Question Guidance: What is the message of the source?

Message The message of the source is…

Source Detail 1 Firstly, this is shown by…

Relevant own knowledge which supports Source Detail 1

(Possible sentence starters: This links to…/ I know from my own knowledge…/ This is relevant to…/ This can be seen when….)

Source Detail 2 Secondly, (the message)

is shown by…

Relevant own knowledge which supports Source Detail 2

(Possible sentence starters: This links to…/ I know from my own knowledge…/ This is relevant to…/ This can be seen when….)

If you complete boxes 2 and 4 you will only get 3 marks (E Grade)

If you complete boxes 1 and 2/4 you will get 4 marks (D Grade)

If you complete boxes 1, 2 and 3 you will get 5 marks (C Grade)

If you complete all boxes you will get between 6 and 7 marks (A-B Grade)

Getting the Marks

Structuring an Answer

This form of question will ask you give the message of a source using details from the source and your own knowledge. It is worth 6 or 7 marks. (This varies from year to year)

What is the message of the cartoon?

(June 2010)

Level 1 Uses surface features of cartoon only 1-2e.g. ‘The figure on the left is being held whilst it receives the peace terms in the form of apill.’‘The Treaty was good (bad) one.’‘The Treaty will make things better.’‘Germany was being treated unfairly.’(Allow 2 marks for a valid message but one that is not the main message)

Level 2 Interpretation to give the main message 3The message must relate to the idea of force or that the treatment was unpleasant or thatit was expensive.e.g. ‘The main message of the cartoon is that Germany is being forced to accept theirtreatment at Versailles.’‘Germany is being forced to accept unpleasant / expensive treatment.’

Level 3 Interpretation supported by details of the cartoon OR by contextual knowledge 4-5e.g. ‘The main message of the cartoon is that Germany is being forced to accept theirtreatment at Versailles. The cartoon shows the Allied leaders administering the ‘medicine’to Germany and Germany does not want to take it so Germany is struggling and has to beforced to accept its punishment as shown by the hand with the names of the countries onit. It does not have a choice as can be seen at the right hand side of the cartoon where itsays, ‘You’ve got to swallow whether you like it or not.’ eh box indicates the expense at‘millions a box’.’ORe.g. ‘The main message of the cartoon is that Germany is being forced to accept theirtreatment at Versailles. The man representing Germany is struggling as Germany is beingforced to pay very high reparations / suffer savage cuts to its military.. Germany wasforced to accept the Peace Treaty (Diktat) but was not happy with many of the terms beingimposed on them.’

Level 4 Interpretation supported by details of the cartoon AND by contextual knowledge 6Both sides of Level 3.

Example Question