SECTION 1 – DOCUMENT-BASED QUESTION
Higher and Ordinary Level document-based questions (100)
You will be questioned on one of the following three case studies:
1. The Programme for Economic Expansion, 1958 - 1963 2. The Impact of the EEC on Irish Fisheries
3. The Impact of RTE, 1962 – 1972
• You must answer four questions on the documents.
• Only one case study will appear on the paper, so you don’t have any choice.
Question 1 - Comprehension (HL 20 marks. OL 40 marks)
• This question is designed to show you understand the document.
• There are generally four short questions – (5 marks each for HL).
• Your answers should be taken from the document.
• Do not add any extra information.
• A one or two sentence answer is generally enough.
• Don’t waste time repeating the question as part of your answer, simply give enough information to answer the question asked.
Question 2 - Comparison (20 marks)
• Comparison questions are in two parts, A and B.
• You are required to note similarities and differences in two or more documents.
• You must refer to both documents – if you only refer to one, you can only get a maximum of 5 marks per question.
• Give as much detail as possible to maximise your marks.
• Support your answers by quoting from the texts.
Question 3 – Criticism (20 marks)
• Criticism questions generally require you to identify bias, propaganda, reliability, usefulness of documents, strengths and weaknesses, etc.
• Write a paragraph making relevant points for each part of the question.
•Makeas many points as you can to gain maximum marks.
• Support your answer by reference to the texts.
• Check whether you are being asked about the specific document you have been given or about documents, cartoons, speeches or articles in general and answer
accordingly.
Question 4 – Contextualisation (mini essay) HL 40 marks. OL 20 marks)
• This tests your overall knowledge of the episode being examined.
• Try to write two A4 pages for HL, one page OL ,givingas much relevant detail as possible.
• Link your paragraphs to the questions asked. • Don’t get carried away and spend too much time on
this question as it is worth 40 marks only (for HL) in comparison to 100 for the longer essays. ÷ SOURCES Sources are divided into two categories – Primary and secondary. Primary
• A primary source comes from the time being studied.
• It was created by someone involved in the specific event.
• It can be written either at the time or at a later date.
• Primary sources provide direct evidence of the past. Secondary
• A secondary source is based on other sources.
• Secondary sources provide indirect evidence of the past.
Be aware that both primary and secondary sources are extremely useful to historians. Just because a source is primary that does not make it more useful, more reliable or necessarily better than a secondary source.
Terms you should understand for document-based questions
1. Propaganda – spreading information to convince people of a particular point of view. What to look for:
• Use of persuasive, emotive language, rhetoric and powerful imagery.
• Information that is biased and exaggerated.
• Reference to God, Caesar, etc.
• Propagandists only give the other point of view in a negative light, if at all, and often leave out or omit important information.
• They are often unbalanced in reporting, can be selective, use misinformation, make misleading claims, etc.
2. Effectiveness of documents.
Look at how the source is written/drawn – which one is more likely to grab attention/provoke reaction?
Features of an effective document:
• Use of heightened, colourful language/rhetoric.
• Use of repetition, similes/metaphors.
• Author often evokes God etc.
• Selective use of information.
• Passionate delivery – charismatic speaker.
• Use of personal pronouns – ‘I’, ‘we’ – draws reader in.
Less effective documents
➤ Long tracts of text – can be difficult to understand
➤ Use of academic, complicated language puts the reader off. ➤ May have to read more than once to get the point. ➤ Takes more time to read.
➤ Less effective to a general audience.
3. Reliability of sources
1. Reliability depends on what you’re trying to find out. 2. Always check what type of source it is. What can this tell you
about its reliability?
3. Check to see who wrote it? When? Why?
4. If it is an edited extract, it is unreliable, at least to a certain
extent, as we don’t know what has been left out.
5. Would it have been in the author’s interest to lie?
6. Was it written in retrospect? Could the author’s memory be faulty – could he/she change facts to enhance his/her own role or make others look bad?
7. Is it biased?
8. Keep in mind that even unreliable sources are valuable to
historians; they can still give very useful information. 4. Bias (Note: there is no such word as biast!) When looking for bias, ask yourself: 1. Is the author objective – can he/she be?
2. If it is a newspaper report – do you know anything about its views, e.g. Freeman’s Journal – nationalist paper – how can this help to interpret reports/cartoons etc.?
3. Is the information exaggerated?
4. Whose point of view is represented?
5. Is the writer giving balanced information and equal space to
both points of view?
6. Does it appear that the writer is being selective?