Saturday, February 19, 2011
Source-based questions and answers
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Common mistakes made in inference
Simple. Just follow the guide below to understand the kinds of mistakes you should avoid making in the CAs.
• Incomplete explanation
e.g. Therefore I can infer that religion was very important in the lives of the people of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
(At this point, the marker will say “So?” Your explanation should be on HOW your evidence gives you your inference. Ensure that when the marker is reading your answer, he or she is able to see the link.)
• Incongruent explanation
e.g. Therefore, the government was advanced as they made their people’s lives easier.
(Being advanced has nothing to do with making people’s lives easier.)
e.g. The government has a sense of hygiene because they cared for hygiene.
(This explanation is redundant and doesn’t explain anything.)
• No link between explanation and inference
Inference: The government of the Indus Valley Civilisation was very organized
Explanation: Therefore, I can say that the government of the Indus Valley Civilisation were very smart as they could orientate their streets to the cardinal directions.
(Initially, the student inferred that the government was organized, in his explanation, he said that the government was smart. Being organized and being smart are 2 different things altogether.)
• Wrong kind of explanation
Therefore, I can infer that the government wanted to keep the city clean and cared for the people because if they did not build drainage systems and rubbish chutes, the villagers’ homes would be smelly and filthy.
(Explanation is about you explaining how you derived your inference from your evidence. You’re not suppose to explain why people in the source did what they did.)
• Stating the obvious or merely paraphrasing the provenance/source
• Not answering the question
Qn: What does Source B tell you about the fall of the Indus Valley Civilisation?
Ans: Source B tells me that Civilisations do not last forever.
(Before even attempting to answer the question, read the question CAREFULLY to find out what kind of answer are you expected to give.)
• Lifting
Lifting words from the source is an immediate indication that you are not inferring. You should mostly avoid lifting verbs (actions words) adjectives (describing words).
• Using the same piece of evidence for both inferences.
The sources provided are rich in inference. If you use the same piece of evidence for both inferences, it shows that you have not read the source thoroughly for other possible inferences.
• Use of words like “smart”, “intelligent”, “evil”, “stupid”, “foolish”
Avoid using words that are loaded or judgmental. Be more objective. For example, instead of “foolish”, use “not forward-looking”.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Comparison Questions
Here's a post to re-cap comparison questions. For students from 1C and 1G, please attempt the question at the end of this post using the embedded form. Thanks.
The comparison question can come in a number of different forms:
1) How different are Source A and Source B?
2) How similar are Source A and Source B?
This is what you need in order to answer the question:
L3/3-4 - One similarity AND One Difference in source content
Remember, you need to have a point of comparison between the two sources. When you compare anything from cars to footballers, you always compare them on the basis of a number of items, e.g:
In terms of the clubs that the footballers play for:
Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are different in terms of the clubs they play for. Wayne Rooney plays for Manchester United, whilst Michael Owen plays for Newcastle United.
In terms of the position:
Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are similar in terms of their onfield positions. Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are both forwards.
When you apply this to a SBQ, a point of comparison looks something like this:
The two sources are similar in as they both highlight the achievements of the Malacca Sultanate. [Point of Comparison] Source A states that "The Malacca Sultanate was a period of cultural and religious achievement" and Source B states that "The Malacca Sultanate was the largest empire in maritime Southeast Asia". [Evidence] Thus both sources clearly demonstrate the considerable achievements of the Malacca Sultanate.
Find one similarity and one difference and write them down in separate paragraphs.
L4/5 - Similarity/Difference in Tone
Tone refers to the manner in which a source is written. Sometimes sources can sound the same, at others, sources can sound very different. When you look out for tone, look for things such as exaggerations and emotive words which will give you clues about how a source is written.
The two sources are different in terms of tone. Source A is written in a harsh and critical manner when it states that "Qin Shihuang ruled without any regard for his people", whereas Source B is written in an adulatory manner as it sates "Qin Shihuang makes clear the Way for the people".
L5/6 - Similarity/Difference in Purpose
We've already come across purpose in the 'why' question. So you would know what purpose is all about.
Sources can have similar and different purposes. So you can compare sources based on their purpose as well.
The two sources are different in terms of purpose. Source A was written with the purpose of criticizing Qin Shihuang whereas Source B was written in order to convice people to support Qin Shihuang. This can be supported by Source A which states "...." and Source B which states "..."
So now you have an idea about comparison questions, to get the top marks, you need 4 paragraphs in total, one on similarity in terms of content, one on difference in terms of content, one similarity/difference in terms of tone and one similarity/difference in terms of purpose.
Here are the sources from CA2. Try to answer this question:
How similar are Source A and Source B in what they say about the rule of the Qin Dynasty?
Source A: A historian’s account of the actions of the first rulers of the Han Dynasty which had overthrown the Qin Dynasty.
As commoners under the Qin Dynasty, the rulers of the Han Dynasty knew the suffering that its harsh rule had brought to the people. They were quick, therefore, to abolish its more offensive laws and institutions, while leaving intact the rest of its elaborate machinery of government.
Source B: An extract of an account written by Sima Qian, a court historian of the Han Dynasty, after the collapse of the Qin Dynasty.
The First Emperor was greedy and short-sighted, confident in his own wisdom, never trusted his meritorious officials, nor got to know his people. He cast aside the kingly way and relied on private procedures outlawing books and writings, making the laws and penalties much harsher, putting deceit and force foremost and humanity and righteousness last, leading the whole world in violence and cruelty.”
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Source-Based Questions Clinic
I will be organising a source-based questions clinic on Tue 7 Apr 2009 and will be running the same session again on 21 Apr 2009 for those of you who think who need some help for SBQs. Priority will be given to those who did not do well for CA1. Please sign up using the form below.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Inference based on Purpose
Cheers,
Mr Leslie Tay
Inferring based on Purpose
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Answers - Sources A & B
Dear all,
These is the LORMS for the first question from the earlier post. Make sure that you at least try the first two questions.
Please check your answers after you have done the questions.
Study Source A
What does the source tell you about the people of the Shang civilization ? 5m
L1 Lifting from the source 1- 2
The source tells me that there were different types of people which comprise of ‘men-at-arms, doubtless the companions and servants of the king’
L2 Inference unsupported 2-3 [One Inference - 2 marks, Two inferences - 3 marks]
The source tells me that the people of Shang civilization had different hierarchy of society.
The source also tells me that the people of the Shang were loyal to their king.
The people of the Shang civilization had a high level of craftsmanship.
L3 Inference supported 4-5 [One Inference with support - 2 marks, Two inferences with support - 3 marks]
The source tells me that the people of Shang had different hierarchy of society. This can be supported with evidence from the source ‘The royal coffin, made of wood, lay above the central grave, in which a dog has been sacrificed. Surrounding this grave were remains of men-at-arms, doubtless the companions and servants of the king’ The king was evidently at the top most level than the nobles , craftsmen and sevants.
It also shows that the people were loyal to the king.This can be supported by the fact that the people were willing to sacrifice for him ‘surrounding his grave…….companions and servants of the king’’
These are the answers for Source B
Study Source B
Why did the author of Source B make this inscription? Explain your answer.
L1 Lifting from Source [1]
The author made this inscription to say that Qin Shihuang made rules and measures just and fair.
L2 Inference Unsupported [2-3]
The author made this inscription to praise Qin Shihuang in order to create a favourable view of Qin Shihuang among the people of China.
The author made this inscription to convince people about the benefits of Qin Shihuang’s rule.
The author made this inscription to justify Qin Shihuang’s rule to the people of China.
L3 Inference supported [4-5]
The author made this inscription in order to praise Qin Shihuang in order to create a favourable view of Qin Shihuang among the people of China. This can be supported from Source B which states that ‘he makes rules and measures just and fair’. This shows that the author views Qin Shihuang favourably and seeks to praise him in this inscription.
The author made this inscription to convince people about the benefits of Qin Shihuang’s rule, this can be supported by the source which states “his wisdom, kindness and justice”. This shows that the author seeks to highlight the good qualities of Qin Shihuang in order to convince people to support Qin Shihuang.
The author made this inscription in order to justify Qin Shihuang’s rule to the people of China, as the source states “make bright and clear the principles of the Way”. This demonstrates that the author clearly feels that Qin Shihuang is a good ruler who is able to lead the people.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Fatal Mistakes when dealing with inferential SBQ
Joey's attempt number 1: Failure to understand what an inference is. i.e You simply quote from the source.
Joey's attempt number 2: Making inferences that are completely irrelevant to what the source provides you and failing to read what the inferential question wants.
Joey's attempt number 3: You enter the examination hall thinking you can deal with a SBQ without revising your topics well enough. i.e. You have 0 contextual knowledge.
Cheers,
Mr. Leslie Tay
CA Revision Package
This is a package for you to practice and revise for the forthcoming CAs.
The LORMS will be posted later on for you to check your answers.
Please do approach your history teachers if you need any assistance.
Regards,
Mr Daryl Tan
Thursday, February 5, 2009
CA - Inference Questions
Some notes on the 'what' inference question for the SBQ section.
1. Inference
a. Read the question - Find out what exactly is the question asking you to make an inference about.
b. Always use your own words for inference and look beyond the obvious;
c. You can quote directly from the source for evidence;
d. Give 2 inferences (3 if you want to be safe)
e. 2-3 paragraphs
Remember it's all about looking beyond the surface level of the source.
Try the SBQ exercise on pages 44-45 of your workbook. Use the following LORMS to self-mark only have you have done the exercise.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
CA Revision Posts
Here are some posts to help you with your CA revision. Some of the questions are from chapter 4, government, so only try those that talk about Qin Shihuang and Chandragupta AFTER you've completed chapter 4.
The answers will follow shortly.
Thank you.
Mr Tan
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sample Answer SBQ Question (d)
This is a sample answer for SBQ question (d) for the mock exam.
Sources C and D are different in their perspective of the achievements of the Khmer people. Source C specifically focuses on Angkor Wat when it states “commence with the temple of the
Sources C and D are similar as both sources discuss the architectural achievements of the Khmer people. Source C states “the most beautiful and best preserved” indicating the author’s feelings about the beauty of Angkor Wat. Source D states “the gold tower and even higher than it is a copper tower from where the view is truly impressive” demonstrating the author’s feelings about the various structures in the city.
Sources C and D are similar in terms of purpose as the authors of both sources seek to convince their readers about the remarkable achievements of the Khmer people. This can be supported from Source C which states “by enchantment, he seems to be transported from barbarism to cvilisation” indicating that the author sought to convince the readers about the achievements of the Khmer people.
Sources C and D differ in terms of tone. Source C is written in a tone of amazement, this is evident from the many emotive and exaggerated words used in the source such as “finding an oasis in the sandy desert”. Source D on the other hand is written in an incredulous tone. This is evident from the source which states “was erected one night by Lu Pan” showing that the authors clearly did not believe Angkor Wat was built by men.
Please note that each paragraph has a point of comparison and lists down evidence from the source in order to justify the point.
Hope this helps.
Best Wishes,
Your History Teachers
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Comparison Questions
In terms of the SBQ skills, you have already been introduced to inference questions for CA. The other skill that you would need to master is that of comparison skills.
The comparison question can come in a number of different forms:
1) How different are Source A and Source B?
2) How similar are Source A and Source B?
This is what you need in order to answer the question:
L3/3-4 - One similarity AND One Difference in source content
Remember, you need to have a point of comparison between the two sources. When you compare anything from cars to footballers, you always compare them on the basis of a number of items, e.g:
In terms of the clubs that the footballers play for:
Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are different in terms of the clubs they play for. Wayne Rooney plays for Manchester United, whilst Michael Owen plays for Newcastle United.
In terms of the position:
Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are similar in terms of their onfield positions. Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen are both forwards.
When you apply this to a SBQ, a point of comparison looks something like this:
The two sources are similar in as they both highlight the achievements of the Malacca Sultanate. [Point of Comparision] Source A states that "The Malacca Sultanate was a period of cultural and religous achievement" and Source B states that "The Malacca Sultanate was the largest empire in maritime Southeast Asia". [Evidence] Thus both sources clearly demonstrate the considerable achievements of the Malcca Sultanate.
Find one similarity and one difference and write them down in seperate paragraphs.
L4/5 - Similarity/Difference in Tone
Tone refers to the manner in which a source is written. Sometimes sources can sound the same, at others, sources can sound very different. When you look out for tone, look for things such as exaggerations and emotive words which will give you clues about how a source is written.
The two sources are different in terms of tone. Source A is written in a harsh and critical manner when it states that "Qin Shihuang ruled without any regard for his people", whereas Source B is written in an adulatory manner as it sates "Qin Shihuang makes clear the Way for the people".
L5/6 - Similarity/Difference in Purpose
We've already come across purpose in the 'why' question. So you would know what purpose is all about.
Sources can have similar and different purposes. So you can compare sources based on their purpose as well.
The two sources are different in terms of purpose. Source A was written with the purpose of criticising Qin Shihuang whereas Source B was written in order to convice people to support Qin Shihuang. This can be supported by Source A which states "...." and Source B which states "..."
So now you have an idea about comparison questions, to get the top marks, you need 4 paragraphs in total, one on similarity in terms of content, one on difference in terms of content, one similarity/difference in terms of tone and one similarity/difference in terms of purpose.
Here are the sources from CA2. Try to answer this question:
How similar are Source A and Source B in what they say about the rule of the Qin Dynasty?
Source A: A historian’s account of the actions of the first rulers of the Han Dynasty which had overthrown the Qin Dynasty.
As commoners under the Qin Dynasty, the rulers of the Han Dynasty knew the suffering that its harsh rule had brought to the people. They were quick, therefore, to abolish its more offensive laws and institutions, while leaving intact the rest of its elaborate machinery of government.
Source B: An extract of an account written by Sima Qian, a court historian of the Han Dynasty, after the collapse of the Qin Dynasty.
The First Emperor was greedy and short-sighted, confident in his own wisdom, never trusted his meritorious officials, nor got to know his people. He cast aside the kingly way and relied on private procedures outlawing books and writings, making the laws and penalties much harsher, putting deceit and force foremost and humanity and righteousness last, leading the whole world in violence and cruelty.”
Answers to follow shortly.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Additional Practice
Source A: A historian’s account of the Shang civilization.
The most striking picture of
Check your answer using the LORMS below.
LORMS
L1 Lifting from the source 1-2
The source tells me that the Shang people buried their king in big royal tombs which ‘comprise a big rectanglar grave on a north-south axis, with a smaller, deeper central grave’.
L2 Inference unsupported 2-3
The source tells me that the Shang people believed in life after death.
The source tells me that the people believed in the king being the mandate of heaven.
L3 Inference supported 4-5
The source tells me that the Shang people believed in life after death as ‘remains of men-at-arms, doubtless the companions and servants of the king – his chariot with its horses and their drivers, pottery bronze vases, and other objects of value’ were found buried together with the king. These people and things were buried together with the king in order to serve him in the afterlife.
The source tells me that the people believed in the king being the mandate of heaven.
Answers - Source C
Study Source C
Why did the author of Source C make this inscription? Explain your answer.
L1 Lifting from Source [1]
The author made this inscription to say that assaults and battles took place everyday.
L2 Inference Unsupported [2-3]
The author made this inscription to demonstrate to the people of China, Qin Shihuang's achievement of unifying China and bringing order to China,
The author made this inscription to convince the people of China that Qin Shihuang had restored order to China.
The author made this inscription to justify Qin Shihuang's right to rule China to the people of China.
L3 Inference supported [4-5]
The author made this inscription to demonstrate to the people of China, Qin Shihuang's achievement of unifying and bringing order to China. This is evident as the source states "not until now, has our emperor". This demonstrates that the author felt that that Qin Shihuang's achievement was unparalleled.
The author made this inscription to convince the people of China that Qin Shihuang had restored order to China. This is evident as the source states "the land was divided and separate states existed." This demonstrates the disorder in China prior to the establishment of the Qin Dynasty.
The author made this inscription to justify Qin Shihuang's right to rule China to the people of China. This is evident as the source states "made the world one family." This demonstrates that the author felt that Qin Shihuang had unified China and was thus worthy to be the ruler of China.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Answers - Source A
Dear all,
These is the LORMS for the first question.
Please check your answers after you have done the question.
Study Source A
What does the source tell you about the people of the Shang civilization ? 5m
L1 Lifting from the source 1- 2
The source tells me that there were different types of people which comprise of ‘men-at-arms, doubtless the companions and servants of the king’
L2 Inference unsupported 2-3 [One Inference - 2 marks, Two inferences - 3 marks]
The source tells me that the people of Shang civilization had different hierarchy of society.
The source also tells me that the people of the Shang were loyal to their king.
The people of the Shang civilization had a high level of craftsmanship.
L3 Inference supported 4-5 [One Inference with support - 2 marks, Two inferences with support - 3 marks]
The source tells me that the people of Shang had different hierarchy of society. This can be supported with evidence from the source ‘The royal coffin, made of wood, lay above the central grave, in which a dog has been sacrificed. Surrounding this grave were remains of men-at-arms, doubtless the companions and servants of the king’ The king was evidently at the top most level than the nobles , craftsmen and sevants.
It also shows that the people were loyal to the king.This can be supported by the fact that the people were willing to sacrifice for him ‘surrounding his grave…….companions and servants of the king’’
The people of the Shang civilization had a high level of craftsmanship.This can be supported from the source that says ‘pottery bronze vases, and other objects’.