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History GCSE USA Divided Union, How to Answer Q's

Hey Everyone,

I've got a exam on divided union tommorow. Its the one with the 5 source questions. Anyway I'm stuggling to find out how to answer the second question (the purpose of this source...). The markschemes are quite basic and dont go in to much depth, but our teacher has 'inferred' the markscheme in a different way

Our teacher told us to do three paragraphs:
Inference/desription of the source (first paragraph)
Reasons for the the source with explanation using own knowledge (second paragraph)
Purpose of the soruce/what it hopes to achieve(third paragraph)

Im still not convinced. We've been told to leave it to last (which means i probably wont even get to do it (TIME!!)). However if its a simple question im considering doing it. Please help and share any knowledge you have on this question or any other ones.

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Reply 1
Our teacher gave us a sheet saying this:

This question focuses on the purpose of a source - you could be directly asked "what was the purpose" of a given source, but it could be more implcit, for example, "why did newspapers print this source?"

The question is asking you to think carefully about the context in which the source was produced and to show the examiner that you know the difference between what something shows and what its trying to achieve.

An effective answer will use detail from the source to identify a message: what is the source trying to say? It will then go on to consider the context of the source to reach a conclusion about the source's purpose: what it is trying to do. Convince? Shock? Pursuade? Attack? Defend? There are 8 marks for this question : 10 minutes is plenty of time.
Reply 2
Original post by Silent--ly
Our teacher gave us a sheet saying this:

This question focuses on the purpose of a source - you could be directly asked "what was the purpose" of a given source, but it could be more implcit, for example, "why did newspapers print this source?"

The question is asking you to think carefully about the context in which the source was produced and to show the examiner that you know the difference between what something shows and what its trying to achieve.

An effective answer will use detail from the source to identify a message: what is the source trying to say? It will then go on to consider the context of the source to reach a conclusion about the source's purpose: what it is trying to do. Convince? Shock? Pursuade? Attack? Defend? There are 8 marks for this question : 10 minutes is plenty of time.


Hey thanks but how many paragraphs and how much writing do you think there should be???
Reply 3
Original post by Andreas123
Hey thanks but how many paragraphs and how much writing do you think there should be???


I'd do three paragraphs:
1) Describe the message of the source
2) Describe the context of the source
3) Come to an overall conclusion about what the source is trying to do

I wouldn't recommend leaving it until last either: its only the second question and so is supposed to be one of the easiest. I'd recommend going through the paper in order spending 10 mins on question 1, 10 mins on question 2, 12 mins on question 3, 15 mins on question 4 and 20 mins on question 5. You should then have 5 minutes left at the end to check your answers.
Reply 4
To get you the good marks for the long questions, make sure all you paragraphs are linked from what you have said before. Keep checking the clock, yet still focus on your writing. Have a clear picture of what you have to say, don't waffle. Waffling will make your answer sound hesitant and unsure. Sound confident.
Reply 5
Hey thanks guys

I find it best to do
Question 1 (5mins)
Question 2 (10mins)
Quetsion 3 (10mins)
Question 4 (15mins)
Quetsion 5 (30mins)
And the extra 5 to annotate the sources before starting the questions.
But ill probably do it in a random order depending on the actual questions. :smile:
Reply 6
For question 5 i was wondering is it possible to get marks without actually reaching an answer? Will thy give u marks for your analysis? If not is it best to start by answering the quetsion? Your thoughts on this anyone?
Reply 7
Original post by Andreas123
For question 5 i was wondering is it possible to get marks without actually reaching an answer? Will thy give u marks for your analysis? If not is it best to start by answering the quetsion? Your thoughts on this anyone?


Of course you will get some marks for attempting the question, but you will not be able to access the higher marks without reaching a conclusion. Try this structure:

1) Brief introduction
2) Sources offering support for the statement, with each source used critically evaluated (is it reliable, is it typical?)
3) Sources countering the statement, with each source used critically evaluated
4) Conclusion which makes a judgement about extent - how far do the sources support the statement? (comprehensively? a bit? not much?)
source paper will be hard
Reply 9
For every POINT you make back it up with what you see from the source at FACE VALUE "e.g, this poster shows_____" and then USE YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE "this poster shows ____ because at this time _____ had just happened and the effect was _____".

After doing the POINT-INFERENCE-EVIDENCE-EVALUATION for the easier (0-5mark questions) remember to also include PROVENANCE, NOP:

Nature --> what is the source? Poster? Article in a newspaper? How does this change things or affect it's meaning?


Origin --> when was this source written/ drawn? What influenced it's production? What effect did it have on events at the time and afterwards - what was the reaction of different group of people to it?


Purpose --> why was this source created? Is it advertising, condemning, promoting or persuading people to do something? Was it successful in this? Could the source have been mis-interpreted, untrue to it's intended purpose?

Of the source(s) and how this shapes their meaning/ message, then find out what this tells you (EVIDENCE) combine it with something in the source, clearly visible or inferred (INFERENCE) and finally answer the question and/or come to a conclusion if necesscary.
Reply 10
hello guys
i am going to be sitting the exam in june so please can anyone give me some advice on how to answer the questions
thanks ....
Im doing edexcel gcse history unit 3 a divided union source paper.
i personally find this the most challenging Unit for gcse History as you have to anyalise sources and put in contextual knowledge.

My teacher gave me the mark scheme and i have read through the questions and figured out how to write perfect answers for each question.

Model Structures
Q1) Source Inference (6marks)
- Give 2 inferences and make sure they are developed and supported with quotation to reach 6marks, if you develop 1 inference and support it you will only reach 4-5marks maximum.

Q2) Analysis Of Purpose (8Marks)
- Make 2 supported inferences with quotations.
- What is the message of the source(How you know this)
- Purpose Of the source(How you know this)
- Your own contextual Knowledge.
By the way make a clear distinction between message and purpose to reach the higher marks.

Q3) Cross Referencing (10Marks)
How far does Source A & B agree in what they suggest or
How far Does Source A & B Differ From Source C in what they Suggest ?

- Source A supports the view (of the question)
- Source A rejects the view
- Source A is reliable
- Source A is limitated by Xyz.
- Source A Purpose (-to what extent. -where they stand "It's Typicality")

Q4) Utility/Reliability (10Marks)
- Source A is useful(Content) it suggests...
- Moreover, Source is more useful(N.O.P)...
- Source B is useful(Content) it suggests...
- Moreover, Source is also useful(N.O.P)...

Q5) Hypothesis (16Marks)
- Introduction -> what the hypothesis suggests...
- Sources agreeing with the view -> which source agrees with the view and use evidence from the source to support this.
- Reliability & Utility -> how reliable are these sources in agreeing with the view and evaluate the reliability of at least one of these sources.
- Sources disagreeing with the view -> which sources disagree with the view and use evidence from the source to support this.
- Reliability & Utility -> How reliable are these sources in disagreeing with the view and evauluate the relability of at least one of these sources.

IMPORTANT: The grade maker is here. the conclusion determines if a C/B grade student can leave an impact on the examiner and go to the higher boundaries A/A*.

Conclusion
Overall, the evidence from Source A,B,C agree on the hypothesis and thus overweigh the disagreement in source D,E,F as the "Contextual Knowledge".
- After adding the contextual knowledge try to link to a ending point an evaluation of the hypothesis.

TIP:
= when making a conclusion if you include sufficiency when coming to an conclusion you will be awarded 15-16Marks.

Good Luck ! :cool:

I personally need 79-83/100 UMS to get my "A" in History x.D :colone:

Unit 1: 76.(B) Unit 2: 86(A) Unit 3(Coursework teacher marks mentiond it would probably be High B): 75-79. Unit 4: This exam i got 12 whole days for revision planning to do 6-8 hours a day with breaks aiming for 79-83 UMS.

HELP !@ l last year paper was about student protest and women movement i have a feeling it would be Montgomery bus boycott, Black Power, malcom X, martin luther king OR mcarthyism (Jospeh Mcarthy).

GL !@ :rolleyes:
Reply 12
Original post by dgdlalo16
x


Original post by XxKingSniprxX
x


This is actually a really old thread - we did it last year :teehee:

Good luck with it though, but don't try and guess which topic will come up, make sure you revise everything :h:
Reply 13
hiya
thanks i have the exam in june 12th so im really nervous
i didnt get that good coursework results i got a C so slightly downhearted
BUT i got an A and an A* in the 2 exams
i hope you do well if you are gonna do the exam
thanks again x
Reply 14
Original post by Andreas123
Hey Everyone,

I've got a exam on divided union tommorow. Its the one with the 5 source questions. Anyway I'm stuggling to find out how to answer the second question (the purpose of this source...). The markschemes are quite basic and dont go in to much depth, but our teacher has 'inferred' the markscheme in a different way

Our teacher told us to do three paragraphs:
Inference/desription of the source (first paragraph)
Reasons for the the source with explanation using own knowledge (second paragraph)
Purpose of the soruce/what it hopes to achieve(third paragraph)

Im still not convinced. We've been told to leave it to last (which means i probably wont even get to do it (TIME!!)). However if its a simple question im considering doing it. Please help and share any knowledge you have on this question or any other ones.
Hi! :smile:
I've sat the exam twice (:emo:), and even though I can't say I performed to my best, I do have a booklet at home that is endorsed by Edexcel, which explains how to answer questions for that exam. I'd be happy to type them up for you tomorrow when I'm at home, but even so you've got a lot of good advice here.

Good luck! (and I'll try and remember for tomorrow!) :smile:
Reply 15
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
HELP !@ l last year paper was about student protest and women movement i have a feeling it would be Montgomery bus boycott, Black Power, malcom X, martin luther king OR mcarthyism (Jospeh Mcarthy).

GL !@ :rolleyes:
Just to clarify this - last June's paper was on the Student Protests etc, and the January 2012 paper was on the Civil Rights Movement (specifically the Brown vs Topeka case). :smile:
Original post by Pandora.
Just to clarify this - last June's paper was on the Student Protests etc, and the January 2012 paper was on the Civil Rights Movement (specifically the Brown vs Topeka case). :smile:


What the FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDGE ! :angry:

i knew that last year student movement + women movement came up last year june.

your saying civil rights came up in january paper(specifically NAACP linda brown = brown vs Topeka case) FML.

now im totally clueless *eureka*. if last year june was student movement + women momvemnt(chapter 4) and civil right(brown vs topeka case unit 2/3) came up in this year january paper i have a feeling something about McCarthyism is going to pop up if not then probably about the rosenburgs and that topic section about withaker chambers and those pumpkin papers. :L

Meh might aswell just memorise the whole book like i always do x.D
Original post by Pandora.
Hi! :smile:
I've sat the exam twice (:emo:), and even though I can't say I performed to my best, I do have a booklet at home that is endorsed by Edexcel, which explains how to answer questions for that exam. I'd be happy to type them up for you tomorrow when I'm at home, but even so you've got a lot of good advice here.

Good luck! (and I'll try and remember for tomorrow!) :smile:


*coughs* what about the 500-600 essay i wrote up in this thread about perfect structures cant you bother scrolling up. Look up i said everything in the edexcel booklet and i refered back to that orange unit 3 book !!!! some people cant appreciate it they'll learn it the hard way SITTING THE EXAM :biggrin:

"i cant wait til you hit college you wont be spoon-fed" thats what my teacher said." :colone:
Original post by dgdlalo16
hiya
thanks i have the exam in june 12th so im really nervous
i didnt get that good coursework results i got a C so slightly downhearted
BUT i got an A and an A* in the 2 exams
i hope you do well if you are gonna do the exam
thanks again x


how the hell do you know your coursework exam result ? doesnt your teacher mark it and tell you by may time ish ? Meh i know i got at least a Strong B "75+" on that prep answer i gave her and she marked. :biggrin: i went home put extra answers and memorised the sheaaat out of it Better get at least 77-79(b) or higher otherwise il be Screwing her so bad. Unit 1(76 b). Unit 2( 86 A). Unit 3(Sitting in june). Unit 4(hoping 75-79) if so i need 83 worst case scenario in june unit 3 exam come on edexcel.


and im assuming you done unit 1, unit 2 last year.
Reply 19
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
What the FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDGE ! :angry:

i knew that last year student movement + women movement came up last year june.

your saying civil rights came up in january paper(specifically NAACP linda brown = brown vs Topeka case) FML.

now im totally clueless *eureka*. if last year june was student movement + women momvemnt(chapter 4) and civil right(brown vs topeka case unit 2/3) came up in this year january paper i have a feeling something about McCarthyism is going to pop up if not then probably about the rosenburgs and that topic section about withaker chambers and those pumpkin papers. :L

Meh might aswell just memorise the whole book like i always do x.D
Hmm. McCarthyism was apparently either the January 2011 or June 2010 exam, so I'd expect either that or topic 3 (changes in the Civil Rights movement 1963-70 I think?) :smile:
Original post by XxKingSniprxX
*coughs* what about the 500-600 essay i wrote up in this thread about perfect structures cant you bother scrolling up. Look up i said everything in the edexcel booklet and i refered back to that orange unit 3 book !!!! some people cant appreciate it they'll learn it the hard way SITTING THE EXAM :biggrin:

"i cant wait til you hit college you wont be spoon-fed" thats what my teacher said." :colone:
Your post would be far more helpful and informative than mine would be, that's why I said "even so you've got a lot of good advice here." :tongue::wink:

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