Key Idea: Paper 1 always gives you three sources — A, B, C — built around one inquiry question. This topic is entirely about the three fixed questions you'll answer about them: content (Q1), context (Q2), and perspectives (Q3). Once you know the trick to each, the sources themselves barely matter — the skill transfers to any Conflict and Displacement topic.
How this topic is tested
Paper 1 is always the same shape: three static questions worth 24 marks total, based on three sources you have never seen before.
Q1 [6] asks you to explain how the CONTENT of two named sources (always two, never all three) helps answer the inquiry question. Q2 [6] asks you to analyse the CONTEXT — origin, purpose, time and place — of one named source, usually Source C. Q3 [12] asks you to examine the PERSPECTIVES across ALL three sources. Get the target right for each question before you write a word.
Must-know facts from every sub-topic
| Sub-topic | Question it teaches | Key idea to remember |
|---|---|---|
| 4.3.1 (Q1) | Content of two sources [6] | Pick a specific detail from Source A AND Source B, then explain what it shows about the inquiry question. Describing a source ("Source A says the camps were overcrowded") earns almost nothing — explaining the link earns the marks. Using only one source caps you well below full marks. |
| 4.3.1 (Q2) | Context of one source [6] | Context = Origin, Purpose, Time and place (OPTP). The exam-winning move is explaining what a source's origin and purpose let you use it FOR, not just labelling it 'biased' or 'reliable'. |
| 4.3.1 (Q3) | Perspectives across all sources [12] | The markbands are strict: one source caps you at 6/12, two sources caps you at 9/12 — you must discuss all three. Strong answers explain WHY perspectives differ (tracing back to each source's origin and purpose) and then judge what the combined picture shows. |
- Content — what a source actually says or shows; the focus of Q1.
- Context — a source's origin, purpose, time and place (OPTP); the focus of Q2.
- Perspective — the viewpoint a source reflects, shaped by who made it and why; the focus of Q3.
- Corroborate — when two independent sources agree, which strengthens a claim in Q3.
A useful worked contrast from the micro: a 1946 Red Cross report on Displaced Persons camps in Germany gives you scale and logistics (strong for Q1 content), while a survivor's memoir of the same camps adds the fear of repatriation the official report misses. A 1979 US State Department memo on Vietnamese boat people is strong on official policy reasoning (Q2 context) but its purpose — justifying a Cold War resettlement scheme — means it likely favours a positive account, which matters for Q3 perspectives.
Examine how the perspectives in Sources A, B and C can be used to answer the inquiry question: How was displacement experienced by different groups?
🔒 Model answer plan
See the mark-by-mark plan — for / against / judgement, with marking guidance — in study mode.
Important: Answering Q3 with only one or two sources. It feels natural to write more about the source you understand best, but the markbands cap you hard: one source = maximum 6/12, two sources = maximum 9/12. Always give each of the three sources its own moment before you compare them.
How many sources does Q1 use? Two named sources — always two, never one and never all three. Q1 [6] splits roughly 3 marks per source, so skipping one caps your score.
What does Q2 focus on? Context, not content — usually Source C's origin, purpose, time and place (OPTP). It asks what the source can be used for, not just whether it's 'reliable'.
What's the maximum mark if you only discuss one source in Q3? 6 out of 12. Two sources caps you at 9/12. All three sources are required to reach the 10-12 band.
What's wrong with saying 'Source A is reliable because it's a primary source'? It's a vague reliability claim with no content-specific reasoning. Strong answers instead explain what a specific detail in the source shows about the inquiry question.
What does OPTP stand for? Origin, Purpose, Time and place — the four things you analyse about a source's context for Q2.
What is corroboration? When two independent sources reach the same conclusion, which strengthens that claim — a key move in a strong Q3 answer.
For Q1, name a specific detail from each of the two sources and explain what it shows. For Q2, don't just call a source biased — explain what its origin and purpose let you use it for. For Q3, take the sources in order (A, then B, then C), state each one's perspective in a sentence, then finish with a paragraph that explicitly compares where they agree, where they clash, and what that means for the inquiry question.