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ScotlandHistory

Exam skills: source handling and writing

6 dot points across 6 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How do you answer a Compare the views of two sources question in SQA National 5 History?

Answering the Compare question: making developed comparisons between two sources, matching specific points so each comparison links a detail in one source to a detail in the other and states whether they agree or disagree.
How to answer the Compare the views of two sources question in SQA National 5 History: make developed, point-by-point comparisons that quote or refer to a detail in each source and state whether the two agree or disagree, rather than describing the sources separately.
10 min answer →

How do you answer a Describe question in SQA National 5 History and score full marks?

Answering the Describe question: using recalled knowledge to make a set number of separate, developed points of factual description, with the mark allocation signalling how many points to make.
How to answer the Describe question in SQA National 5 History: it tests recalled knowledge, so you make a fixed number of separate, accurate, developed points of factual description, with one mark per point and the tariff telling you how many to make.
10 min answer →

How do you answer an Evaluate the usefulness of a source question in SQA National 5 History?

Evaluating the usefulness of a source: judging a source by its origin, purpose, timing and content, and by what a historian knows the source leaves out, to decide how useful it is as evidence.
How to answer the Evaluate the usefulness of a source question in SQA National 5 History: judge the source by its origin, purpose and timing, by what its content tells you, and by what relevant material it leaves out, building a supported judgement on how useful it is as evidence.
12 min answer →

How do you answer an Explain question in SQA National 5 History and score full marks?

Answering the Explain question: giving developed reasons for an event or development, drawn from recall, where each fully developed reason earns a mark.
How to answer the Explain question in SQA National 5 History: it tests recalled knowledge of causes, so you give developed reasons that go beyond naming a factor to show how it caused the outcome, with one mark per fully developed reason up to the tariff.
11 min answer →

How do you answer a How fully does a source describe or explain question in SQA National 5 History?

Answering the How fully source question: using points selected from the source and points of recalled knowledge the source omits to judge how fully a source describes or explains a development.
How to answer the How fully (or To what extent) source question in SQA National 5 History: select relevant points from the source, add relevant points of your own recalled knowledge the source leaves out, and reach a balanced judgement on how fully the source covers the issue.
11 min answer →

What is the SQA National 5 History Assignment and how is it marked?

The Assignment overview: a candidate-chosen historical issue researched in advance and written up under supervised conditions, marked out of 20 for knowledge, organisation, use of sources and a supported conclusion.
An overview of the SQA National 5 History Assignment: a candidate chooses a historical issue, researches it in advance, and writes it up under supervised conditions on a single piece of work marked out of 20 for knowledge, structure, use of sources and a supported conclusion.
10 min answer →