this statement)On the one hand … For example …On the other hand … For example …Therefore, I … agree with this statement because …”

British Depth Study (A972/22)

Lots of sources to be set in their historical context. You need to apply specific knowledge about Britain

and knowledge about how historians question sources. Keep calm and think!

Again, question types can and do vary so this is only a guide.

What is the message of this source/cartoon?• 6 or 7 marks• Full marks = Focus on the main message

supported by detail from the source AND the historical

Suggested phrases:“The main message of this source is … As the

source shows … The historical context to this is …”

Does Source X prove Source Y is wrong?

• 8 or 9 marks• Full marks: Argues yes or no using specific details

of the source and its provenance, knowledge of the context and other sources on the paper.

Suggested phrases - 1:“Source X does/does not prove because… Compared

with Source Y, which is supported by Source Z, it… and I know from my own knowledge that…”

Does Source X prove that Source Y is wrong?

Suggested phrases - 2:“SX … prove(s) that SY is wrong. Firstly, SX …

(evaluate using tone/language/purpose/typicality/cross-referencing/knowledge – cover 2 or 3 and always knowledge)

Secondly, SY … (same as above). Therefore…”

Why was this photo taken/poster produced?

• 7 marks• Full marks = A valid main purpose supported by

source detail AND/OR historical context AND/OR cross referencing with other sources (need 2 of these 3)

Suggested phrases:“This photo was taken because as the source shows…

The historical context to this photo being taken is… (or) As SX explains, this photo was taken because…”

Why are the attitudes in these sources different…?

• 8 marks• Full marks: use the purpose of both the

sources to explain WHY the attitudes are different

Suggested phrases:“The attitudes are different because the people

who produced them have different purposes. While A is…. B is… and therefore…”

How useful is this source…

• 6 or 7 or 8 marks• Full marks = Answers using contextual knowledge

to explain usefulness AND info about purpose and perspective

• NB: it’s not a question about reliability!Suggested phrases:“The source is … useful for … For example, it

shows… and at the time…. In addition, although its perspective is … this in itself makes it useful, because… So, overall …”

Does Source F make you surprised by Source G?

• 8 marks• Full marks: explains yes or no using specific contextual

knowledge and/or cross-referencing with other sources

• NB: it should be obvious using your contextual knowledge whether to be surprised or not

Suggested phrases:“Sources F does (not) make me surprised about Source G

because the … in SF were … , while in SG … The context of the time was… Therefore, …”

Are you surprised by this source?• 7 marks• Full marks = Provides both sides of the argument (i.e. why

surprised and not surprised) with detail from the source and evaluation of the source (e.g. through purpose, cross reference or contextual knowledge)

• NB: setting the source in a knowledge context is the best key to this one

Suggested phrasing:“On the one hand I am surprised because as the source shows …

which, considering the context (or other sources, or purpose). On the other hand it is not surprising that this source… because the context (or other sources, or purpose). Overall…”

NB: not used in 2011 and 2012

Do you believe what Source Z tells you about…?

• 9 marks• Full marks = Argues yes or no by contrasting content of

sources and evaluating them both using tone/language/purpose/typicality/cross reference/knowledge (use a range of these)

Suggested phrasing:“I … believe what SZ tells me about… because SZ does/does

not agree with my knowledge, for example… OR with all the other sources OR The purpose/tone of SZ is… so… .Whereas/Also, SY… (same formula and use a different one of the three). Therefore…”

NB: not used in 2012

How far do the sources in this paper support this statement?

• 12 marks• Full marks = Balanced answer with specified detailed support from

the sources which considers ‘how far?’ This could be by evaluation of tone/language/purpose OR cross reference OR knowledge

• NB: you do not have to use all the sources but you do have to refer to them by letter and use most of them

• You really have to synthesise all your thinking here! Suggested phrasing:“The sources support this statement to … extent … Sources … do

support it. For example, … Although because this source is … its support is less valid. However/In addition …. Sources … do not support the statement. For example… Although because this source is … its support is less valid. The context to this is… Therefore, overall…”