Paper 1 source skills
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How long is IB History Paper 1 and how many marks?
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1.3.112 cards
How long is IB History Paper 1 and how many marks?
1 hour (plus 5 minutes' reading time); 24 marks; four sources and four fixed questions.
What is the mark distribution across the four Paper 1 questions?
Q1a = 3, Q1b = 2, Q2 = 4, Q3 = 6, Q4 = 9. Memory hook: '3-2-4-6-9' = 24.
What does Q1(a) ('What, according to Source X…') require?
Three separate points taken FROM the source — no outside knowledge. 3 marks.
What does Q1(b) ('What does Source X suggest…') require?
One supported message or inference — what the source (often an image/map) implies — with a detail to back it up. 2 marks.
What does OPVL stand for and which question uses it?
Origin, Purpose, Value, Limitations (IB phrasing: origin, purpose and content). Used for Q2 [4 marks].
What must a Q3 'compare and contrast' answer include?
Both similarities AND differences, linked directly source to source (running comparison) — not two separate one-source paragraphs. 6 marks.
What three things does a top Q4 [9] answer combine?
The sources (by letter) + your own knowledge + a balanced argument ending in an explicit judgement.
Why is a biased source still valuable to a historian?
Bias limits reliability on facts but is valuable evidence of attitudes — what people at the time wanted believed.
Which question is the only one that directly rewards own knowledge?
Q4, the 9-mark judgement; Q1–Q3 are answered from inside the sources.
Which region and dates apply to each Military leaders case study?
Genghis Khan = Asia (1206–1227); Richard I (the Lionheart) = Europe (1189–1199, Third Crusade 1191–1192, ransom 1193).
What is the classic trap in a Q2 OPVL answer?
Describing what the source says instead of evaluating it as evidence, and giving only value OR only limitations rather than both.
Roughly how should you split your hour across Paper 1?
About one minute per mark: ~5 min Q1, ~8 min Q2, ~12 min Q3, ~18 min Q4, leaving a buffer.
Topic 1.3 study notes
Full notes & explanations for Paper 1 source skills
History exam skills
Paper structures, command terms & tips
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