In simple terms
A friendly intro before the formal notes — no formulas yet.
Be a Source Detective
Paper 1 tests your ability to analyse historical sources like a detective examines evidence. You need to understand what a source says, why it was created, and how trustworthy it is for a historian.
Imagine you hear a rumour about a friend from two different people. One is your friend's best mate, the other is someone they had a big argument with last week. You'd listen to both stories, but you'd think carefully about why each person is saying what they're saying before deciding what really happened. That's source analysis.
- 1
First, read the source carefully to understand its explicit message and infer its underlying meaning. What information is it giving you?
- 2
Next, analyse the source's Origin, Purpose, Content, Values, and Limitations (OPCVL). Who made it, why, and what are its strengths and weaknesses as evidence?
- 3
When given multiple sources, identify specific points of agreement (corroboration) and disagreement (contradiction) between them.
- 4
Finally, synthesise evidence from all the sources with your own specific historical knowledge to construct a balanced and well-supported answer to the main essay question.
Explore the concept
Use the live diagram and synced steps — play it or tap a step card to walk through.
Key formulas
Tap any symbol to reveal exactly what it means and its units.
Full topic notes
Formal explanation with the rigour you need for the exam.
The Structure of Paper 1
Paper 1 is a one-hour examination based on a prescribed subject. You will be given a case study with 4-5 written and visual sources. You must answer four structured questions based on these sources. The questions are designed to build on each other, moving from comprehension to analysis, comparison, and finally, a mini-essay that synthesises source evidence with your own knowledge.
Question 1 (a & b): Tests comprehension and understanding of a source. (5 marks)
Question 2: Tests analysis of one source using OPCVL. (4 marks)
Question 3: Tests comparison and contrast of two sources. (6 marks)
Question 4: A mini-essay requiring you to use all sources and your own knowledge to evaluate a historical claim. (9 marks)
The Core Skill: OPCVL Analysis
The ability to evaluate a source is fundamental to Paper 1. The OPCVL framework is a powerful tool to structure your analysis. It stands for Origin, Purpose, Content, Value, and Limitation. For Question 2, you will explicitly evaluate one source, but you should be thinking in these terms for all sources throughout the paper.
Origin + Purpose → Value + Limitation
A source's value and limitations are not inherent; they are a direct consequence of its origin and purpose. Always link your evaluation of V and L back to O and P. For example, 'The value of this private diary (Origin) is that it reveals the author's true feelings, as it was not intended for publication (Purpose).'
Tackling the Mini-Essay (Question 4)
The final question is worth the most marks (9) and requires you to construct a balanced argument. You must use evidence from the sources provided AND your own contextual knowledge. A good answer will group the sources to support different sides of the argument and integrate specific, detailed own knowledge to support, challenge, or contextualise the information found in the sources.
Balanced Argument = (Source 1 + Source 3 + Own Knowledge) vs (Source 2 + Source 4 + Own Knowledge)
Worked examples
See the formulas applied — reveal one step at a time, like the exam.
With reference to its origin, purpose and content, analyse the value and limitations of Source A for a historian studying the effectiveness of propaganda in Britain during the Second World War.
Source A: A British government poster from 1940. It shows a smiling female factory worker assembling a shell, with the slogan 'Women of Britain, Come into the Factories'.
- 1
Origin: A British government propaganda poster produced in 1940, during the early stages of the Second World War.
Using the sources and your own knowledge, evaluate the effectiveness of the policy of appeasement in the 1930s.
[Assume you have four sources: Source A is a speech by Chamberlain defending the Munich Agreement; Source B is a David Low cartoon criticising appeasement; Source C is an extract from a Soviet diplomat's diary expressing suspicion of Britain and France; Source D is a table of German rearmament statistics from 1935-1939.]
- 1
A strong response would structure the argument thematically.
How it all connects
The big idea sits in the middle — tap a linked idea to explore the link.
Tap a linked idea to see how it connects back to the main topic — that connection is what examiners reward.
Glossary
Try to recall each definition before you reveal it.
Quick check
Answer in your head first — then tap to check. No pressure.
Revision flashcards
Flip the card. Test yourself before the exam.
What is 'Provenance'?
The history of a source, including its origin (author, date, place) and its chain of custody. It's the first thing you consider when evaluating a source.
Key takeaways
Review these before you close the topic — retrieval beats re-reading.
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Question 1 (a & b): Tests comprehension and understanding of a source. (5 marks)
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Question 2: Tests analysis of one source using OPCVL. (4 marks)
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Question 3: Tests comparison and contrast of two sources. (6 marks)
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Question 4: A mini-essay requiring you to use all sources and your own knowledge to evaluate a historical claim. (9 marks)
Practice — then mark it
The whole point: a real Cambridge question, marked mark-by-mark.
Test Your Source Skills
Test Your Source Skills
Extra simulations & links
PhET, GeoGebra and other curated tools — open in a new tab.
Frequently asked
Checkpoint
One marked question is worth ten re-reads — close the loop before you move on.
Reading it isn’t knowing it — prove it.
Before you move on: do Test Your Source Skills on paper, snap a photo, and get examiner-style feedback on exactly where you win and lose marks.