I85PREP
⌘ K
IB History SL study materials
IB History SL study resources

IB History SL practice questions

One question at a time. Build your IB History SL understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In Paper 1 source analysis, which term describes the value a source has because of when and where it was produced?

  1. Bias
  2. Provenance Correct answer.
  3. Corroboration
  4. Inference

Explanation

Provenance refers to the origin of a source: its author, date, place and circumstances of production. Candidates assess provenance because it shapes what a source can reliably reveal. The other terms describe different analytical operations in Paper 1.

Question 2Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A Paper 1 question asks 'What is the message of this source?' Which response best fits that command term?

  1. A summary of the source's date and publisher
  2. A list of the people shown in the source
  3. A statement of the main idea the author wants the audience to accept Correct answer.
  4. A description of every detail the cartoon contains

Explanation

'Message' asks for the central argument or viewpoint the author is communicating, usually expressed as a short claim. Detail-listing or provenance description does not answer the command term. A strong message statement captures the author's intended meaning, not just content.

Question 3Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which feature most clearly marks a source as primary rather than secondary for a study of the 1919 Treaty of Versailles?

  1. It summarises several interpretations of the treaty
  2. It was produced by a participant during the negotiations in 1919 Correct answer.
  3. It appears in a university textbook on twentieth-century Europe
  4. It was written by a historian in 2010 using archival records

Explanation

A primary source is produced at the time by someone involved in the events, so a participant's 1919 document qualifies. Later works using archives or summarising interpretations are secondary because they interpret events after the fact. The date and involvement of the author are the decisive criteria.

Question 4Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In source evaluation, what does 'utility' mean when a Paper 1 question asks how useful a source is?

  1. Whether the source is entertaining to read
  2. How long the source is
  3. Whether the author wrote in a neutral tone
  4. How far the source can help answer a specific enquiry Correct answer.

Explanation

Utility is always relative to a particular question: a source is useful insofar as its content and provenance help answer that enquiry. Tone or length alone do not determine usefulness. The key is linking what the source offers to what the historian wants to know.

Question 5Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A cartoon published in a British newspaper in 1938 mocks Neville Chamberlain's policy at Munich. Which point about provenance is most relevant to judging its value?

  1. The cartoon's caption is short
  2. The cartoon depicts two figures
  3. The newspaper's national and political standpoint in 1938 Correct answer.
  4. The cartoon uses shading and labels

Explanation

Provenance analysis asks who produced the source, where, when and for what audience. A national newspaper's political alignment shapes how it framed Munich and therefore what the cartoon can reveal. Visual style, caption length and number of figures are content features, not provenance.

Question 6Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which comparison best demonstrates corroboration between two Paper 1 sources?

  1. Showing that two sources independently agree that troops mutinied in 1917 Correct answer.
  2. Noting that both sources were published in the same year
  3. Observing that both sources contain photographs
  4. Explaining that one source is longer than the other

Explanation

Corroboration means using a second source to confirm or challenge a claim, especially when the sources are independent. Agreement on a specific fact by two independent sources strengthens confidence. Shared publication date or physical features do not by themselves corroborate content.

Question 7Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A source is an official government report on casualties published during wartime. Which limitation should a candidate identify when assessing its reliability?

  1. Official documents cannot be primary sources
  2. Official reports are always written by unqualified authors
  3. Government reports never contain statistics
  4. Wartime censorship and morale concerns may lead to selective figures Correct answer.

Explanation

Wartime governments have incentives to manage public morale, so casualty figures may be delayed, minimised or selected. Reliability assessment focuses on purpose and audience rather than blanket claims about authors. The report remains a primary source but requires cautious use.

Question 8Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which phrase best expresses an inference rather than a description when analysing a source?

  1. The source suggests that the author feared public opposition to conscription Correct answer.
  2. The source shows three soldiers standing in a trench
  3. The source contains the word 'duty' twice
  4. The source was published in July 1917

Explanation

An inference goes beyond what is literally present to a conclusion drawn from evidence, here about the author's fear. Describing figures, dates or word counts stays at the level of content. Paper 1 rewards supported inference linked to evidence.

Question 9Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate writes: 'This source is unreliable because it is a cartoon.' What is the main weakness of this judgement?

  1. It relies on the genre alone rather than analysing purpose, audience and content Correct answer.
  2. It identifies the source's date incorrectly
  3. It uses the word 'unreliable' instead of 'biased'
  4. It cites too much evidence from the source

Explanation

Dismissing a source because of its genre ignores that cartoons can be valuable evidence of attitudes and propaganda. Reliability must be judged from purpose, audience, context and specific content claims. The judgement is too general and unsupported.

Question 10Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which question would best test the 'purpose' of a propaganda poster from the First World War?

  1. What colours are used in the poster?
  2. When was the poster printed?
  3. Why was this poster produced and who was meant to see it? Correct answer.
  4. How many words appear in the poster?

Explanation

Purpose concerns the aim behind producing a source and the audience it targets, which is what a purpose question must probe. Colour, date and word count are content or provenance details that do not by themselves explain intent. Linking aim and audience is central to Paper 1 purpose analysis.

Question 11Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Two sources describe the same 1919 riot but disagree on the number of deaths. What is the most appropriate Paper 1 approach?

  1. Average the two figures to reach the truth
  2. Accept the higher figure because it is more dramatic
  3. Reject both sources as useless
  4. Investigate each source's origin and purpose to explain the discrepancy Correct answer.

Explanation

When sources conflict, the historian examines provenance, purpose and audience to explain why accounts differ. This turns disagreement into evidence about perspective and context. Simply choosing, averaging or discarding sources avoids the analytical work Paper 1 requires.

Question 12Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A memoir written decades after the events it describes is used as a source. Which point should a candidate raise about its value?

  1. Memoirs are always more accurate than contemporary letters
  2. Memoirs are valuable only if they contain statistics
  3. Memoirs cannot be primary sources under any circumstances
  4. Memory may be reshaped by later events, though the author offers reflective insight Correct answer.

Explanation

Retrospective accounts can offer reflection and hindsight but are vulnerable to memory distortion and later reinterpretation. A balanced judgement weighs these strengths and limits. Blanket claims about memoirs being always better, never primary, or valuable only with statistics are too crude.

Question 13Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which element belongs in an evaluation of the 'origin' of a speech rather than its content?

  1. The argument the speaker makes about rearmament
  2. The rhetorical questions used in the speech
  3. The statistics quoted in the speech
  4. The speaker's political position and the occasion of the speech Correct answer.

Explanation

Origin covers who produced the source, their position and the circumstances of delivery. These shape how the content should be read. Arguments, rhetorical devices and quoted statistics are content features to be analysed separately.

Question 14Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A Paper 1 source is a Soviet newspaper article from 1936 praising industrial output. Which combination best evaluates its value?

  1. Limited because newspapers are always secondary sources
  2. Valuable only because it is written in Russian
  3. Valuable as evidence of official propaganda claims, limited as a record of actual output Correct answer.
  4. Valuable because newspapers never make errors

Explanation

The article is strong evidence of what the regime wanted citizens to believe, but weak as a measure of real production because of censorship and targets. This dual judgement is the core of balanced source evaluation. Language, genre or claims of infallibility do not substitute for this reasoning.

Question 15Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which statement correctly distinguishes 'bias' from 'reliability' in Paper 1 evaluation?

  1. Reliability concerns only the date of a source
  2. Bias means a source contains factual errors
  3. Bias and reliability are identical concepts
  4. A biased source can still be reliable evidence of the author's attitudes Correct answer.

Explanation

Bias is a slant or partial perspective, while reliability concerns how far a source can be trusted for a given purpose. A biased source may be unreliable about facts yet highly reliable as evidence of the author's views. Treating the concepts as identical oversimplifies evaluation.

Question 16Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

When asked to compare two sources' 'values', what should a strong answer focus on?

  1. Listing the length and format of each source
  2. Counting how many facts each source contains
  3. Stating which source the candidate prefers personally
  4. Explaining what each source can reveal for the specific enquiry and why Correct answer.

Explanation

Comparing values requires linking each source's content and provenance to the particular historical question. The answer should explain what each can contribute and its limits. Personal preference, length, format or fact counts are not analytical criteria.

Question 17Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate must assess the 'limitations' of a diary entry by a soldier. Which limitation is most defensible?

  1. It records only one individual's partial view at a moment of stress Correct answer.
  2. It is handwritten rather than typed
  3. It was written in the twentieth century
  4. It was written by someone who was present at the events

Explanation

A diary offers a personal, situated perspective that may be incomplete, emotional or written under pressure. This is a genuine limitation for generalising about events. Being present is a strength, while handwriting and century are irrelevant to historical limitation.

Question 18Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which response correctly identifies the 'tone' of a source in Paper 1 analysis?

  1. The source is two pages long
  2. The source was published in Paris in 1920
  3. The source contains a map of Europe
  4. The source adopts a sarcastic and dismissive attitude toward its subject Correct answer.

Explanation

Tone refers to the attitude or mood conveyed by the author's language, such as sarcasm or urgency. It is an interpretive judgement based on word choice. Publication place, length and inclusion of a map are provenance or format details, not tone.

Question 19Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A Paper 1 question asks how far one source supports the claim made in another. Which approach is most appropriate?

  1. Focus only on the sources' publication dates
  2. Summarise both sources separately without linking them
  3. Identify specific points of agreement and disagreement with evidence from each Correct answer.
  4. Assume agreement because both are primary sources

Explanation

A support question requires explicit comparison of claims, citing evidence from each source to show where they converge or diverge. Summarising in isolation or assuming agreement avoids the comparison. Dates are relevant only insofar as they explain the relationship.

Question 20Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which feature of a political cartoon most directly conveys its message to a contemporary audience?

  1. The number of copies printed
  2. The cartoonist's signature
  3. Caricature, labels and symbols recognisable to readers at the time Correct answer.
  4. The type of paper it was printed on

Explanation

Cartoons communicate through exaggeration, symbolic figures and labels that draw on shared cultural references. These devices carry the argument to readers. Paper type, print run and signature are production details that do not convey the message.

Question 21Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate claims a source is 'typical' of public opinion in 1917. What evidence would best support that claim?

  1. The source is long and detailed
  2. The author was well known
  3. Other independent sources from varied groups express similar views Correct answer.
  4. The source uses strong emotional language

Explanation

Typicality is established by showing that similar views appear across independent sources and different groups. One vivid or famous source cannot demonstrate what was common. Length, fame and emotional language are not evidence of representativeness.

Question 22Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which statement best explains why the date of a source matters for its utility in a Paper 1 enquiry?

  1. Older sources are always less useful
  2. Dates determine whether a source is biased
  3. A source produced before an event cannot comment on that event's outcome Correct answer.
  4. A source's date is irrelevant if the author is famous

Explanation

Timing shapes what an author could know: a document written before an outcome cannot assess it, while a later source may reflect hindsight. Date therefore affects what a source can usefully reveal. It does not automatically determine bias or reliability.

Question 23Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate is asked to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a source's content. Which pairing is most appropriate?

  1. Strength: the author is famous; weakness: it is in translation
  2. Strength: it gives detailed eyewitness description; weakness: it generalises from a single local experience Correct answer.
  3. Strength: it was printed on good paper; weakness: it is short
  4. Strength: it includes a photograph; weakness: it lacks a title

Explanation

Content strengths and weaknesses concern what the source says: detailed evidence versus over-generalisation from limited experience. Physical or presentational features such as paper, length, translation or photographs do not address the substance of content. The pairing must relate to the reliability of the information offered.

Question 24Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which phrase correctly signals that a candidate is drawing a supported inference from a source?

  1. The source implies that the author distrusted the new government Correct answer.
  2. The source states that the treaty was signed in June
  3. The source is exactly one paragraph long
  4. The source was printed in London

Explanation

'Implies' signals a conclusion drawn from evidence rather than a literal statement. Supported inference links specific source details to a judgement about the author's views. Direct statements, place of printing and length are not inferences.

Question 25Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In a Paper 1 answer, what is the main purpose of quoting short phrases from a source?

  1. To fill space in the answer
  2. To show the source is authentic
  3. To avoid explaining the source's origin
  4. To provide precise evidence supporting the analytical point made Correct answer.

Explanation

Brief quotation anchors an analytical claim in the source's actual language, strengthening the argument. Quotation without analysis does not earn credit. It is not a substitute for provenance evaluation.

Question 26Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A Paper 1 candidate wants to establish the provenance of a source. Which set of details does provenance require?

  1. The number of other sources in the pack that agree with it
  2. The candidate's personal reaction to the source and its emotional impact
  3. The author, the date and place of production, and the intended audience Correct answer.
  4. The number of paragraphs, the length of the text, and the font used

Explanation

Provenance means the circumstances in which a source was produced: who made it, when and where, and for whom. These details let a candidate judge how close the author was to events and what pressures shaped the account. Agreement with other sources belongs to corroboration, not provenance.

Question 27Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In Paper 1 language, what does 'utility' of a source most precisely mean?

  1. How famous the author of the source is
  2. How enjoyable the source is to read
  3. How long the source is compared with others in the pack
  4. How far the source helps answer the specific enquiry being asked Correct answer.

Explanation

Utility is always relative to a particular question: a source is useful if its content and provenance can help answer that enquiry. A source may be biased or limited and still be highly useful as evidence of attitudes. Judgements of utility therefore must be tied to the question, not to the source in the abstract.

Question 28Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate writes that a source 'proves' that morale collapsed in 1917. Which criticism of this wording is most appropriate for Paper 1?

  1. It uses the past tense when the source is in the present tense
  2. It is too short to count as an evaluation
  3. It fails to mention the source's word count
  4. It assumes a single source can establish a general conclusion without corroboration Correct answer.

Explanation

One source can provide evidence, but a general claim about national morale needs corroboration from other sources and awareness of the source's limits. The word 'proves' overstates what a single document can establish. Strong answers claim that a source 'suggests' or 'supports' a view.

Question 29Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which pairing correctly matches a source type with its most likely value for a Paper 1 enquiry?

  1. A wartime newspaper: evidence of censorship policy rather than of actual casualty figures Correct answer.
  2. A diary: evidence of government decisions rather than of personal experience
  3. A treaty text: evidence of public mood rather than of diplomatic terms
  4. A photograph: evidence of what happened outside the frame rather than inside it

Explanation

Censored wartime newspapers are valuable chiefly as evidence of what authorities wanted the public to believe, not as accurate records of losses. Each source type has a characteristic value and limitation. Recognising that value depends on what the source was designed to do.

Question 30Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which statement correctly describes the role of 'content' in a Paper 1 source evaluation?

  1. Content refers only to the physical condition of the document
  2. Content means the candidate's opinion about whether the source is interesting
  3. Content covers only the date and author of the source
  4. Content is what the source says, and it must be examined for accuracy, completeness and emphasis Correct answer.

Explanation

Content analysis asks what claims the source makes and how far those claims are accurate, complete or selective. It is distinct from origin and purpose, though all three interact in evaluation. A source's content can be valuable even when its origin is suspect.

Question 31Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate must state the 'origin' of a source. Which answer is correctly framed as origin?

  1. The source is unreliable because it is one-sided
  2. The source is useful because it shows wartime attitudes to recruitment
  3. The source was written by a government minister in 1916 for a parliamentary audience Correct answer.
  4. The source exaggerates enemy atrocities to stir patriotic feeling

Explanation

Origin identifies who produced the source, when, and in what setting or for whom. Statements about exaggeration, usefulness or reliability are judgements that follow from analysis of origin, content and purpose. Only the second option simply describes the circumstances of production.

Question 32Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In Paper 1, what does 'corroboration' require a candidate to do?

  1. Rank the sources from most to least interesting
  2. Assume that any two sources from the same year must agree
  3. Repeat the same quotation from one source several times
  4. Compare sources to see whether independent evidence supports the same point Correct answer.

Explanation

Corroboration means checking a claim against other sources, ideally ones produced independently of each other. Agreement between independent sources strengthens a claim; disagreement requires explanation. Simply repeating a quotation or assuming agreement by date does not constitute corroboration.

Question 33Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate is asked to identify the 'purpose' of a recruitment poster from 1915. Which answer best addresses purpose?

  1. It was displayed in railway stations across the country
  2. It was printed in three colours on cheap paper
  3. It was produced to persuade young men that enlistment was honourable and necessary Correct answer.
  4. It contains the word 'duty' four times

Explanation

Purpose concerns what the producer intended the source to achieve, such as persuading, justifying or recording. For a recruitment poster the intended effect on the audience is the persuasive aim. Details of colour, wording frequency or display location are supporting evidence about method, not the purpose itself.

Question 34Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate compares a government communiqué with a private letter by the same general. Which difference in provenance most affects how the two sources should be used?

  1. The intended audience, public in one case and personal in the other Correct answer.
  2. The number of pages in each document
  3. The colour of the paper used
  4. The handwriting style of the general

Explanation

Audience shapes what an author is willing to say: a public communiqué serves official messaging while a private letter may admit doubt or detail. Recognising this difference helps the candidate judge each source's value. Physical features such as length, handwriting or paper are not analytically significant.

Question 35Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate has two sources on the same event: one written on the day and one written twenty years later. Which analytical point is most appropriate?

  1. Both sources must be treated as equally reliable because they describe the same event
  2. The contemporaneous source is automatically accurate in every detail
  3. The later source must be discarded because memory is always false
  4. The later source may offer perspective but risks distortion through hindsight and selective memory Correct answer.

Explanation

A later account can benefit from documents and reflection, but distance from events introduces risks of hindsight, forgetting and reshaping. A same-day source may be closer to events yet incomplete or rushed. Paper 1 rewards weighing these advantages and limits rather than treating either date as decisive.

Question 36Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate argues that a speech is unreliable because the speaker was biased. Which refinement best improves this evaluation?

  1. Bias is irrelevant to source evaluation in Paper 1
  2. Bias can be removed by reading the speech more carefully
  3. Bias explains the source's perspective, and the candidate should show how that perspective shapes specific claims and limits what the source can prove Correct answer.
  4. Bias makes a source worthless for every enquiry

Explanation

Identifying bias is only the first step; the candidate must connect it to particular claims and explain what the source can and cannot be used to show. A biased speech may still be excellent evidence of the speaker's views or of propaganda aims. Vague claims that bias makes a source 'unreliable' earn little credit.

Question 37Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate is asked how far Source A supports the view in Source B. Which method is most appropriate?

  1. State only whether the two sources agree overall
  2. Decide which source is better written
  3. Quote Source A at length and ignore Source B
  4. Identify the specific claims in Source B and test each against the evidence in Source A, noting agreement and difference Correct answer.

Explanation

Support is a matter of specific claims, so the candidate should break Source B's view into points and check each against Source A. This reveals partial agreement and tension that a simple 'agree' or 'disagree' verdict conceals. Quality of prose is irrelevant to evidential support.

Question 38Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A photograph shows a crowded patriotic rally in 1917. Which limitation should a candidate raise when using it as evidence of public opinion?

  1. Photographs are always more reliable than written sources
  2. The photographer chose the framing and moment, so the image may not represent wider opinion Correct answer.
  3. The image proves that everyone in the country supported the war
  4. Photographs cannot show any historical information

Explanation

A photograph records a selected moment and angle, so it shows that a crowd gathered, not how typical that crowd was. The candidate should distinguish what the image proves from what it merely suggests. Claiming it proves universal support overreaches the evidence.

Question 39Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which sentence best shows a candidate evaluating a source's content rather than merely describing it?

  1. The source was written by a civil servant
  2. The source is three paragraphs long
  3. The source states that rationing began in March, but it omits the black market that other sources describe, limiting its completeness Correct answer.
  4. The source says that rationing began in March

Explanation

Evaluation goes beyond reporting what a source says by judging accuracy, completeness or emphasis. The second option notes an omission that limits the source's completeness. The others merely describe content, length or origin without judging the content.

Question 40Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A source is a letter from a soldier to his family, written from the front in 1916. Which value is most defensible for a Paper 1 enquiry into soldiers' experiences?

  1. It gives a firsthand account of conditions and emotions, though self-censorship may soften the account Correct answer.
  2. It provides a reliable summary of the army's overall strategy
  3. It proves that all soldiers shared the same attitude
  4. It records official casualty statistics with precision

Explanation

A soldier's letter offers direct personal testimony, which is valuable for experiences and attitudes. However, letters home were often written to reassure relatives, so the candidate should note possible self-censorship. It cannot bear the weight of claims about strategy or universal attitudes.

Question 41Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate writes: 'The source is valuable because it was written by someone who was there.' Which improvement strengthens this judgement most?

  1. Remove all mention of the author's presence
  2. Add that the author was famous
  3. State that eyewitnesses are always objective
  4. Specify what the eyewitness position allows the source to reveal and what the author's role or stake might distort Correct answer.

Explanation

Eyewitness status is a starting point, not a conclusion: the candidate must say what proximity reveals and how the author's position or interests might shape the account. This turns a formulaic comment into a specific evaluation. Fame, silence about the author, or a claim of objectivity do not strengthen the judgement.

Question 42Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

Which statement correctly distinguishes a source's 'value' from its 'limitations' in Paper 1?

  1. Value applies only to written sources, limitations only to visual ones
  2. Value concerns what the source can reliably show; limitations concern what it cannot show or may distort Correct answer.
  3. Limitations matter only when the author is unknown
  4. Value and limitations are the same thing expressed differently

Explanation

Value and limitations are complementary judgements about the same source: what it can support and where it falls short. Both must be tied to the specific enquiry. They apply to all source types and to known as well as unknown authors.

Question 43Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate is assessing a propaganda leaflet dropped over enemy lines. Which purpose statement is most defensible?

  1. To record accurate information for future historians
  2. To weaken enemy morale by presenting the war as hopeless and surrender as reasonable Correct answer.
  3. To entertain readers with humorous anecdotes
  4. To provide a neutral summary of the peace terms

Explanation

Leaflets dropped over enemy lines are designed to influence the enemy population or troops, typically by undermining confidence. The candidate should link the content to that intended effect. Recording for historians, entertaining or neutral summary do not fit the context of aerial propaganda.

Question 44Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate must explain why two sources give different casualty figures for the same battle. Which explanation is most appropriate?

  1. Casualty figures are always identical across sources
  2. The sources may have used different definitions, cut-off dates or purposes, such as reassuring the public or pressing for reinforcements Correct answer.
  3. The difference proves that the battle never happened
  4. One source must be lying in every respect

Explanation

Discrepancies often arise from differing definitions of 'casualty', the date on which counting stopped, and the purpose for which figures were compiled. Explaining these factors is stronger than assuming deliberate falsehood. Differences in figures do not invalidate the event itself.

Question 45Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate has a cartoon, a treaty article and a private diary on the same crisis. Which approach best uses this range of source types?

  1. Use only the diary because it is the most personal
  2. Discard the cartoon because it is a visual source
  3. Treat all three as offering the same kind of evidence
  4. Use each source for what its type does best: the cartoon for public argument, the treaty for formal terms, the diary for private perception Correct answer.

Explanation

Different source types illuminate different dimensions of an event, so the strongest answers match each source to the evidence it can best provide. Treating all sources as interchangeable, or discarding one on the basis of medium, wastes available evidence. The candidate should then cross-check claims where sources overlap.

Question 46Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

In a Paper 1 answer, a candidate writes: 'The source's silence on civilian casualties implies that the author wanted readers to focus on military success.' Which analytical move is being made?

  1. Establishing the origin of the source
  2. Corroborating the source with another document
  3. Describing the source's content without interpretation
  4. Drawing an inference about purpose from what the source omits Correct answer.

Explanation

The candidate moves from an absence in the content to a conclusion about the author's intention, which is an inference about purpose. Such inferences should be signalled and supported by other features of the source. It is not description, provenance or corroboration.

Question 47Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate claims a newspaper editorial 'reflected public opinion' in 1918. Which evidence would best support that claim?

  1. The editor was well known in political circles
  2. The newspaper had a large circulation and other independent sources from different regions report similar views Correct answer.
  3. The editorial was printed on the front page
  4. The editorial used strong language

Explanation

To claim that a source reflects wider opinion, the candidate needs evidence of reach and independent confirmation from elsewhere. Circulation plus agreement across separate regions is stronger than a single editorial. Front-page placement, the editor's reputation or strong language do not show that readers shared the view.

Question 48Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate evaluates a diplomatic telegram and a popular song lyric about the same treaty. Which comparison is analytically strongest?

  1. Treat both as direct records of government policy
  2. Compare how each source's form and audience shape what it can reveal about official intentions and popular feeling Correct answer.
  3. Assume the telegram is accurate and the song is not
  4. Compare their lengths to decide which is more important

Explanation

The two sources serve different functions: a telegram records official communication while a song expresses popular sentiment. The strongest comparison examines how form and audience shape what each can show, then checks for points of contact. Length, assumptions of accuracy or treating both as policy records flatten these differences.

Question 49Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate writes: 'Source C is unreliable because it was produced by the losing side.' Which criticism of this reasoning is most accurate?

  1. The reasoning uses a general label instead of examining the specific author, purpose and content of Source C Correct answer.
  2. The losing side never produces sources
  3. Reliability depends only on the outcome of the conflict
  4. Defeat guarantees that a source is accurate

Explanation

Labelling a source by the side that produced it substitutes a stereotype for analysis. A strong evaluation examines the particular author, the purpose of the document and its specific claims. Defeat or victory does not by itself determine accuracy, and such generalisations earn little credit.

Question 50Prescribed Subject: source analysis and evaluation (Paper 1)

A candidate must judge how far a single memoir can support a claim about a whole army's morale. Which reasoning is most defensible?

  1. One memoir can illustrate experience and suggest patterns, but the claim about an entire army needs corroboration from other memoirs, letters or reports Correct answer.
  2. Morale cannot be studied from any source
  3. One memoir can support the claim fully if the author writes vividly
  4. One memoir is useless because it is only one person's view

Explanation

A memoir is strong evidence of one person's experience and can suggest wider patterns, but a claim about an entire army requires corroboration across many accounts. The candidate should scale the claim to the evidence available. Dismissing memoirs entirely or accepting one as sufficient both overreach.