RI Y3 SS SBCS Guide 2021

2021 Year 3 Social Studies SBCS Guide 1 Name: ____________________ ( ) Class: __________ Date: __________ Raffles Institution 2021 Year 3 Social Studies Source-Based Case Study Guide Inference Questions “What does the source tell you about…?” “What is the message of the source?” Analysing the source To make an inference ask yourself: What is the source trying to tell you indirectly? Then use that information to make an intelligent guess about what it is trying to say. Understand what the source is trying to say based on the actions, metaphors and perspectives found in it. Writing your answer You will need to look at the details for content. Remember to use the evidence in the source to support your answer, and explain how the evidence helps you to derive at the inference. E.g. The source tells me that (MESSAGE). This is supported by (evidence), which shows that (explain how the evidence has helped you arrive at the message). Purpose Questions “Why do you think this source was published?” “What is the author’s purpose in creating this source?” Analysing the source You are required to infer the intended outcome the author expects from conveying the message to their specific audience. Hence you need to identify and examine the following: - Provenance and Context: Who said this? When and where was this said? What was happening when the source was made? Consider the origin of the source by looking for details in the provenance text and background information. Look for descriptions of who the author is, the type/medium of the source (public speech, private correspondence, newspaper article, blog post, etc.), and the historical context in which this source was made—pay attention to stated dates (year, date, time) and other events taking place at the time that the source was made. Source origin matters because it gives us a clue about who the target audience is and the most likely intended outcome. - Audience: For whom was this meant? Infer this with the provenance and context you have identified, and name a specific group (e.g. the general public, the Government, voters, retirees, etc.). Correctly identifying the audience is essential to an accurate intended outcome. - Message: What does this source say? Infer the main idea of the source from the main body text of the source, and explain your inference with evidence from the source (relevant quotes or specific descriptions of a cartoon/picture). Be careful to distinguish between what is literally presented in the source and the meaning you infer from it. - Intended outcome: Why was this source made? How did the author want the audience to respond? What did the author want to see happen (immediately and eventually)? This refers to how the author wants the audience to react after reading the source—not just how

2021 Year 3 Social Studies SBCS Guide 2 they should think or feel, but also what they should do (what action they must take) in order to bring about the author’s desired outcome. Remember that an accurate intended outcome must correctly identify the audience, and must be supported by the context of the source. Writing your answer Explain purpose by incorporating the points that you have identified earlier using the PCAMI framework. You may explain the message of the source in a separate paragraph, or as part of your purpose explanation. E.g. The source says (MESSAGE), supported by (evidence). Given that the source was made by (PROVENANCE), and considering that (CONTEXT), the purpose of the source is to (VERB) (AUDIENCE) that (MESSAGE), so that (INTENDED OUTCOME). Note: While you should use an appropriate verb to describe what the author is attempting to do with the audience, a common mistake students make is to assume that the verb itself (e.g. “convince”, “persuade”, “encourage”, “warn”, etc.) is the purpose. Also remember that correctly identifying the message, audience and context is vital to correctly inferring intended outcome. Reliability Questions “How reliable is Source X in…” “How far can you trust Source X in…” Analysing the source You are required to assess whether the source can be trusted by considering if what it says can be corroborated with facts, and if the author is biased by having an ulterior motive or though their tone. Hence you need to identify and examine the following: - Message: What does this source say? Infer the main idea of the source from the main body text of the source, and explain your inference with evidence from the source (relevant quotes or specific descriptions of a cartoon/picture). Be careful to distinguish between what is literally presented in the source and the meaning you infer from it. Note that you cannot actually assess reliability from message alone. - Cross reference (CR): How is what this source says supported or refuted by other sources/my contextual knowledge? Identify which other source (or contextual knowledge, if relevant) supports/corroborates/reinforces what the source is saying; conversely, also identify which other source (or CK/background information) challenges/refutes/contradicts what the source is saying. If the source is supported by other sources/CK, then it becomes more reliable/trustworthy. On the other hand, other sources/CK that challenges what the source says makes it less reliable/trustworthy. Choose only relevant and unbiased sources (i.e. no strong tone or obviously one-sided). Also, if you are told to refer to specific sources (“Study Sources P, Q and R”), then you are expected to use them. - Purpose: Does this source have a motive/hidden agenda? Evaluate the source for purpose (using the approach outlined above), but in addition to identifying the intended outcome, consider how the author (or the organisation he/she represents) might benefit/stand to gain. Having such a motive/hidden agenda limits the reliability of the source because it reveals vested interests. - Tone: Does this source have a biased tone? Consider if the source uses loaded language (i.e. strong/emotive words, exaggeration/hyperbole, sarcasm, etc.), which might suggest that the author has a biased stance on the issue, which limits the reliability of the source.

2021 Year 3 Social Studies SBCS Guide 3 Writing your answer Explain reliability by first cross referencing, then identifying purpose and/or tone. It helps to start with an inference of the message of the source, before moving on to cross referencing – alternatively, you may incorporate your inference of source message in your CR paragraph. Note that more comprehensive answers that examine both perspectives will score better. E.g. Source X tells me that (MESSAGE), which is supported by (evidence). It is reliable because it is supported by Source Y, which also says (MESSAGE), as shown by (evidence). Source X is hence made more reliable because what it says is corroborated by Source Y. However, Source Z challenges what Source X says… (elaborate and justify) The reliability of Source X is also limited by of its purpose/tone... (elaborate and justify with PCAMI or evidence for tone) Notes: Remember to answer the question by clearly stating at the end of each paragraph if the source is made more reliable or limited in its reliability (or trustworthiness – use the term stated in the question). Also note that purpose and tone may not always be present in a source; the reliability of some sources can only be tested with cross-referencing. Finally, remember that the intended outcome you identify must be shown to benefit the author (or his/her organisation) in order to qualify as motive/hidden agenda. Merely having an intended outcome without vested interests does not necessarily make a source less reliable. Usefulness Questions “How useful is Source X as evidence about…” Analysing the source You are required to assess whether the source is useful by considering if what it says can be corroborated with facts, and if the source