Humanities

GCSE History Unit 3

Exam Practice
Booklet

Question 1:
Inference














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Making inferences from sources

When you read or look at a source and you understand its content, you
comprehend that source. When you make a judgement from what the source
says or shows, you are making an inference.

Let us look at a source to see what that means.

Source A:
From a book about the Jarrow Crusade, written by a historian in 2005.
The Jarrow Crusade was one of four hunger marches to London in 1936.
They were: the National Hunger March, the Jarrow Crusade, the National
League of the Blind march and the Scottish veterans march. They passed
through the same towns and sometimes crossed paths. They were
ignored in the same way by the government and were all carefully
watched by the police.

In the examination, the sort of question you might be asked would be:

What can you learn from this source about unemployment in 1936?

You could answer by saying:
People went on hunger marches
This is true, but it doesnt take much working out, does it?
It isnt an inference either, because that is exactly what the source says.

An example of an inference about unemployment would be:

Unemployment must have been a serious problem because the source says
there were four different hunger marches. That suggests people had no
money for food because they were not working and the number of marches
suggests a lot of unemployment


Can you see the difference?


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Of course, there is more than one way to answer this question.

You might say:
Unemployment must have been a serious problem because the source says
there were four different hunger marches. It also suggests that
unemployment affected certain towns more than others as the source says
they passed through the same towns.
Or:
Unemployment must have been a serious problem because the source says
there were four different hunger marches. It also suggests that
unemployment was seen as a threat to public order as they were carefully
watched by the police

Of course, ideally, you would want to put them all together and make a very
comprehensive response to the question that would gain full marks:

What can you learn from this source about unemployment in 1936? (6)
Unemployment must have been a serious problem because the source says
there were four different hunger marches. That suggests people had no
money for food because they were not working and the number of marches
suggests a lot of unemployment. In addition, it also suggests that
unemployment affected certain towns more than others as the source says
the various marches often passed through the same towns. Finally, it also
suggests that unemployment and the unemployed were seen as a threat to
public order as they were carefully watched by the police.









What else could we infer from the source that we havent already mentioned?
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Lets look seriously at the exam

Inference Questions will look like this.
What can you learn from Source A about?

As we have said before these are known as Inference questions and the
examiner is asking you to look beyond what the source actually says to
what it might be suggesting or inferring. In addition, they want you to
evidence your inference from the source.

Now, when you begin an answer to Question 1, it is very important that you
begin in the correct way. The example given in the previous page was a
very confident response however in the pressure of an exam it is
sometimes difficult to remain confident. Remember, weve been there too!

One way to keep yourself focussed is to practice starting your response in a
way that forces you to infer. The best way to do this is to start your answer
with the words:

Source A suggests that .

This will make you concentrate on points that are not explicitly/clearly
mentioned in the Source and will stop you from simply retelling all the
information from the Source.

NOW
Before you begin your response, read the source and pick out the words
that the writer used to put over his/her point of view. Underline or circle
them. These words will help you infer and will form your evidence to the
inferences you make.

When you make an inference you need to explain what evidence
demonstrates this. This is where the word because comes in. This forces
you to explain yourself. Try not to copy whole chunks of text from the
source one or two words will demonstrate your evidence. So remember:
Start with This source suggests
Use because to explain your point
Dont copy out whole chunks of text!
Below is an example. The key points have been underlined.
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Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about evacuation?
Source A: From a government leaflet, Evacuation, Why and How? July
1938.

If we are involved in war, our big cities may suffer heavy attacks from the
air at any rate in the early stages. Although our defences are strong and
are rapidly growing stronger, some bombers will undoubtedly get through.
We must ensure that the enemy does not achieve his main aims the
creation of anything like panic, or the crippling dislocation of everyday life.
We can save lives by evacuating children from the more dangerous areas
even though this will disrupt family life.
My Response:
How have I made these supported inferences?
Considered preferable
Loss of life will cause crippling
dislocation of everyday life while
evacuation will save lives though
disrupt family life. The difference
between crippling and disrupt are
quite evident.

Necessary & Fear

Bombers will undoubtedly
get through (necessary)
linked to avoiding the
creation of anything like
panic (fear)

Source A suggests that evacuation was considered necessary because of the
fear that bombers will undoubtedly get through at some point even if not for
ever. It also suggests that while evacuation will inevitably mean the
temporary break up of families and family life, this is considered preferable
to the likely loss of life if children stayed in heavily populated areas such as
the big cities. This loss of life would permanently break up families, causing
panic which would inevitably cause problems.


My two inferences suggest evacuation is both necessary and considered
preferable to the alternative. I go on to explain or support my inferences with
evidence from the sources.

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How is an Inference question marked?

Level Mark Descriptor
0
0
No rewardable material

1
1
Students do no more than copy/paraphrase the source

It doesnt matter if you identify what the source tells you in
several way, you will only achieve 1 mark if its simple copying
or paraphrasing

2
2-3
Makes unsupported inferences

An inference is a judgement that can be made from studying
the source, but is not directly stated by it.
2 marks for one unsupported inferences
3 marks for two unsupported inferences

No more than three marks can be given to any amount of
unsupported inferences.

3
4-6
Makes supported inferences

A supported inference is one which uses detail from the source
to prove the inference.
4 marks for one supported inferences
5-6 marks for two supported inferences (dependent on
quality of inference)
6 marks for three supported inferences











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Now try this one.

Practice 1
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about the experience some children had of
evacuation?

HINT: Dont just think of the evacuee! The key words have been highlighted for you but you
may feel there are others.

Source A: Memories of Kate Eggleston, from a book published in 1989

about evacuation.

I was at primary school when war broke out. As a small child I can remember
the evacuees coming. We were horrible to them. Its one of my most
shameful memories, how nasty we were. We didnt want them to come, and
we all ganged up on them in the playground. We were all in a big circle and
the poor evacuees were herded together in the middle, and we were glaring
at them and saying, You made us squash up in our classrooms, youve done
this, youve done that. I can remember them now, looking frightened to
death.

REMEMBER: Always try and start with This source suggests
This source suggests
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Now try another example

Once again, this is an example of question 1 on your Unit 3 paper. You do not
need any own knowledge to answer this question
Read the source carefully
You must pick out words that the writer used to put over his point of view.
Then use those words to help write an answer that explains what the writer
was suggesting.
Remember, because and dont simply copy

Practice 2
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about the experience some children had of
evacuation?
Source A: From a modern world history textbook, published in 1999.
The children who were evacuated had mixed experiences. Some were happy,
helping on the farms and eating better than they had ever done. Others had
a miserable time. Some were even seen as a burden by their host families.
They also missed their own families, far away in the cities. Many country
families were in for a shock. They had to deal with evacuees who wet the bed
and had no experience of using a knife and fork to eat.

This source suggests
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Study Source A.

Practice 3
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about the German bombing raid on
Coventry, November 1940?
Source A: From a broadcast on Berlin radio, 16 November 1940, about
the air raid on Coventry.
More than 500 planes took part in the greatest attack in the history of
aerial warfare. About 500 tonnes of high explosive bombs and 30,000
incendiary bombs were dropped. In a short time all large and small
factories were set on fire. The German airforce struck a violent blow in
return for the British raid on Munich on the night of 8 November.

This source suggests

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Sometimes you may get a poster, photograph, graph or table for question 1.
The same skills apply. Circle or direct arrows to the key elements of the source
and write your response in the same way.
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Practice 4
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about
evacuation?

Source A: A Government poster of January
1940. Hitler is shown talking to a mother

This source suggests

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Practice 5

Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about unemployment in the 1930s?
Source A: From a radio interview with Mrs Pallas in 1934
My husband has worked one year out of the last twelve and a half. His face
was lovely when I married him, but now hes skin and bones. When I married
he was healthy and had a good job earning 8-10 as a ships riveter. He lost
his job about four months after we were married, so Ive hardly known what
a working wage was. Weve stayed respectable, we dont waste nothing.
Everythings patched and mended in our house. But theres no money for
enjoyment no going to the cinema, newspapers or going to the football.

This source suggests

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Practice 6
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about the concerns of some politicians
towards unemployment in the 1930s?
Source A: Part of a speech by Labour MP, George Lansbury, in a debate
in Parliament, 4 November 1932.
The cost of unemployment, the 600 million or so, is a fraction of the real
cost of unemployment to this nation. There is the cost to families and to
individuals; all their savings poured out and gone. You cannot starve people
(although it is semi-starvation for many now). I appeal to the Government.
We think the amounts are too low, and should be increased. It is said we
cannot afford it. We cannot afford the physical, mental and moral
deterioration to people who cannot live on what is provided.


This
source suggests

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Practice 7
Study Source A.
What can you learn from Source A about the impact of the Blitz?

Source A: An
official
photograph,
taken in the
autumn of 1940,
of a family of
Londoners with
what is left of
their Anderson
shelter.





This source suggests
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