Answer Structures
IGCSE History: Paper 1 (Core) Answer Structures How to answer part (a) of a question [5 mars! This question is purely knowledge-based; no analysis is at all required. In this question, you get 1 mark for each fact you have written. The facts should be presented in very brief statements. ou ou are wasting your own time if you decide to turn this simple answer into an essay. It should take up no more than !-" lines. #or developing one point, you may be awarded an additional mark for that point. $owever, $owever, the e%aminers are very stingy about awarding the development mark, so don&t rely on it. 've facts, 've marks. (eep it that way. way. 1 mark per point, total ) points needed. How to answer part (") of a question [# mars! This question tests both knowledge and understanding. ou ou are awarded 1 mark for e%plaining a relevant point and an additional mark for e%plaining and analysing that point fully, fully, which means that potentially potentially you can gain * marks per per point. That means that a minimum of ! fully e%plained points will get you full marks. If you have not properly e%plained a point, you won&t get the mark for it. +nce again, don&t waste your time by turning a simple answer into an essay. et, et, giving each point its own paragraph paragraph will help the e%aminer e%aminer keep track of your points and and appreciate their value the way you want them to. 1 mark per e%plained point * marks per fully e%plained point. o the math. How to answer part (c) of a question [$ mars! There is no need for an introduction paragraph. $owever, $owever, you need to have h ave a clear structure in this answer so that the e%aminer can keep track of your points. In this answer, you /T show both sides of the topic. ou ou must show both why you 0233 with the question and why why you I/0233 with the question. Ideally Ideally,, the best candidates will provide three points in agreement with the topic and three points in disagreement with the topic. ou ou then /T give a conclusion, which involves4 5i6 7hich one point is the most important and why 5ii6 7hy you agree or disagree with the topic in the question. +nce again, don&t waste your time by turning a simple answer into in to an essay. et, et, giving each point its own paragraph will help the e%aminer keep track of your points and appreciate their value the way you want them to. 8888888888888888888888888 8888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888888888888888888888888 8888888888888888888888 888888888 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% IGCSE History: Paper & (Source'"ase paper) Paper Structure
In tis paper* te caniate is pro+ie wit aroun ten sources* wic inc,ue pictures an e-tracts. A set of questions fo,,ow* asin/ you to comment on particu,ar sources an compare sources wit one anoter. 0ere is one question at te en tat ass you to entertain an o+era,, issue usin/ a,, te sources pro+ie on tat paper. i,e answerin/ te parts ,eain/ up to te main question* some ey princip,es sou, "e ept in min: Don’t Summarize/ Explain/ Describe 4 The e%aminers know very well what every source is saying9 looks like, so your :ob becomes not to e%plain the source but answer the question relevantly. Show Both Sides of the Argument 4 3very question will entail evaluating sources in particular directions. 0s a historian, you are e%pected to show why the source is and is not very reliable, and why two sources agree and disagree, etc. It is likely that you will not gain marks in the higher bands of the marking scheme if you fail to show both sides. Find the Spirit 4 The marking schemes favour the candidates that can give a beyond-the-obvious e%planation. Think, what is the central message of this source<. If you can manage to hack that, the e%aminer will know that you are no doubt a solid candidate. 3ven when comparing two or three sources, remember to compare the main or big message< 'rst, and then later you may compare the smaller, subsidiary messages. Loo at !ro"enance4 In the vast ma:ority of questions, you should also use the provenance of the source in the answer. The provenance is written bellow the source in italics, and describes the origin of the source. #or e%ample, a source written in ermany could potentially have a bias toward ermany. 0 history book e%tract is likely to be ob:ective. 3%tracts from speeches may contain false information that politicians use to misguide the crowds, etc. #ross $eference% /upport every point of analysis you make with a relevant fact or two from your memory, or a reference to a quote from another source. This an important step in reaching the top band of the marking scheme. 0void going into lengthy descriptions using your own knowledge, I&ll say it again, :ust a quick fact or two< to give your point the ma%imum band of achievement.
In certain questions* you may "e require to su//est wy a particu,ar source was pu",ise or wat te 2purpose3 of a source is. In tis* te +ast ma4ority of past marin/ scemes a+e su//este te inc,usion of tree main items in te answer: 1. y i te autor pu",is tis Here* you nee to analyse the context of time and place of te autor an use tat to euce te reason for tat pu",ication. &. at is te spirit or big message of te pu",ication Here* you euce te centra, iea te artist or autor is tryin/ to con+ey to you. E-p,ain tis messa/e c,ear,y an fu,,y* wi,e a+oiin/ e-tensi+e answers.
6. at is te desired eect on the audience 7y auience* one cou, mean te pu",ic* te meia or po,iticians etc. at oes te autor want tem to o How oes te cartoonist want tem to fee, 8ecent,y* some more interestin/ questions aim to put you in te soes of oters. 9or e-amp,e* a recent question once p,ace te caniates in te soes of oorow i,son* requirin/ you to write ow e wou, react to a particu,ar source. Here* you /et to "ecome "ias* an are not require to sow "ot sies of te ar/ument. se te fo,,owin/ steps to answer tis; (i) Ana,yse oorow i,son3s +iews usin/ your own now,e/e. (
