Modern History
DOCUMENT STUDY
A guide to answering the Document study question types
Stage 3 WACE Examination
Stage 2 WACE Examination
2012/5680[v2]
Modern History: Support document—Document study
1
Purpose
This guide has been developed to assist students to focus on what is being asked in the document study
questions in the Stage 3 and Stage 2 WACE Modern History examination and how best to address the foci of the
questions.
The Terminology List, which can be found on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority extranet, and the
examination marking guide, which is located in the Standards Guide also on the extranet, complement this guide.
Students should be aware that, although the document questions will stay substantially the same, with some
variation due to the theme or force being examined, their position on the paper may vary. This is particularly the
case with the first two questions relating to message and context. Examiners need the flexibility to make best use
of the documents available.
Copyright
© School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 2012
This document—apart from any third party copyright material contained in it—may be freely copied, or communicated on an
intranet, for non-commercial purposes by educational institutions, provided that it is not changed in any way and that the School
Curriculum and Standards Authority is acknowledged as the copyright owner.
Teachers in schools offering the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) may change the document, provided that
the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s moral rights are not infringed.
Copying or communication for any other purpose can be done only within the terms of the Copyright Act or by permission of the
School Curriculum and Standards Authority.
Copying or communication of any third party copyright material contained in this document can be done only within the terms of
the Copyright Act or by permission of the copyright owners.
Disclaimer
Any resources such as texts, websites and so on that may be referred to in this document are provided as examples of
resources that teachers can use to support their learning programs. Their inclusion does not imply that they are mandatory or
that they are the only resources relevant to the course.
2
Modern History: Support document—Document study
Unit 3A – Australia: Cohesion and division
Historical context
Messages
Usefulness
Perspectives
Evaluate the extent
Q 1a OR Q 1b
Explain the historical context of
Source 1 (OR Source 3).
Q1a OR Q1b
Compare and contrast the
messages in Source 1 and
Source 2 (OR Source 2 and
Source 3).
Q 1c
Evaluate the usefulness of Source
4 and Source 5 as
representations of…
Q 1d
Identify and discuss the authors’
perspectives in Source 6 and
source 7 on …
Q 1e
Evaluate the extent to which the
seven sources accurately reflect
the cohesive and/or divisive
impact of…
This question is concerned with
the historical context in which the
source is located. The answer
must concentrate on what is in the
source – explain the
relevance/significance of the
source content to the context.
Look for the message of each of
the sources.
Note the last part of the question:
as representations of…
Therefore, students must consider
the usefulness of the sources in
terms of the theme/force of the
document study.
Note the last part of the question:
on… Therefore, students must
consider the perspective of the
sources in terms of the
theme/force of the document
study.
Note the last part of the question:
the cohesive and divisive impact
of… Therefore, students must
consider the cohesive and divisive
impacts illustrated in the sources
in terms of the theme/force of the
document study.
To do this:

Consider the information in
the source and question the
reliability of the source type

Identify the discourse

Evaluate – make an onbalance judgement about the
usefulness of the sources as
representations of the
theme/force

Use evidence from the
sources to support the on
balance judgement. This will
include the factual
information such as
dates/events/people

Consider the limitations of the
sources: propaganda/gaps
AND omissions/relevance/
other perspectives

Strong responses will
evaluate the usefulness of
the sources as a pair rather
than individually.
To do this:

Articulate the perspectives
from which the source was
constructed or analysed

Reasons for the perspective
(purpose/motive/place/
and time)

Provide evidence of the
perspective from the source

Identify how the author
shows the perspective in the
source.
To do this:

Identify the focus of the
source

Outline the causes or events
that lead to the focus of the
source

Provide specific details for
the focus of the source –
dates/events/people/place/
Ideas.
To do this:

Read all of the elements of
the source
(title/author/date/location)

Identify the
issue/event/subject

Identify the representation or
opinion being expressed

Provide evidence from the
source to support the
response.
Explain how they compare (are
similar) and contrast (are
different).
A strong response will integrate
the comparison and contrast with
the discussion of the message/s.
Modern History: Support document—Document study
To do this:

Develop an opening
statement which provides a
thesis/proposition

Do not reiterate what is in the
sources – this has occurred
in the earlier questions

Make incidental reference to
sources only – indicate, in
brackets, where the cohesive
or divisive impact being
referred to is located (e.g. S1,
S4 and S5)

Equally, it is not only about
omissions.

Focus on:
 cohesive impact
 divisive impact
 omissions
 evaluation.
3
Unit 3B: Ideas that shaped history
Issues
Ideas
Q 5a OR Q 5b
Explain the historical context of Source 1
and Source 2 – that is the relevant events,
people and ideas depicted or represented
in the sources.
Historical context
Q 5a OR Q 5b
Compare and contrast the messages
conveyed in Source 1 and Source 2.
Q 5c
Examine the issues involved in interpreting
the historical evidence of Source 1 and
source 2. Your answer may include
discussion of purpose, motive, place and
time.
Q 5d
Using your knowledge of the whole period
of study, evaluate the importance of the
ideas and/or events represented in the two
sources.
Note: The context does not necessarily
have to be the same in the two sources,
however there will be a common link.
This response is worth 6 marks, so
students are expected to:

show depth and breadth of knowledge
of the period when discussing the
significance of the messages.

show more than one point of
comparison and of contrast.
Note:
1. Issues are not necessarily all negative,
but rather the issues involved in
interpreting the sources.
2. This question is a skills question,
similar to the usefulness question in
question 1c. It asks the student to
examine the sources as an historian –
identify the origin, motive, purpose,
place and time.
Note:
1. This question does not require
reiteration of the messages in the
sources nor information already
covered in the previous questions.
2. Evaluate the significance of the
idea/event in relation to how the
idea/event represented in the sources
relate to the other ideas of the whole
period.
To do this:

Examine the method and reason for
construction of the source i.e. the
purpose, motive, place and time

Define the purpose and motive of the
construction

Discuss the impact of construction

Discuss how the construction
influences the interpretation of the
sources

Answer must include an assessment
of the historical evidence in the
sources’.
To do this:

Identify the ideas/events in the
sources

Evaluate the significance of what is
shown in the sources by using
evidence from both the sources and
the whole historical period

Refer to the long and short term
effects of the idea/event and to
continuity and/or change they
represent

Students should be able to
demonstrate a depth and breadth of
knowledge of the whole time period

In their conclusion students should
make an on-balance judgement of the
relative significance of the idea/event
to the whole time period.
This response is worth 6 marks, so
students are expected to show depth and
breadth of knowledge of the period and
how the specific context/s relate to that
broader period of study.
Messages
See points for 3A messages question.
See points for 3A context question.
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Modern History: Support document—Document study
Unit 2A – Australia: Societies and change
Messages
Usefulness
Perspectives
Evaluate the extent
Q1a(i)
Identify the message(s) contained
in Source 1.
Q1a(ii)
Compare and contrast the
messages of Source 1 and
Source 2.
Q 1b
Evaluate the usefulness of Source
3 and Source 4 as
representations of…
Q1c(i)
Identify at least one trend…
Q1c(ii)
Explain (or account for) the
trend(s) identified in Source 5.
Q 1d
Identify the perspective of Source
6 and comment on the
beliefs/values and/or attitudes in
the extract.
Q 1e
To what extent do the six sources
reflect the… changes/changing
attitudes … during your period of
study. In your answer, comment
on (inclusions and omissions).
Look for the message of each of
the sources.
Note the last part of the question:
representations of OR about
the… Students must consider the
usefulness of the sources in terms
of the theme/force of the
document study.
Look for the trend then
explain/account for the trend.
Students will have to draw on
their knowledge of the whole
period.
Note the last part of the question:
comment on… Students must
consider the perspective of the
sources in terms of the beliefs,
values and/or attitudes in the
source.
Note the last part of the question
which refers to inclusions and
omissions.
Students must consider the
changes illustrated in the sources
in terms of the theme/force of the
document study.
To do this:

read all of the elements of the
source
(title/author/date/location)

identify the
issue/event/subject

Identify the representation or
opinion being expressed

Provide evidence from the
source to support the
response.
For Q1a(i) only describe the
message of Source 1.
For Q1a(ii) explain how they
compare (are similar) and
contrast (are different).
A strong response will integrate
the comparison and contrast with
the discussion of the message/s.
Trends
To do this:

Include the information in the
source and question the
reliability of the source type

Identify the point of view

Make an on-balance
judgement about the
usefulness of the sources as
representations of the time
period

Use evidence from the
sources to support the on
balance judgement. This will
include the factual
information such as
dates/events/people

Consider the limitations of the
sources: propaganda/gaps
AND omissions/relevance/
other perspectives.
To do this:

Read all of the elements of
the source

For Q1c(i) identify the trend

For Q1c(ii) provide evidence
from the source to support
the response and
explain/account for the trend
by putting the figures into the
context of what was
happening over the time of
the figures– the events
causing the trend.
To do this:

Identify the perspectives in
the source

Provide reasons for the
perspective
(purpose/motive/place/
and time)

Use evidence of the
perspective from the source

Identify how the author
shows the beliefs, values
and/or attitudes in the source.
To do this:

Develop an opening
statement which provides a
point of view.

Do not reiterate what is in the
sources – this has occurred
in the earlier questions.

Make incidental reference to
sources only - indicate, in
brackets (e.g. S1, S4 and S5)
when the changes are being
discussed

Equally, it is not only about
omissions.

Focus on:
 changes shown
 omissions
 an on-balance
judgement on the extent.
Students should try to evaluate
the usefulness of the sources as a
pair rather than individually.
Modern History: Support document—Document study
5
Unit 2B: Historical trends and movements
Usefulness
Significance of themes/issues
Q 5a
Outline the message(s) of Source
1.
Messages
Q 5b
Compare and contrast the
messages conveyed in Source 1
and Source2.
Q 5c
Explain the historical context of
Source 3 – that is the people,
actions and events -depicted or
represented in the sources.
Q 5d
How useful are these three
sources for learning about… Your
answer may include comments on
reliability, relevance, bias and
purpose.
Q 5d
Evaluate the significance of the
themes/issues represented in the
sources within the context of the
area of study.
Note: This response is worth
three marks, so students are
expected to:

Provide some insight into the
period of study when
outlining the messages.
Note: This response is worth four
marks so students are expected
to:

Show more than one point of
comparison and of contrast

Use evidence from the
sources to support the
response.

Explain how they compare
(are similar) and contrast (are
different).
Note: This response is worth six
marks, so students are expected
to show depth and breadth of
knowledge of the period and how
the specific context relates to that
broader period of study.
Note the part of the question: for
learning about… Students must
consider the usefulness of the
sources in terms of the
theme/force of the document
study.
Note: This question does not
require reiteration of the
messages in the sources.
This question is concerned with
the historical context in which the
source is located. The answer
must concentrate on what is in the
source – explain the
relevance/significance.
To do this:

Include the information in the
sources and question the
reliability of the source types

Identify the point of view

Make an on-balance
judgement about the
usefulness of the sources as
representations of the
theme/force

Use evidence from the
sources to support the on
balance judgement. This will
include the factual
information such as
dates/events/people

Consider the limitations of the
sources including reliability,
relevance, bias and purpose.
See points for 2A messages
question
Messages
Historical context
To do this:

Identify the focus of the
source

Outline the people, actions
and events that lead to the
focus of the source

Provide specific details for
the focus of the source –
dates/events/people/place/
actions

Explain the relevance of the
source.
6
Modern History: Support document—Document study
Evaluate the significance of the
theme/issue in relation to how the
theme/issue represented in the
sources relate to the trends or
movements of the whole period.
To do this:

Identify the ideas/events in
the sources

Explain the significance of
what is shown in the sources
by using evidence from both
the sources and the whole
historical period

Refer to the continuity and/or
change the sources
represent

Students should be able to
demonstrate a depth and
breadth of knowledge of the
whole time period.