Source-Based Skills

5 main categories of source based

questions
▶ 1) Inference questions
▶ 2) Compare and Contrast questions
▶ 3) Usefulness questions
▶ 4) Reliability questions
▶ 5) Summary Questions
Inferences
 Inference
▶ What does the source show…
▶ What can you tell…
▶ Do you think…
▶ Why do you think…
Higher Inference (focussing on message)
▶ Why do you think the cartoonist draw this picture?
▶ What is the message of the …
▶ Why did he said/write …
▶ Why do you think the speaker say this…?
Inference
▶ YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!
▶ No cross-referencing!
▶ Infer from the source based on issue
▶ Quote relevant evidence to support the inference.
▶ Explain your point of view based on inference and evidence.
⚫ If it is a picture/cartoon, use the following guidelines:
⚫ Who are the characters and what do they represent?
⚫ What are the characters doing, using? Is there any significance in the
items portrayed?
⚫ Use what you understand from the context (background) to answer
the question
Higher Inference - Message
▶ Message = a significant political, social, or moral point
that is being conveyed by a cartoon, speech, etc
◦ Usually linked to the understanding of the “BIG” inference of
what it is trying to say
⚫ To convey a point – it can also be an outcome to be achieved.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.
Message Question
▶ What is the message of the cartoon?
Source A: A British
newspaper cartoon
about ‘Bloody
Sunday’, 31 January
1972.

Both the IRA and

the British Soldiers
are pushing the
blame to one
another for the
deaths of the
civilians
Higher Inference Questions
▶ “Why” Questions or some “Message” questions
▶ Perspective of the author ( sometime refer to as motive)
◦ how he/she feel about certain issue
⚫ Emotions ( happy/ positive / negative / angry / frustrated)
⚫ Through the way he/she portray the content of the source
⚫ In a sarcastic manner?
⚫ Poke fun?
⚫ Criticising?
⚫ Blaming?
Higher Inference Questions
▶ “Why” Questions or some “Message” questions
▶ Purpose:
▶ Purpose is Motive with specific audience and outcome
▶ Consider Provenance, Audience and Impact.
◦ Context ( when/where source is published/created)
◦ Message
◦ Outcome (tangible action What the writer of the source want to
get the audience to do)
⚫ Eg the source is a propaganda ( not outcome!)
⚫ Eg the source is a progaganda to get the readers to hate Saddam
Hussein ( outcome!)
⚫ Note: to get the readers to think that they are doing the right
thing is not considered as an outcome!
“Why” Questions
▶ 3 important things
◦ Context ( What is happening? Is there a problem?)
◦ Message ( What is the point conveyed in the source? Is there a
solution?)
◦ Purpose ( who is it directed to? Outcome?)
Compare and Contrast
Compare and Contrast
▶ How similar… (Both)
▶ How different… (Both)
▶ In what ways are they similar…
▶ How far are they… (Both)
▶ To what extent… (Both)

Note (other variants of compare and contrast)

▶ How far do source A agree/disagree with Source B?
Compare and Contrast
▶ No need to use other sources (ie no cross-referencing!)
▶ Identify a common issue based on the topic
▶ State your stance clearly. (Answer the question)
▶ YOU MUST STATE THE COMMON ISSUE!
◦ What are you comparing/contrasting the sources on.
▶ Infer what is in the sources based on the common issue.
▶ Quote evidence from the sources based on the issue
identified.
▶ Check for tone / purpose.
Compare and Contrast
▶ For tone/Perspective ( 2 types):
◦ Type 1: Tone= Perspective ( writers’ opinion)
⚫ use the right vocabulary to distinguish tone.
⚫ Balanced / objective vs biased / one-sided
◦ Type 2: Tone = emotions
⚫ Angry/ frustrated/ sarcastic etc
⚫ Depicted by the choice of words/ imagery that the writer use
▶ Avoid words like ‘tell’, ‘show’
◦ Use propaganda, to convince, persuade, justify, gather
support, encourage…
◦ Use evidence from source to support.
Utility
Evaluating Utility (Usefulness)
▶ When is a source useful?
◦ Tell you things that answer the issue of the question
◦ Eg: How useful is this source in telling you about the 1964 race
riots?
⚫ Issue = “1964 race riots”
⚫ Useful in telling me either a) the reasons, b) the event itself, c) the
effects
⚫ Not useful implies lacking information based on the issue
Evaluating Utility (Usefulness)
▶ State the stance (e.g. useful or not useful)
▶ Identify issue
▶ State the main point on what aspect of usefulness the
source is showing.
▶ Show evidence about issue (sometime, the issue is
given)
▶ Explain your viewpoint.
▶ Use cross-referencing to support the usefulness.
▶ Quote from the referred sources to support.
Evaluating Utility (Usefulness)
▶ For not useful,
◦ Does not show other aspects based on the issue (limitation to
source)
◦ Identify issue showing limitation – cross-reference to other
sources for support.
◦ Quote the supporting and matching evidence from the
referred sources for support.
▶ READ the question carefully and understanding what it
is asking.
▶ It may ask you to evaluate the source as evidence or
proof to specific issue.
Evaluating Utility (Usefulness)
▶ In this case, attempting not useful to show the ‘missing’
aspects is not valid.
▶ Evaluate utility through purpose / reliability
◦ A reliable source is useful
◦ A unreliable source may / may not be useful
◦ (E.g. it may reveal certain insights / perspectives / viewpoints)
However mostly unreliable = not useful
◦ Therefore reliability = proven through
⚫ 1) Critical analysis of the provenance with source support
⚫ 2) cross reference
⚫ 3) evaluation of the tone of the source through language
◦ The purpose of the source will also help to determine whether
the source is useful or not.
Quiz time
▶ How useful is this source as evidence about the 1964
riots?
▶ How useful is this source in telling you about the 1964
riots?
▶ Are they different?
Difference between usefulness and
reliability
▶ Purpose of cross referencing:
◦ For Usefulness, to cross reference mean to show that the
source is factually correct
◦ For reliability, to cross reference mean that they are saying the
same thing.
▶ For reliability
◦ A source that is biased is usually not reliable
◦ A source that don’t say the same thing as others are not
reliable.
Reliability
Evaluating Reliability
▶ Detail analysis of the provenance
▶ State stance clearly based on issue (sometimes, the
issue is given)
▶ Determine reliability through provenance.
▶ Through the provenance, state what is reliable in the
source – quote evidence to support
▶ Explain your viewpoint.
Evaluating Reliability
▶ Cross-reference to other sources to support reliability.
▶ State the main point / issue and quote evidence from
other sources to support reliability
▶ May detect unreliability by detecting biasness (through
provenance)
▶ Explain biasness – what is the motive / aim / agenda in
the source
Evaluating Reliability
▶ May challenge reliability through cross-referencing
(Issue)
▶ Evaluate reliability through purpose
▶ Learn to distinguish facts or opinions (one-sided? Bias?)
 Reliability
Are you surprised questions
Testing “are you surprised” questions
▶ Are you surprised by what source A says about [issue]?
Explain your answer.
▶ Checking reliability of sources
◦ Cross referencing
◦ Critical analysis of provenance linking to content
◦ Tone/Language/Perspective
◦ Purpose
Surprised
i.e. “Are you surprised at Source F?”

Huh?? Why like

that?

▶ If a source make you surprised… it means there is some

contradictions from what you know…
◦ 1) There are content which you learnt from the source
◦ 2) The content is inaccurate ( because you have cross referenced it
to other sources/BI/CK to prove it wrong)
◦ *3) You have not expected the source to be presented in this way
due to the critical analysis of the provenance/ language/ tone/
purpose
Surprised
i.e. “Are you surprised at Source F?”

Expected lah!
Confirmed!

▶ If a source do not make you surprised… it mean

◦ 1) There are content which you learnt from the source
◦ 2) The content is accurate ( because you have cross referenced it to other
sources to prove it right)
◦ *3) you expected it to be this way/ already know that based on ie critical
analysis of provenance, tone, perspective, purpose etc
Are you surprised by this source?
▶ Eg Source - A quote from a parent whose daughter is
studying in YTSS found in a forum
Example: Girl or Boy
Two is enough
Source: A picture posted on
a Singapore weblog on
current affairs, 2008

Some government policies

can have lasting consequences

▶ Study the source. Are you surprised by this source? Explain your
answer.
Study Source F. Are you surprised by this
source? Explain your answer

▶ L3 Yes/No, explained using cross-reference on government policy

have lasting consequences. Cross reference can be to other sources or
background / contextual knowledge [3-4]

▶ e.g. No I am not surprised. It says government policies will have the

consequence of limiting the number of children and this is what is
happening. When you look at Source C you can see that many
Singaporeans no longer want to have children.

Content focussing CR must also show

on Singaporeans the same issue of
reluctant to have Singaporeans
children reluctant to have
children
 Study Source F. Are you surprised by this
source? Explain your answer.

L4 Explanation based on Valid Interpretation of the Picture [5-6]

▶Note: A valid interpretation will understand the negative mocking/ criticizing/blaming aspect of the source and
illustrate this from source content. It is not about giving positive feedback to the government. Unsupported assertions
award L1/1

▶Yes based on surprise that anyone would be this critical of the government
▶e.g. Yes
I am surprised. This is from a website on current affairs. The people who published it are criticizing the
government by pointing out that discouraging people from having children in an earlier period had the effect of changing
long-term attitudes, so that when you want to change course, and get them having children again, it’s not so easy. I am
surprised anybody would be as critical as this about the government.

▶No because what the poster shows has actually occurred

▶e.g. No I am not surprised at all because it more or less shows what has happened. This is from a website on current
affairs. The people who published it are criticizing the government by pointing out that discouraging people from having
children in an earlier period has had the effect of changing long-term attitudes, so that when you want to change course,
and get them having children again, it’s not so easy.
Study Source E
Are you surprised about what Source E says about the lives of
the peasants under Soviet rule? Explain your answer?
L1 – Answers based on provenance
▶I am surprised because it is written by an American
historian and he may not know about Russian affairs
Or
▶I am not surprised because it is written by a historian and
historians don’t lie…
Study Source E
Are you surprised about what Source E says about the lives of
the peasants under Soviet rule? Explain your answer?
L2 – Answers based on content
(note that any content can be surprising or not surprising to you)
▶I am surprised/ not surprised because Source E says that
collectivisation was a success and people’s lives were getting
better. This can be seen in the source that “no more famine came to
haunt the Russian people” and “the farms grew more food” which
meant that the people have abundant food to eat and “introduction
of machines into the countryside… Now 2 million previously
backward peasants learnt how to used a tractor.” This show that
lives of the peasants had gotten better due to the advancement in
technology.
Study Source E
Are you surprised about what Source E says about the lives of
the peasants under Soviet rule? Explain your answer?

L3 – Surprised/Not Surprised based on cross reference

▶I am surprised because Source E says that collectivisation was a success and people’s
lives were getting better. This can be seen in the source that “no more famine came to
haunt the Russian people” and “the farms grew more food” which meant that the
people have abundant food to eat. This is contradicted by Source C which showed that
“the food lines were growing longer” and “grain collection were not growing”. This
suggested that there were insufficient food which showed that it is not a success. Thus I
am surprised.
▶I am not surprised because Source E says that collectivisation was a success and
people’s lives were getting better. This can be seen in the source that “no more famine
came to haunt the Russian people” and “the farms grew more food” which meant that
the people have abundant food to eat. This is supported by Source B which show that
“food production began to rise as more converted to collective farms”
Study Source E
Are you surprised about what Source E says about the lives of
the peasants under Soviet rule? Explain your answer?

L4 – Surprised based on critical analysis of the provenance

linking to content
▶I am surprised because it is written by an American historian
who is likely to be against communism but yet he presented a
positive view of Stalin’s collectivisation claiming that
collectivisation was a success and people’s lives were getting
better. This can be seen in the source that “no more famine came
to haunt the Russian people” and “the farms grew more food”
which meant that the people have abundant food to eat. Thus I
am surprised.
Summary Questions
Summary Questions
▶ Usually this is the last question of your SBQ case study
( 10 marks for SS, 8 marks for History)
▶ The question will usually require you to do the
following:
◦ Answer the question based on the issue of the SBQ
◦ Use ALL sources (for both sides of the argument)
◦ Establish points of view by checking on a) reliability of the
sources b) substantiate answer using Contextual knowledge
Summary questions – How to answer
them
▶ Answer each source in a separate paragraph.
▶ Each paragraph must have the following:
◦ Point of View ( answer the question, Supp/don’t supp/ both
viewpoints)
◦ Evidence from the source
◦ Explanation of evidence
◦ Link back to issue to answer the question
◦ (If) question reliability or substantiate answer with CK ( for 2 of
the sources)
⚫ Only for 2 sources only and the method cannot be repeated in
previous questions
Structured-Essay
SEQ questions format
▶ Social Studies
▶ 2 questions
◦ A) focus on one given factor/reason
◦ B) focus on two other factors/reasons/impact
◦ Eg: A) Why question:
◦ Explain how the Central Provident fund help to protect the interest of the
senior citizens in Singapore?
◦ B) 2 other factors
◦ Explain 2 other measures introduced by the government that help to protect
the interests of senior citizens in Singapore?
▶ Focus on reasons
▶ Use the “PEEL” method
SEQ
▶ P – Main point of the issue (the given factor or the
other factor)
▶ E – Explanation – What is it? Why is it
important/crucial?
▶ E – Elaboration – How is it shown? Using relevant
examples to provide more information on the point.
▶ L – Link the Explanation of the details to the impact
(how) and (why)
⚫ Use – As a result, hence, thus (providing the link)