IGCSE History Paper 2

This blog is intended to help distance learners and home-schooling students in acquiring the necessary skills for answering examination questions in IGCSE History (Paper 1: 20th Century History), Paper 2 (Depth Study A: Germany, 1918-45) and Paper 4) and AS Level History (Paper 1: Modern European History 1789-1939). I do, by no means, claim that the information is originally written by me, or the end result of my own arduous study and brilliant mind! It is a compilation of applicable articles found on the internet, as well as in text books. I will, therefore, try my utmost to acknowledge these sources accordingly.

IGCSE HISTORY

MORE VALUABLE TIPS ON "HOW TO TACKLE PAPER 2"

 

http://igcsehistory2009-11.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-tips-on-how-to-tackle-paper-2.html

©       Paper 2 is essentially designed to test the candidate’s ability to interpret, extrapolate from, evaluate and use historical sources.

 

©     This is an intense paper and each question in the Question Paper targets at least one of the skills mentioned. Individual questions will focus on particular sources, but candidates are encouraged to use any of the sources if it can be used to answer the question. 

©      This paper is essentially designed to test source skills, but contextual knowledge is also required. Contextual knowledge must be used only to comment on the sources under question.

Interpreting sources:

·        Students must analyze the given sources carefully and work out what each source says – this would require one to go further than understanding just the surface meaning of the source.

·        The message of each source must be worked out.

·        Students must use the details in the source and their contextual knowledge to work out valid interpretations of the source.

·         When the interpretation is written they must explain how they have reached it by directly referring to details in the source and to contextual knowledge.

·        The examiner needs to know what led the student to that interpretation.

·         Interpretations that are informed and supported by contextual knowledge will always be better rewarded.

Extrapolating from the sources:

• Students must use the sources to reach a conclusion that goes beyond what the sources actually tell you.
• Students must work out: the purpose, the author, the audience or the impact of the sources.
• Contextual knowledge must be used in their response to support the answer.

Evaluating sources:

Students could be asked to evaluate sources for (i) usefulness (ii) reliability.

For (i) USEFULNESS:

o    It is important that students do not dismiss as useless, sources that are biased.

o    Historical sources are biased one way or the other but they still can be useful as they provide evidence of the attitudes of the person or group that produced that source.

For (ii) RELIABILITY:

o    It is important that students interpret the source and consider who has produced the source and the purpose of that source.     

o    They should then either check the claims made in the source against their knowledge, and /or use their knowledge to consider the possible purpose of the source and how far this makes the reliability of the source questionable.

o    A third way of evaluating sources consists of comparing what the sources say to what other sources in the paper say. Do they support or disagree with the sources under question? This approach usually gains fewer marks than the first two strategies.

General advice here would be:

1. give your interpretation of the source,
2. explain what you know about the person who produced the source,
3. explain why you think they might have a particular purpose in producing the source,
4. explain why this makes the source questionable.

Using sources:

Very important points on how to tackle the last question:

•  The final question on the question paper always asks the student to consider how far the sources support a statement about the events.
• Students should first check back through the sources and make a rough list of the ones that support the statement and the ones which do not support/disagree.
• Most of the sources will fall in the category of agree/disagree.
• Only a couple will not fall in this category and should be put under the column neutral.
• Most of the sources, but it is not absolutely necessary that all sources must be used.
• Students should then take the first list and then clearly explain how each source in that group supports the statement. They must make clear which source they are writing about at any particular time (by referring to the source letter).
• They should then do the same with the second group of sources.
• Earlier in the paper they would have already have made judgments about the reliability of the sources. These can be used again here as extra marks are given for any evaluation of the sources.
• Students must not refer back to the earlier answers; they must do the evaluation all over again.
• They must decide, for example, that a source cannot be used to support the statement, because it is not reliable.

Hope the points will help you to tackle Paper 2. Keep a cool head and meet the challenge head on!

"Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen."

Quote by Winston Churchill 

IGCSE History Paper 2 October/November 2014 Exam Session

 I hope all of you are aware of the 20th century: International Relations since 1919, Option B Paper 2 source-based question for the October/November 2014 exam session. It is

Topic 3: Why had international peace collapse by 1939? 

Other tips on IGCSE History skills for Paper 2

Other tips on IGCSE History skills for Paper 2:

20th century core

For the May/June 2013 examination the selected topic for Paper 2 is Topic 1: Were the Peace Treaties of 1919–23 fair?

For the October/November 2013 examination the selected topic for Paper 2 is is Topic 5: How effectively did the USA contain the spread of Communism?

• First read the question(s)
• Then read ALL sources
• Use info from source, but also background knowledge. Answers should focus on the sources supported by knowledge of the bigger picture.
• Always support an answer with examples and explanations.
• Avoid too much knowledge. IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SOURCES AND WHAT THEY MEAN! The examiner is looking for evidence of the use of sources supported by contextual knowledge. Be concise and relevant.
• There are no “right” answers – only well-supported opinions!!!
• However, DO NOT rewrite the source! The examiner is very familiar with it and expects you to interpret it or to use it in order to answer the specific question regarding the source.
• Take the questions in order – using the sources as directed.
• Allow twice as many minutes for each question as there are marks for that question, i.e. allow at least 16 minutes for an 8 mark answer.
• Focus on what is being asked (or suggested).
• Always refer to the ‘source’ of the source, e.g. “A cartoon from a German newspaper of September 1939”, or  “A speech made in Parliament by Winston Churchill”. Refer to bias, propaganda, self interest, etc. This is called the provenance of the source. ALSO mention the relevance of the provenance to the meaning/message/intention of the source.
• Repeat info if necessary: if information is relevant to two questions write it down twice.
• Other sources on the Paper, not mentioned in the question, can be used if they contribute to a better answer.
•  Refer to sources by stating “According to Source C …” or “From Source A it is clear that …”or “Source B mentions…”. Never write an answer to a question without mentioning the source/s that is/are being referred to.
• The last question involves all the sources: take them one by one and formulate an all-inclusive answer to the specific question. The sources used will support two different viewpoints or ‘sit on the fence’. Ensure that the different viewpoints are explained and show how they are supported by the sources. The conclusion reached should be based on the evidence given. This should come at the end.
•  A simple chart might help:

Sources SUPPORTING	Sources AGAINST	Sources that DO NEITHER
A	E	C
D	B	F
		G

1. You can also use high lighters or symbols to indicate the three groups.
2. Try finding other cartoons from the relevant time on the Internet; interpret them and make sure you know who the main role players are, places, circumstances events preceding that event, what the specific references are.
3. For example, source A and source D agree on the fact that ….  You may quote short parts to substantiate the point  Or:  Both source B and source E prove the opposite, (explain what you mean) while sources C, F and G do not support the view that …
4. REMEMBER: you are asked to answer ONE main question. Make sure you keep this question in mind while working through the sources. The sources are to be USED as tools to answer that specific question.
5. AND FINALLY, THE DRAGON:     THE LAST QUESTION

This is the only question that does not change, so it’s the one you can prepare for best of all. The good news is, it’s also worth the most marks! Typically, you will be given a statement and asked to make a comment about it. For example, How far do these sources show that Britain and France were to blame for the Anschluss? Explain your answer:

• Firstly, work out which sources support the statement and which ones don’t AND which sources do neither.
• Secondly, plan to write a balanced answer which clearly addresses both sides of the question.
• Next, simply evaluate the sources and back up your opinions using contextual knowledge.
• Finally, remember to answer the question at the end! In this case, for example, you could say that Britain and France were not to blame, partly to blame, mostly to blame, or totally to blame for the Anschluss, e.g.

Sources which support the statement	Sources which don’t support the statement	Sources that do neither
G, H, I, J	A, C, D, E, F	B

*  The basic rule for this question is that you must always make specific reference to the sources in your answer. That means saying things like ‘Source A supports the statement because …’ and ‘I can trust Source B because …’ Use your contextual knowledge to back up your opinions about the sources and also to fill in the gaps in the story: e.g.:
The sources don’t mention that Britain and France led the League of Nations, which in turn was responsible for upholding the terms of the Treaty of Versailles – and which had forbidden the Anschluss in the first place! 

*Top tip - There are two bonus marks available in this last question for assessing or reassessing the RELIABILITY of some of the sources you are considering! Every year more students lose marks on this part of the paper than any other.

Cartoons

•  Key role players
• Who says what to whom?
•  Why?
• When? Exact date is important – specific circumstances
•  Facial expression / body language / emotion
•  Metaphor / images / puns / figures of speech
• Propaganda
• Other questions