How do you answer a question that asks which option a source supports, giving reasons from the evidence?
Selecting and using evidence to support a view: choosing the option a set of sources best supports and giving reasons by linking specific evidence from the sources to the choice.
How to answer the give-reasons source question in SQA National 5 Modern Studies: deciding which of two options the sources best support and justifying the choice by linking specific evidence from the sources to the decision, including using evidence against the rejected option, with worked examples.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
This dot point covers a key source-handling skill in the SQA National 5 Modern Studies question paper: selecting and using evidence to support a view or a decision. These questions either give you a view to support with reasons, or ask you to choose between two options and justify the choice using two or three sources. They are worth 8 marks.
The skill is to link specific evidence from the sources to your choice or view. The marks are for the evidence tied to the decision, not for the decision itself, and the strongest answers also use evidence against the option you reject.
The answer
These questions reward justified selection of evidence: choosing an option or supporting a view and proving it from the sources.
State your choice or the view
If it is a decision question, state which option you choose at the start. If it asks you to support a given view, keep that view in focus throughout.
Give reasons linked to evidence
For each reason, quote or paraphrase specific evidence from the sources and explain how it supports your choice: "Source A supports Option 1 because it shows ..., which means ...". Vague reasons with no source backing earn little. Linking two sources that reinforce each other is more developed.
Use evidence against the rejected option
In a decision question, you can strengthen your answer by showing why the other option is weaker, using evidence against it: "Option 2 is less suitable because Source C shows ...". This shows you have weighed both options.
Why this technique works
This question tests whether you can use evidence to justify a position, a core Modern Studies skill that also underpins the Assignment. By tying each reason to a specific piece of source evidence and explaining the link, you give the marker the evidence-plus-explanation pattern the mark scheme rewards. Stating a choice with no evidence, or listing evidence without linking it to the choice, both fall short. Adding evidence against the rejected option shows balanced judgement.
Examples in context
Suppose you must choose between two town locations for a new facility, using three sources. You write: "I have chosen Location 1. Source A supports this because it has better transport links, which means more people could reach it. Source B shows it has more available land, supporting easier building. Location 2 is less suitable because Source C shows it has higher land costs and more local objections." Every reason is tied to evidence, and you have used evidence against the rejected option, which is exactly what the marker wants.
Try this
Q1. In a give-reasons question, what earns the marks? [2 marks]
- What the marker wants. Specific evidence from the sources linked to your choice or view, with an explanation of how it supports the decision, not the decision on its own.
Q2. How can you strengthen a decision answer beyond justifying your chosen option? [1 mark]
- What the marker wants. By using evidence against the option you reject, showing you have weighed both.
Q3. Why does "I chose Option 1 because it is better" score poorly? [2 marks]
- What the marker wants. It gives no source evidence and no explanation, so it does not show the evidence-linked reasoning the marks reward.
A note on sources
This guide is AI-written and not individually human-reviewed. The give-reasons technique and source rules follow the published SQA National 5 Modern Studies course specification and marking instructions; verify current details against the specification at sqa.org.uk.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style8 marksUsing Sources A, B and C, you must decide which of two options is more likely to be the better choice. Give reasons for your decision. (8 marks)Show worked answer →
A skills (give reasons) question worth 8 marks. You choose one of two options and justify it using evidence from the sources. The marker awards marks for evidence linked to your choice, and extra credit for using evidence against the option you reject.
State your choice, then give reasons: "I have chosen Option 1. Source A supports this because ..., and Source B shows ..." Link specific evidence to the choice. Then strengthen it by using evidence against the other option: "Option 2 is less suitable because Source C shows ...".
For full marks link evidence from all the sources to your decision and explain why it justifies the choice; ideally include evidence against the rejected option. A choice with no evidence, or evidence not linked to the choice, loses marks.
SQA N5 style8 marksUsing Sources A and B, give reasons to support the view that [a stated view]. (8 marks)Show worked answer →
An 8-mark give-reasons question supporting a stated view. The skill is to link evidence from the sources to the view.
For each reason, quote or paraphrase the relevant evidence and explain how it supports the view: "This view is supported because Source A shows ..., which means ...". Link sources where they reinforce each other.
Use all the sources provided, since the mark is capped if you use too few, and make sure every piece of evidence is clearly tied to the view rather than just listed.
Related dot points
- Drawing conclusions from sources: using the bullet headings in the question to draw a conclusion for each, then supporting it with linked evidence from the sources and reaching an overall conclusion.
How to answer the conclusions source question in SQA National 5 Modern Studies: drawing a conclusion for each bullet point in the question, supporting it with evidence linked from the sources, and giving an overall conclusion, so the synthesis of evidence earns the 8 marks, with worked examples.
- Detecting exaggeration and selectivity: judging whether a stated view is fully, partly or not supported by the sources, using evidence that backs the view and evidence that goes against it.
How to answer the selectivity question in SQA National 5 Modern Studies: deciding whether a given view is exaggerated by finding evidence from the sources that supports it and evidence that opposes it, then judging how far the view can be backed, with worked examples.
- The Assignment: the 20-mark coursework task in which a candidate researches a Modern Studies issue, gathers and references sources, and writes a structured report under supervised conditions.
An overview of the SQA National 5 Modern Studies Assignment: the 20-mark coursework where a candidate chooses a Modern Studies issue, researches it from a range of sources, completes a research sheet, and writes a structured report under supervised conditions covering the issue, evidence and a conclusion, with how the marks are earned.
- Voting systems: how First Past the Post, the Additional Member System and the Single Transferable Vote work, where each is used, and their strengths and weaknesses.
How the main UK voting systems work for SQA National 5 Modern Studies: First Past the Post for the UK Parliament, the Additional Member System for the Scottish Parliament and the Single Transferable Vote for Scottish councils, with the advantages and disadvantages of each and worked exam answers.
- Responses to crime: the roles of individuals, the police, the Scottish legal system and courts, prisons and the government in tackling crime, and how effective these responses are.
How crime is tackled in Scotland and the UK for SQA National 5 Modern Studies (crime and the law option): the roles of individuals, Police Scotland, the Scottish courts and legal system, prisons and alternatives to custody, and the government, with an assessment of effectiveness and worked exam answers.