Types of Questions at Intermediate Level

2. How useful ...
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This question is found at both Int 1 and Int 2. You have to decide whether you trust what you have been told by a source.

Watch this clip from a TV programme. It is about the killing of John Comyn by Robert the Bruce.

So can you trust what you were told? Use OPCR to decide ...

How useful is this source to explain the killing of John Comyn?

Origin: From a BBC History programme - a secondary source which contains the views of an expert historian. So is it useful?

Purpose: To explain what happened when Bruce and Comyn met in Dumfries. So is it useful?

Content: Gives a detailed account of what happened. It also mentions two reasons for Bruce killing Comyn so it is balanced (not biased). So is it useful?

Recall: Is anything important missed out? So is it useful?


Your answer should look like this ...

This is a very useful source. It is a secondary source which contains the views of a Professor of Scottish History. The source was produced to explain what happened when Bruce met Comyn so that makes it useful too. It's also useful because the information it gives is balanced: the Professor discusses two ppossible reasons why Bruce killed Comyn before he decides that it was not planned. Finally, the source is detailed and does not mis out any important information.