PAPER 2
A GUIDE TO THE
‘COMPARISON’ QUESTION
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Types of question - Reminder
There are 4 different types of question in Paper 2:
1. How Useful? (5 marks)
2. Comparison (5 marks)
3. How Far? (10 marks)
4. How Fully? (10 marks)
Please note that Paper 2 questions can appear in
any order!!!
The whole paper is worth a total of 30 marks.
2
Comparison Question
5 Marks
•
•
This question is easy to spot as it is
the only one that involves two
sources. The question itself may not
use the word comparison it will
probably ask:
“To what extent does Source A agree
with Source B about…..”
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What do I have to do?
1. You must first give an overall comparison
of the attitudes of both sources either
agree/disagree e.g.
“Source A overall is in favour of… Source B
is against…”
You will get up to 2 mks for stating the
main ideas or points of view of the two
sources
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2.
There are always 4 points of direct
comparison (4 agree/disagree
points). Go through both quotes step
by step giving some background
knowledge to explain what each is
talking about. Up to 4 mks
Take a new paragraph for each
comparison.
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3.
No single comparisons e.g. like in
standard Grade only Source A
mentions…… but Source B doesn’t.
4. Sum up your main points in a
concluding sentence.
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Top Tip!
 Usually
in a comparison question you
can gain marks for identifying and
explaining points where the sources
agree and also where they disagree.
Don’t always assume that the sources
will take exactly opposite points of
view. They might – but not always.
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Example 1 – Haig Sources
Read pages 49-52.
 Notetaking.
 The Leadership of
Douglas Haig –
does he deserve
praise or
criticism?

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General Haig





The most controversial figure of WW1.
The phrase “lions led by donkeys” had Haig in mind in other
words he lacked imagination and persisted in the same
tactics.
A Scot who could order attacks in which he knew tens of
thousands would die and then repeat the slaughter day
after day for 5 months like at the Somme.
Haig admitted that he was pursuing a policy of “war of
attrition”, he was deliberately sacrificing men to also
bleed the German army dry.
Haig appeared aloof, did not care about his men or their
losses e.g. “the nation must be taught to bear losses”.
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




The Western Front was already deadlocked when
Haig took over, several commanders before him had
failed to break through the German trenches.
Haig was prepared to use new tactics to break the
stalemate e.g. poison gas, tanks etc.
He turned an untrained citizen army of raw recruits
into a modern fighting force.
Haig did eventually win the war with the army he
trained and led.
Haig was not as insensitive as many like Lloyd George
suggested he was, he helped set up the Haig poppy
fund for wounded ex-soldiers.
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Start with an introduction/
overall comparison:
Both sources discuss the leadership
of General Haig; Source C is the more
positive source giving Haig credit for
his leadership qualities and his ability
to adapt. Source D is far more
critical and criticises Haig’s
inflexibility which it claims led to
repeated slaughters.
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Do a short paragraph for each
comparison and include recall to explain
the points made.
Source C states Haig “at first he clung to
traditional methods, he did not revise his
plans until the old ones had been fully
tested”, Source D makes a similar point
“huge bombardments failed again and again
yet we persisted in employing the same
hopeless method of attack”. Both refer to
the Battle of the Somme were Haig was
criticised for persisting with prolonged
artillery bombardments and frontal
assaults which clearly were not working and
led to massive loss of life e.g. 60,000
casualties on the first day.
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Source C also states “a smaller man might
have tried fantastic experiments that
would have assuredly spelt disaster” but
Source D disagrees it states “many other
methods were possible”. Clearly Source C
feels Haig was a steady and methodical
leader who did not try new methods like
poison gas or tanks till he was ready,
whereas Source D suggests he was too
inflexible and should have tried these
methods sooner.
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Source C tries to excuse Haig from full
responsibility for the losses suffered at
the Somme amongst other battles by
stating “under him we incurred heavy
losses but I believe these losses would
have been greater if we had been led by
someone else”. However Source D suggests
that Haig was responsible for the heavy
loss of life at the Somme and elsewhere
when it states” I did not believe then, and
I do not believe now that the enormous
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casualties were justified”.
Source C Finally makes reference to Haig’s ability
as a commander which he believes helped the
British Army “in the special circumstances of war
his special qualities were the ones most neededpatience, calmness and unshakeable determination”
but clearly Source D disagrees about Haig’s
qualities “it is difficult to see how Haig….so cut
off from the fighting troops could fulfil the
tremendous task laid on him effectively”. Clearly
Source D feels Haig was too inflexible and out of
touch with his troops to be an effective
commander as the Somme demonstrated yet
Source C feels his steady influence eventually
helped the British army overcome Germany by
1918.
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Overall conclusion – a sentence
only to sum up.
Source C is more favourable towards
Haig and praises his determination
and claims he could be adaptable and
use other tactics e.g. poison gas or
tanks, however Source d is much
more critical blaming Haig’s
inflexibility and stubbornness for the
slaughter of the Somme in particular.
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