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QLDModern HistoryQuick questions
Unit 1: Ideas in the modern world
Quick questions on Methods of historical inquiry: QCE Modern History Unit 1 Year 11
15short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
How does the evidence support the claim?Show answer
What does each source contribute?
What is primary sources?Show answer
Created at the time of the events being studied. Examples: diaries, letters, photographs, official documents, news reports, speeches, archaeological objects.
What is secondary sources?Show answer
Created later, analysing or commenting on the events. Examples: historians' books and articles, documentaries, biographies, reference works.
What is origin?Show answer
Who created the source? When? Where?
What is purpose?Show answer
Why was the source created? For what audience? What did the creator hope to achieve?
What is content?Show answer
What does the source actually say or show? Summarise specifically.
What is value?Show answer
What can the source tell historians about the topic? What unique perspective does it offer?
What is reliability?Show answer
How trustworthy is the source as evidence? What factors limit its reliability?
What is proximity?Show answer
How close (in time, place, social position) was the author to the events?
What is motivation?Show answer
What was the author's interest? Did they have reason to distort the truth?
What is bias?Show answer
What perspectives, prejudices or assumptions shaped the author's account?
What is corroboration?Show answer
Do other sources support this one?
What is evidence within the source?Show answer
Does the source contradict itself? Does it cite specific evidence?
What is context?Show answer
Was the source produced under conditions (censorship, propaganda, fear) that may have shaped what could be said?
What is thesis?Show answer
A specific arguable claim about the historical question.