3
IB HISTORY ROUTE 1 AND 2
PRESCRIBED SUBJECT
HOW TO DO IT
This paper is source based.
That means it is based on extracts from primary and secondary sources.
That also means that there are no essays to write.
There are three possible topics to choose from, each of which will appear on the exam paper.
You must study only one of the three.
This year (2010) the Prescribed Subject Paper you will study from Route 2 is:
The Arab-Israeli Conflict 1945-1979
STRUCTURE OF PRESCRIBED PAPER,
WHAT CRITERIA EACH QUESTION IS BASED ON AND TRYING TO ASSESS
AND
TIPS FOR COMPLETING THE PRESCRIBED SUBJECT PAPER SUCCESSFULLY
Tip 1: Answer the questions on the one topic we study.
The question on each topic is always split into 4 questions
Question 1
It is always split in two.
1.(a) is worth 3 points
1 (b) is worth 2 points
The first question will ask students to explain the importance of a source in part (a)
Whereas part (b) will test whether you have simply understood a particular source.
The official criteria they are trying to assess are:
1. Knowledge and understanding • Understand historical sources
2. Application and interpretation • Explain the importance of historical sources
Question 2
It is worth 6 points.
It always asks you to compare and contrast what two of the sources say about something
In the first part of your answer you should write down the ways in which the two sources appear to agree with each other and be referring to or even saying the same things.
Then, in the second half of your answer, you talk about the ways in which they are different: for example the different opinions they have about the same thing, or the different things they talk about (something in one that is not in the other).
The second question will test analysis of sources through the comparison and contrast of three sources. What they are trying to assess here is:
2. Application and interpretation • Compare and contrast historical sources as evidence
Question 3
It always asks you to examine two of the sources.
It always asks you to discuss the origins, Purpose value and Limitations of each source.
So, guess what you have to write about?
Yes, the origins, purpose, value and limitations of each source.
In other words, your first sentence should begin “The origins of source A….”
Your second sentence should be “the purpose of source… A”
Your third sentence should be “The value of source A….”
Your fourth sentence should be “The limitations of source A….”
Once you have done this, you then turn to the second source they ask you to look at and do the same thing for that one.
The third question will ask students to discuss two sources in relation to their origin, purpose, value and limitations
What they are trying to assess here is
3. Synthesis and evaluation • Evaluate historical sources as evidence
Question 4
It is worth 8 marks.
It asks you a question and it asks you to use all the sources and your own knowledge to anser it (to agree with it or disagree with it).
Make sure you answer the question asked.
Make sure that your argument is based on the sources.
Make sure that you mention every single one of the sources.
Make sure you use some of your own knowledge
The fourth question will test evaluation of sources and contextual knowledge.
What they are trying to assess here is:
1. Knowledge and understanding • Demonstrate an understanding of historical context
3. Synthesis and evaluation • Evaluate and synthesize evidence from both historical
sources and background knowledge
TIPS ON HOW TO ORGANISE THE ONE HOUR YOU HAVE TO COMPLETE IT.
Tip 2: Divide up the one hour you have to complete the paper in the following way:
Spend the first ten minutes reading the entire paper.
Read every word. This includes the introductory bit in italics (this gives you the main theme of all the sources) as well as all the italic bits around all the sources and all the sources themselves.
That leaves you about 50 minutes.
During that 50 minutes, the maximum you can get on this paper is 25 marks.
QUESTION: What is 25 divided into 50 minutes?
ANSWER: 2
So that means you should be picking up one point every two minutes.
Tip 3:
So that means, if the question is worth 3 points, spend no longer than 6 minutes on it
If it is worth 2 points, spend no longer than 4 minutes on it
If it is worth 6 points, spend no longer than 12 minutes on it
and if the question is worth 8 points, then spend at least 16 minutes on it.
HINT
You should be able to pick up time on Question 1, and maybe even Question 3, so as you can spend more time on Question 8.
Tip 4
If you can, make Question 8 read like a bit of an essay, with a claim and a counter claim.
But if you are not completely confident, then do it in a more systematic note form. In other words, say:
“According to source A…
“According to source B…
“According to source C… etc..and so on until you have mentioned how each source can be used to prove or disprove the argument implied in the question.
“According to my own knowledge..”.