1. How to use a source successfully at GCSE By Mr RJ Huggins 2006

2. How Do You Answer a Source Based Question? Comment Content Context Judgement The Keys to Success = C 3 J or CCCJ

3. Comment  An initial reaction to the question?  Do you agree or disagree?  Let the examiner know that you have understood the question by echoing the question.  The message in the cartoon is ….

4. Content  What does the source tell you that will help you answer the question?  What facts can you get from the source?  What can you see in the cartoon, picture or diagram?  The source shows …  The source tells us …  From the source I can deduct ….

5. Context  Origin – When was it made and by whom?  Nature – What type of source is it?  Purpose – Who was the intended audience?  Knowledge – Does the information in the source agree with your knowledge of events?

6. Judgement  Does the source agree or disagree with the question?  Does the information in the source agree or disagree with the other sources?  What do you think?  Having weighed up the evidence …..  To conclude ….

7. Origin: Where Did the Source Come From?  What do you know about the person or organisation?  Was the source produced by someone who was there at the time, or was it produced later?  For example, eyewitnesses can easily get things wrong, but someone writing later has the opportunity to check the facts.

8. Nature: This Is the Form of the Source  Is it a letter, a speech, a diary, a book, a cartoon, a photograph or a newspaper article etc?  What difference does the form of evidence make?  For example, in which form of evidence are people most likely to write what they really believe?

9. Purpose: Why Was the Source Made?  Advertisements are usually intended to persuade people to buy something.  Speeches are usually made because the speaker wants people to do something.  Cartoons are usually intended to make fun of people.  Is the source one-sided or biased? If so, what would the ‘other side’ have said?  One-sided or biased sources help us to understand people’s views

10. Three Questions: Historical Sources NaturePurpose Origin

11. Useful Questions to Ask of a Source:  Who made the source and why?  When was the source made and did the person see the events at first hand?  Is the person who made the source biased?  Is the information reliable or correct when compared to your knowledge of events?  How useful is the source to an historian trying to find out about a particular topic?  What ideas, facts or concepts does the source not tell you about about the topic you are studying?

12. Useful Phrases for writing about a historical source  In source A, we can clearly see …… which agrees or disagrees with my knowledge.  This is backed up by source B because …  When comparing source A with source B, a historian can learn …. about ….  A historian has to be careful when using source A, because ….  Source B is useful for finding out about …. but does not give any facts / information on ….  Although this source is biased it is still useful for showing a historian …  Although this source is not reliable for finding out about …. it is still reliable for ….

13. Source Checklist  Date – When was it made.  Author – Where they there?  Material – Content of the source.  Motive – Is the author biased?  Intended audience – Personal or private  Type of source or tone – Diary, newspaper?