Enquiry Skills ‘The Mini Investigation Questions’

Aims: Identify the steps which you must take to answer an ES5 and ES6 question.

Introduction The job of the historian is to investigate the past. This involves collecting different types of evidence – primary and secondary and assessing their reliability. However the historian also has to select and organise the evidence that they find.

‘It’s a bit like a jigsaw How do you go about tackling a jigsaw puzzle? The historian has to select and organise the evidence in order to tell the full story.

‘The Mini Investigation’ In the Scotland Unit the ES questions are known as the ‘mini investigation’. You will be given an issue to investigate. You will be given relevant sources You will have three enquiry skills questions to answer. ES1How useful/valuable is a source? ES5Select, Record and Organise Information. ES6Presenting a Conclusion

In Source A John MacDonald from the island of Borerary, near North Uist, speaking in 1914 describes his family’s decision to emigrate. My father died in 1912 probably from a stomach ulcer….there was no doctor on the island. My mother realised there was no future for the family on Borerary. We could not support ourselves from the croft. So it was decided to join Uncle Dan in Canada. In British Columbia we met many other emigrants from Scotland….all of them spoke of the better living prospects that life in Canada offered them.

Source B describes other changes to Scotland’s population. Many people came to Scotland in search of jobs and a better standard of living. Poles came to work in Scotland’s coal mines at the turn of the century whilst many Italians came in search of a better life away from their poor farming areas in the north of Italy.

The issue for investigating is: Emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population in the early 20 th century.

2.What evidence is there in Source A to support the view that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population in the early 20 th century? What evidence is there in Source B that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population? (5 marks) 3.How far do you think emigration was the main reason for the changing population of Scotland in the early years of the 20 th century? Use evidence from the sources and your own knowledge to come to a conclusion (4 marks)

ES5: Selecting, Recording and Organising Information Select evidence from the SOURCES which agrees/disagrees with the question. Answer both parts of the question. Draw a table to record and organise your information.

ES5: Selecting, Recording and Organising Information Evidence that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population Evidence that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population

ES5: Selecting, Recording and Organising Information Evidence that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population Evidence that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population People left Scotland as there was no doctor where they lived. People came to Scotland for jobs and a better standard of living. People could not support themselves on a croft. Poles came to work in Scotland’s coalmines People went to Canada To join relatives. Italians came to find a better life.

Watch Out!!!! This is the easiest type of enquiry skills question BUT people often make careless mistakes that cost them marks. Make sure that each piece of evidence covers one clear point.

At Credit Level: You will be given three sources to study. The question will be worth 6 marks. The question will not tell you which sources to use. At General Level: You will be given two sources to study. The question will be worth 5 marks. The question will tell you which sources to use.

ES6: Presenting a Conclusion Use evidence from the sources Use information not in the source (RECALL). Come to a conclusion which shows both sides Write your answer in paragraphs.

ES6: Presenting a Conclusion Evidence that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population Evidence that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population

ES6: Presenting a Concluion Evidence that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population Evidence that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population People left Scotland as there was no doctor where they lived. People came to Scotland for jobs and a better standard of living. People could not support themselves on a croft. Poles came to work in Scotland’s coalmines People went to Canada To join relatives. Italians came to find a better life.

ES6: Presenting a Conclusion – Sample Answer There is evidence to support the view that emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population. People left Scotland because they could not make a living from crofting and there was no doctor where they lived (S). People also left Scotland because of the Highland Clearances when they were forced off their land (R).

ES6: Presenting a Conclusion – Sample Answer There is also evidence to support the view that emigration was not the main reason for Scotland’s changing population. People came to Scotland to find jobs and a better standard of living. Poles also came to work in coalmines (S). Many Irish people also came to Scotland during the potato famine of the 1840s (R). In conclusion, emigration was the main reason for Scotland’s changing population.

ES6 Question – 4 marks Any relevant evidence from Sources A and B AND Relevant recall:

At Credit Level: You will be asked for a balanced conclusion. The question will be worth 5 marks. At General Level: You will be asked for a conclusion – it does not have to be balanced (look at both sides). The question will be worth 4 marks. Warning!!! If you do not use the sources OR provide recall OR a balanced conclusion your answer will only achieve 2 marks.

Finally……………. ES5 Sources + Table ES6 Sources + Recall + Balance + Paragraph ___________________ ___________________