How many sources are there in a China Part A question?
One source.
How many issues must you discuss in the answer?
Two issues (always in the question wording).
What are the four skills you must show to reach top band?
Use source, use own knowledge, evaluate value & limits, analyse NOP.
What does NOP stand for?
Nature, Origin, Purpose.
What is the best structure for a 20-mark China source answer?
Intro → Issue 1 paragraph → Issue 2 paragraph → Limitations paragraph → Judgement.
What should every main paragraph include?
Source content + factual knowledge + NOP + evaluation.
What is the sentence starter for analysing value?
The source is valuable for revealing ___ because it shows…
What is the sentence starter for analysing limitations?
However, the source is limited because…
How do you link provenance to value?
Since the source was created in ___ by ___, it gives insight into ___, making it useful for…
How do you link provenance to limitation?
The purpose/audience of the source weakens its reliability because it was intended to ___, so it may exaggerate/omit…
What is the biggest beginner mistake in source questions?
Describing the source instead of evaluating its usefulness.
What does the examiner WANT in every paragraph?
A judgement — not just info.
How do you show “own knowledge” correctly?
Add precise facts (dates, figures, events) that confirm or challenge the source.
What type of conclusion gets Level 5?
One that weighs usefulness (“useful to a large/some/limited extent because…”).
What word MUST appear in every paragraph to get top marks?
“Useful” (or “value”). They mark for answering the question directly.
If the source is visual, what do you write about?
Symbols, tone, what is exaggerated, who is shown as victim/villain, purpose of the image.
If the source is anti-foreign, what context should you mention?
Opium Wars, Unequal Treaties, missionary expansion, Tianjin Massacre, Boxer Rebellion.
If the source criticises the Qing, what context should you add?
Qing inability to resist Western powers, Boxer Protocol, self-strengthening failure, foreign concessions.
