Unit 2 AO3 - Interpretations From OCR Guidance booklet: “The key to high-scoring answers will be recognition that the past has been debated about, that different views are held over particular issues, and the application of knowledge through which candidates can present the strengths and limitations of a given interpretation.”

What is an interpretation? From OCR Guidance booklet: “The interpretations selected will always be deliberate constructs by historians, produced much later than the historical event.” DO NOT EVALUATE THE PASSAGES FOR PROVENANCE Provenance is not an issue. Historiography is not an issue (though the views of other historians might be use, this is not necessary, and discussion of ‘Marxist schools’ or shortcomings of the ‘revisionist school’ on a topic won’t help.

Level 6 A 26 - 30 The answer has a very good focus on the question throughout. It has thorough and sustained evaluation of the interpretations, using detailed and accurate knowledge of the historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue, in order to produce a convincing and supported analysis of them in relation to the question.

Level 6 A 26 - 30 The answer has a very good focus on the question throughout. It has thorough and sustained evaluation of the interpretations, using detailed and accurate knowledge of the historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue, in order to produce a convincing and supported analysis of them in relation to the question. Level 5 B 21 - 25 The answer has a good focus on the question throughout. It has good evaluation of the interpretations, using relevant knowledge of the historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue, in order to produce a supported analysis of them in relation to the question. Level 4 C 16 – 20 The answer is mostly focused on the question. It has evaluation of the interpretations based on generally relevant knowledge of the historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue, in order to produce an analysis of them in relation to the question. Level 3 D 11 – 15 The answer is partially focused on the question. It has partial evaluation of the interpretations based on some knowledge of the historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue. There may be some use of information from one of the two interpretations to support the evaluation of the other, but the evaluation will not rely on this. There is a limited analysis of the interpretations in relation to the question. Level 2 E 6 – 10 The answer has a limited focus on the question. Parts of the answer are just description of the interpretations, with evaluation in relation to historical context and the wider historical debate around the issue being weak, and evaluation relying heavily on information drawn from the other interpretation. There is a very limited analysis of the interpretations in relation to the question. Level 1 N - U 0 – 5 The answer has some relevance to the topic, but not the specific question. The answer consists mostly of description of the interpretations with very limited evaluation based on very generalised knowledge of historical context and minimal or no reference to the wider historical debate. Analysis of the interpretations in relation to the question is either in the form of assertion or lacking.

Analysing interpretations Read the two passages twice. Identify the different interpretations. Colour code the two views and the evidence deployed. Assess strengths & weaknesses of each using your own knowledge. Decide which is most convincing. Lead with the view that you agree with least.

From OCR Exemplar material – Tudor Rebellions This first answer would be awarded full marks and it is possible to envisage an answer of slightly less quality also gaining full marks. It evaluates both passages very fully, applying detailed own knowledge to judge the validity of the views in the two passages and reaches a clear and developed judgement. However, it should be noted that the detail in the answer is no more than that found in a chapter on the Pilgrimage of Grace in a standard book used for teaching Tudor Rebellions.

Structure Introduction Explain the views in the passages and tie these directly to the key terms in the question One to two paragraphs analysing the weakest interpretation. View – Quote – Develop One to two paragraphs analysing the stronger interpretation. View – Quote - Develop Sustained conclusion Which view best supported ?

Chief examiner feedback Better answers fully analysed both interpretations using their own knowledge to test the arguments of the passages. Better answers contrast the messages of the passages in their introduction, and had a sustained conclusion. The evaluation passages had nuance and sophisticated language. Weaker students either paraphrased (described) the passages or used the sources as garnish to a general discussion of the topic. It is easy to be over dependent on omission. This should not really be the central plank of an argument, but obviously may be more important with some passages rather than others. A trap that some fell into in with those questions that struck a vein of a historiographical debate was to analyse the debate rather than the passages. It might seem counter-intuitive, but perhaps a question on Khrushchev might produce stronger answers than one on the Tsar Liberator.

Chief examiner feedback - continued Do not over obsess with the quality of the historical debate of the topic. This is not a historiographical paper. Hence, whilst the debate is clear on Alexander II and the fall of the Provisional Government, obviously it is weaker on Khrushchev. The key point is that the two passages will have a (sharp) distinction to engage with. Interpretations should be viewed “as they are presented”. They should be viewed in isolation. Students must be confident as they analyse the passages, and especially when they must conclude which passage is stronger and why. They should try to consider the relative worth of the different strands of the passage’s arguments. The use of knowledge is central – but it must not be dumped. Students need to know to A level (not undergraduate) standard.