1. Evaluate the Usefulness of a Single Source National 5

2. A source is a written report or a photo or picture of an event which has made such an impression on the writer that he felt that he had to record it. To evaluate the usefulness of the source you need to decide how much you trust source, how much information it gives you and what it leaves out.

3. There are three elements in how useful questions. 1.Can you trust the source? (Origin and Purpose) 2. Does the source help you understand what happened in the event? (Content) 2. If this was the only source you had, would it tell you the whole story? (Omissions)

4. Before you even read the source you need to know if you can trust it. Origin There are three things which will help you make this decision. 1.Who wrote the source. Do they know what they are talking about and are they involved in the event being discussed.

5. Origin When was the source written. Is it a primary source or a secondary source. If it is primary it should give good details about the source but the writer may be emotionally involved or biased. If it is secondary you may lose this bias but you might gain detachment and a historians broader view.

6. Purpose The reason the writer wrote the source. They might have views on only one side. There might be pressures on the writer to put a particular point of view. He might be under oath to give exact facts or he may be trying to persuade you to his point of view. If you are studying World War One a source written by a soldier will be different from that of a civilian.

7. Content Once you have decided that you can trust the source, you need to say whether the source helps you understand the topic. Does it give good details about what the writer was thinking about the event being discussed.

8. Omissions The final stage is to decide how useful it is. You know it tells you something about the event but if this was the only source you had would it give you the whole story.

9. To sum up the way to answer these questions is TrustworthyWho wrote it? When was it written? Why was it written? UsefulnessWhat information does it give? OmissionsIf it was the only source we had what does it not tell us?

10. The question will always start Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of ………….. You will be given prompts to help you. Under the question you will see (You my want to comment on who wrote it, when they wrote it, why they wrote it, what they say or what has been missed out.)

11. Evaluate questions can be worth up to 6 marks. Marks can be awarded as follows:- A maximum of 4 marks for evaluative comments about the author, timing and purpose which show how it makes the source more or less useful. A maximum of 2 marks for comments about the content of the source showing how it makes the source more or less useful. A maximum of 2 marks for any omissions which make the source less useful.

12. Who When Why What Omissions Who wrote the source.Are they in a position to know what they are talking about Evaluate the usefulness means can you trust the source. Find reasons under the following headings and in that order. You will get the first two without even looking at the source Is the source written close to the event it is about or is it a secondary source with the benefit of hindsight Why was the source written. Was it to give information or was it to persuade people to a point of view What detail does the source give about the event. Is it unusual or typical of other examples from your own knowledge Does the source miss out any factors which may make less useful.

13. Source A is from the memiors of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. WhoWhenWhyWhatOmissions Evaluate the usefulness of Source A as evidence of conditions in trenches for soldiers during the First World War. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions. The other problem was the disposal of the many dead lying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death.

14. Source A is from the memoirs of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions. The other problem was the disposal of the many dead lying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death. WhoWhenWhyWhatOmissions The source is written by Lt George Craik who was an eye witness but was an officer with a different view than the ordinary soldiers.

15. Source A is from the memoirs of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions. The other problem was the disposal of the many dead lying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death. WhoWhenWhyWhatOmissions The source is written about 1915 when the war had reached stalemate and trench warfare was in operation. However they are personal memoirs written well after the event which could make them less useful.

16. Source A is from the memoirs of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions. The other problem was the disposal of the many dead lying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death. Who When WhyWhatOmissions The purpose is to explain the problems faced by Officers at Loos. However, the Officer may have exaggerated the problems which makes the source less useful.

17. Source A is from the memoors of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions. The other problem was the disposal of the many dead lying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death. WhoWhenWhyWhatOmissions The source talks about the trenches being in not too bad condition which is useful as it is not exaggerated. It tells of commanders difficulties in organising supplies and living conditions which is useful as it describes a typical officers situation. Finally it says that it is “instant death” to go into no man’s land which is less useful as it is exaggerated.

18. Source A is from the memoirs of Lieutenant George Craik, who fought with the 12 th Battalion Highland Light Infantry in 1915. When we arrived at Loos the trenches were in not too bad a state. The problems for commanders wee organising supplies and suitable living conditions.The other problem was the disposal of the many deadlying all about. This could only be done under cover of darkness. To venture into no man’s land in daylight was instant death.. WhoWhenWhyWhatOmissions The source does not mention that sometimes the trenches were wet and muddy which could cause Trench Foot and other diseases. It does not mention the tinned food used as rations, the chlorinated water or the dangers from snipers or artillery shells. These omissions make the source less useful.

19. To gain full marks take each element of Who wrote it, When it was written, Why it was written, What it says, and What it misses out. Write your comments about these and make sure you state how each element makes the source more or less useful.