How do you judge the usefulness of a source in AQA GCSE History?
Analysing the usefulness of a source for a stated enquiry using its content together with its provenance (nature, origin and purpose), and applying contextual knowledge.
A focused answer to the AQA GCSE History source questions, covering how to weigh a source's content against its provenance (nature, origin and purpose) and use contextual knowledge to reach a judgement on usefulness.
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What this dot point is asking
The source questions ask how useful a source is to a historian studying a particular topic. To score well you must use both what the source says (its content) and where it comes from (its provenance), and back this with your own knowledge of the period. The skill is the same across the AQA papers, although the exact wording varies.
Content and provenance
Every strong source answer does two jobs. First, use the content: pick out specific details and explain what they reveal about the enquiry. Quote or refer to a precise detail rather than summarising the whole source. Second, use the provenance to judge how far that content can be trusted and what it is useful for.
Using contextual knowledge
Drop in precise own knowledge to test the source. If a Nazi propaganda poster from 1936 shows happy, employed workers, your knowledge of rearmament and the rigged unemployment figures lets you explain both why the source was made and how far it reflects reality. Contextual knowledge is what raises an answer from describing the source to evaluating it.
Reaching a judgement
The mark scheme rewards a clear judgement on usefulness for the named enquiry, supported by content, provenance and context together. Avoid simply describing the source or writing about provenance in the abstract ("this is a diary so it is reliable"). Tie everything back to the specific enquiry the question names.
Try this
Q1. State the three elements of provenance. [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. Nature (the type of source), origin (who, when, where) and purpose (why it was made).
Q2. Explain why a biased source can still be useful. [Short explanation]
- Cue. It reveals attitudes, intended messages or propaganda, which is valuable evidence for the right enquiry, so usefulness depends on what you are studying.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of AQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
AQA 20198 marksStudy Source A. How useful is Source A to a historian studying [a named enquiry]? Explain your answer using Source A and your contextual knowledge.Show worked answer →
The Paper 1 source usefulness question (8 marks, mostly AO3). Markers reward content plus provenance plus contextual knowledge, leading to a judgement on usefulness for the stated enquiry.
Content. Quote a specific detail and say what it reveals about the enquiry.
Provenance (NOP). State the nature (type of source), origin (who, when, where) and purpose (why made), and explain how each affects reliability and usefulness.
Contextual knowledge. Test the source against precise own knowledge of the period.
Judgement. Say what the source is useful for, not just whether it is reliable. Do not dismiss it merely for being biased. Top band reaches a supported judgement on usefulness for the named enquiry.
AQA 20214 marksOutline the three elements of provenance a historian should consider when judging a source.Show worked answer →
A short recall and understanding question. Markers reward the three elements clearly explained.
Answer. Nature: the type of source, such as a speech, photograph, diary or cartoon, which affects what it was meant to do. Origin: who produced it, and when and where, which affects how close they were to events and what they could know. Purpose: why it was created, for example to persuade, record, inform or entertain, which affects how far it can be trusted. Together these are summed up as NOP.
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Sources & how we know this
- AQA GCSE History (8145) specification — AQA (2016)