There are only three types of questions that appear in SBCS.
Inference Questions
You may be asked to find out the message or purpose of a source. Sometimes, the question will also ask you to explain the lessons that can be learned from it.
How to Make an Inference – Remember:
State your inference – identify the message, purpose, or idea suggested by the source.
Support with evidence – use details from the source (content and provenance if relevant).
Explain your reasoning – show how the evidence supports your inference.
Inference made easy: I.C.E.
I – Infer: Make a clear inference about the message, purpose, or lesson.
C – Content: Use evidence from the source (details + provenance if useful).
E – Explanation: Explain how the evidence supports your inference.
For the Message:
Infer – State the message the source conveys.
Content – Support with a quote or evidence from the source.
Explain – Show how the evidence supports your inference using context and provenance.
For the Purpose:
Identify the Purpose – What is the source trying to achieve?
Consider the Audience – Who is the source intended for?
Determine the Outcome – What effect or result is the source trying to produce?
Cartoon → Sways opinion; uses humor, exaggeration, or symbolism to influence an outcome.
Newspaper Article / Report → Informs the public; focus and tone show purpose and audience.
Blog → Expresses opinion or persuades; language and viewpoint indicate intended influence.
Speech (Parliament / Public Figure) → Persuades, justifies, or convinces; audience and context reveal purpose.
Photograph / Visual Source → Evokes emotion or supports an argument; framing and content show intended effect.
💡 Remember: Linking the source type to its purpose makes your inference stronger and more convincing.
Comparision Questions
Focus on the Given Sources
Compare the two provided sources.
Do not reference other sources for general comparison questions.
Agreement / Support Questions
If asked whether Source A agrees with or supports Source B, you must reference additional sources to strengthen your answer and gain higher marks.
Steps to Compare
Choose a Comparison Criterion – e.g., message, purpose, perspective, audience.
Use the criterion provided in the question if given.
Gather Evidence – Identify relevant content from both sources.
Explain the Comparison – Show how the evidence demonstrates similarity or difference.
For similarities/agreement: use words like similarly, likewise, in the same way, both, also.
For differences / contrast: use words like however, on the other hand, whereas, in contrast, unlike, and although.
💡Quick Tip: Always make your reasoning clear. Linking words not only organize your answer but also show the examiner you understand the relationship between sources.
Quick Tip “Criterion → Evidence → Explain → Link”
Similarities / Agreement: similarly, likewise, in the same way
Differences / Contrast: however, on the other hand, whereas
Evaluation Questions
1. Types of Evaluation Questions:
Usefulness – How helpful is the source for understanding the topic?
Reliability – How trustworthy or accurate is the source?
Surprise / Unexpected – Does the source provide unexpected or new information?
2. How to Evaluate a Source:
You will be asked to evaluate a source using:
The content itself – Examine what the source says or shows.
Cross-reference with other sources – Use other sources to support your evaluation.
Background information / Contextual knowledge – Use what you know to strengthen your evaluation.
3. Steps to Make an Evaluation:
Support with Evidence – Always back your evaluation with content from the source.
Show Two Perspectives – Include both sides of the evaluation (strengths and weaknesses, or usefulness vs limitations).
💡 Quick Tip: A strong evaluation combines evidence, comparison with other sources, and contextual knowledge, showing a balanced and well-reasoned judgement.
1. What is Usefulness?
Usefulness is a judgement about how relevant or helpful a source is in providing information about your topic.
A source is useful if it provides information that answers the question or relates directly to your topic.
The measure of usefulness depends on the question being asked.
2. How to Prove Usefulness:
You can show that a source is useful in several ways:
Explicit Information – The source provides clear facts about the topic.
How to show: Use a direct quote from the source.
Implicit Information – The source suggests information about the topic indirectly.
How to show: Use an indirect quote or paraphrase.
Corroboration – The source supports information found in another source.(cross-referencing)
How to show: Provide quotes from both sources to demonstrate agreement.
Contradiction – The source provides information that disagrees with another source.
How to show: Provide quotes from both sources to highlight the difference.
3. How to Write a Usefulness Question Answer:
A successful evaluation of a source’s usefulness should include three elements:
Judgement – State clearly whether the source is useful or not.
Topic – Specify the topic for which you are evaluating the source’s usefulness.
Evidence – Support your judgment with direct quotes from the source.
4. Strengthen Your Evaluation:
Use contextual knowledge or background information to support your judgement.
Explain why and how the source is useful in relation to the topic.
5. Types of Sources: Purpose, Usefulness, and Limitations
Political Cartoon
Purpose: To sway opinion; often uses humor, exaggeration, or symbolism to influence an outcome.
Useful because: It shows public attitudes or criticisms at the time, and reveals the cartoonist’s perspective.
Not useful because: It is often biased, exaggerated, or oversimplified, so it may not present a balanced view.
Newspaper Article / Report
Purpose: To inform the public about events or issues; tone and focus reflect the intended audience.
Useful because: Provides factual details about events, public debates, and shows media framing of issues.
Not useful because: May reflect editorial bias, censorship, or only one perspective, limiting objectivity.
Blog
Purpose: To express opinion or persuade; language and viewpoint show intended influence.
Useful because: Shows personal perspectives or public reactions on a topic, and sometimes provides insider knowledge.
Not useful because: May be subjective, unverified, or unreliable, especially if lacking evidence or expertise.
Speech (Parliament / Public Figure)
Purpose: To persuade, justify, or convince an audience; context reveals intended outcome.
Useful because: Provides official government or leader perspectives; shows intentions and reasoning.
Not useful because: Often self-serving or biased, aiming to justify policies rather than present full facts.
Photograph / Visual Source
Purpose: To evoke emotion, document, or support an argument; framing and content show intended effect.
Useful because: Provides visual evidence of people, places, or events; can capture emotions or conditions powerfully.
Not useful because: Can be staged, selective, or cropped; lacks explanation, so context may be missing.
Diary / Personal Journal
Purpose: To record private thoughts, experiences, or daily life.
Useful because: Offers first-hand perspectives, emotions, and personal experiences of an event.
Not useful because: Very subjective, incomplete, and personal; may not represent wider society or all perspectives.
Statement from the Minister / Official Government Statement
Purpose: To inform, justify, or reassure the public about government actions.
Useful because: Shows official government position and reasoning; reflects policy direction.
Not useful because: Likely to be biased or one-sided, aiming to defend the government rather than present full facts.
8. Book (History / Academic Work)
Purpose: To inform, analyze, or educate; usually structured for a wide audience or scholarly readers.
Useful because: Often well-researched, with context, analysis, and evidence; can provide long-term perspectives.
Not useful because: May reflect the author’s interpretation or bias, could be outdated, and depends on the author’s expertise.
💡 Quick Tip:
A strong evaluation of usefulness combines explicit and implicit information, shows corroboration or contradiction if relevant, and clearly links the evidence to the topic.
When asked about usefulness, always give both sides (why it is useful & why it is limited).
Link back to the question topic – a source is only useful if it helps answer the question being asked.
1. What is Reliability?
Reliability refers to how trustworthy and accurate a source is.
A source is considered reliable if it consistently provides accurate, truthful, and unbiased information.
The measure of reliability depends on the context of the question and the source's characteristics.
2. How to Prove Reliability:
To assess and demonstrate a source's reliability, consider the following factors:
Authorship
Who created the source?
Are they an expert or authority on the topic?
Do they have a known bias or agenda?
How to show: Provide information about the author’s background and qualifications.
Publication Source
Where was the source published?
Is it a reputable publisher or platform?
Is it peer-reviewed or professionally edited?
How to show: Mention the publisher or platform and its credibility.
Date of Publication
When was the source published?
Is the information current and relevant?
How to show: State the publication date and discuss its relevance.
Corroboration with Other Sources
Does the source agree with other reliable sources?
Is the information consistent across multiple sources?
How to show: Compare the source with other reputable sources and highlight agreements or discrepancies.
Purpose and Audience
Why was the source created?
Who is the intended audience?
Is there any indication of bias or persuasion?
How to show: Analyze the source's purpose and intended audience, and discuss any potential biases.
3. How to Write a Reliability Evaluation Answer:
A strong evaluation of a source's reliability should include:
Judgement – Clearly state whether the source is reliable or not.
Evidence – Provide evidence from the source and other reputable sources to justify your judgement.
Explanation – Explain why the evidence supports your judgement, considering the factors mentioned above.
4. Strengthen Your Evaluation:
Use contextual knowledge or background information to support your judgement.
Discuss any potential biases or limitations of the source.
Compare the source with other reliable sources to assess consistency and accuracy.
1. Political Cartoon
Reliable because: Accurately reflects attitudes, criticisms, or stereotypes of the time.
Not reliable because: Uses exaggeration, humor, and bias; does not provide factual details.
2. Newspaper Article / Report
Reliable because: Often based on first-hand reporting, can provide specific details about events.
Not reliable because: May reflect editorial bias, censorship, or government control, depending on the publisher.
3. Blog
Reliable because: Can show authentic personal perspectives or insider experiences.
Not reliable because: Highly subjective, may lack evidence, and often not fact-checked.
4. Speech (Parliament / Public Figure)
Reliable because: A genuine record of what was said by leaders at the time; reveals official positions.
Not reliable because: Aims to persuade or justify; therefore, biased and may leave out inconvenient facts.
5. Photograph / Visual Source
Reliable because: Captures real images or moments from the event.
Not reliable because: Can be staged, selective, cropped, or manipulated; lacks context or explanation.
6. Diary / Personal Journal
Reliable because: Provides first-hand accounts and feelings; written close to the time of events.
Not reliable because: Very subjective, may include personal bias, and may not reflect broader realities.
7. Statement from the Minister / Official Government Statement
Reliable because: Accurately shows the government’s official position or policies.
Not reliable because: Aims to defend or justify, so it may hide negative details or distort facts.
8. Book (History / Academic Work)
Reliable because: Often based on research, evidence, and analysis; peer-reviewed books are especially trustworthy.
Not reliable because: Still reflects the author’s interpretation; may be outdated or influenced by the author’s bias.
💡 Quick Tip: A comprehensive reliability evaluation involves analyzing the author's credibility, the publication's reputation, the source's currency, corroboration with other sources, and an understanding of the source's purpose and intended audience.
Question type:
“Having read Source X, are you surprised by Source Y? Explain your answer.”
1. Understand the Task
The target source is always the one mentioned last (Source Y in the question).
You must decide whether the content of Source Y is surprising or not after considering what is said in Source X.
This is partly a comparison question, so you must use both sources in your answer.
2. Step-by-Step Approach
a) Compare Content
Check whether the two sources agree or disagree.
If they agree, then Source Y is likely not surprising.
If they disagree, then Source Y might be surprising.
b) Use Cross-Reference (if possible)
Support your answer by checking whether other sources or your own contextual knowledge align more with Source X or Source Y.
This strengthens your evaluation.
c) Analyse Provenance (High-Level)
Go beyond the words of the sources.
Ask: Who wrote it? When? Why? For whom?
Purpose, audience, and context often explain why two sources differ.
Differences in purpose can show that Source Y is actually not surprising, even if it disagrees with Source X.
d) Make a Clear Judgement
Always state your judgement clearly:
“Source Y is surprising because…” OR
“Source Y is not surprising because…”
3. What a Strong Answer Includes
Content comparison between the two sources.
Evidence from both sources (direct or paraphrased).
Provenance analysis (purpose, audience, context).
Conclusion that directly answers the question (surprising or not).
Compare Content → Do they agree or disagree?
Check Provenance → Who wrote it, why, and for whom?
Judgement → State clearly if you are surprised or not, and explain why.
👉 Best answers combine content + provenance + conclusion.
Question type:
“Using the sources in this case study, explain how far you would agree with this statement.”
1. Understand the Task
You are being asked to evaluate a statement using the sources provided.
Your answer must show both sides:
Why do the sources suggest you can agree with the statement?
Why do the sources suggest you might disagree with the statement?
2. Step-by-Step Approach
a) Agree with the Statement
Identify the message of one or more sources that supports the statement.
Quote or describe evidence from the source.
Explain how the evidence supports the statement.
b) Disagree with the Statement
Identify the message of one or more sources that challenges the statement.
Quote or describe evidence from the source.
Explain how the evidence shows limits, restrictions, or contradictions.
c) Bring in Provenance / Context (High-Level)
Consider who produced the source, why, and for whom.
Different purposes may explain why sources support or challenge the statement.
Use background knowledge where relevant to show a fuller picture.
3. Structure Your Answer (Quick Formula)
Agree Paragraph → Message + Evidence + Explanation.
Disagree Paragraph → Message + Evidence + Explanation.
Conclusion → Balanced judgement (“to a large extent / some extent / small extent”).
Always do both agree and disagree sides.
Use content + evidence + explanation from the sources.
Add provenance or context for high-level analysis.