Comparing Interpretations Questions (Edexcel GCSE History)

Summary of Question 3 (b)

• Question 3 (b) asks you to explain how the content of Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 are different

• The interpretations used in Question 3 (b) will be the same interpretations used in Questions 3 (c) and (d)

• An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:

• In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Weimar and Nazi Germany:

  Year of Exam	Question Topic
  2018	The challenges facing the Weimar Republic in the years 1919 -23
  2019	Nazi policies towards women
  2020	Support for the Nazi regime in the years 1933-39
  2021	Support for the Nazi Party in the years 1924- 28
  2022	Why Hitler became Chancellor in 1933
  2023	Cultural changes in the Weimar Republic in the years 1924 - 29

What is an Interpretation Question

• An interpretation is an account based on a point of view of a historical event, person or group

• Interpretations are used to explain the past by looking at history from different points of view

• This type of question uses different types of interpretations

• These interpretations could be accounts written:

  • After the event 

  • By people who were there at the time 

  • By historians

• For the example question above, you will be given two interpretations from the Sources/ Interpretations Booklet

  • This is an additional booklet to your answer paper. It provides key sources and interpretations needed to answer specific questions in the exam

Question 3 (b) - "What is the main difference"?

• The interpretations used in in Question 3 (b) will always be different from one another, because of the interpretations:

  • Point of view

  • Author

  • Date of publication

• These interpretations will be different based on their content

  • As the content will have a different point of view

• In the Edexcel Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918- 1939, interpretations are likely to be different based on the following themes across all the topic areas:

  • Political developments e.g. Weimar or Nazi policies

  • Social and cultural developments e.g. Weimar or Nazi culture

  • Economic developments e.g. the effects of hyperinflation or the Wall Street Crash

"What is the main difference" question structure

• You only need to identify and explain the key difference between the content of Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 in your response

• Your answer needs to :

  • Identify the key difference in Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2's content (In)

  • Include a short quote or summary from each interpretation, highlighting their differences (In)

• To achieve full marks, you need to include both Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 in your answer

Worked example of the Question 3 (b) interpretation question

Summary of Question 3 (c)

• Question 3 (c) asks you to explain why the authors of Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 have different views

• Your answer should focus on why the content is different

• You should not repeat what you have written in Question 3 (b)

• The interpretations used in Question 3 (c) will be the same interpretations used in Questions 3 (b) and (d)

• You can use Sources B and C in this question

  • However, if you choose not to use them, you can receive full marks

  • Do not use Source A in this question

    • If you use Source A in this question, you will not be awarded marks

• An example of the type of question you may encounter can be seen below:

• In previous years, this question has focused on the following topics in Weimar and Nazi Germany:

  Year of Exam	Question Topic
  2018	The challenges facing the Weimar Republic in the years 1919 -23
  2019	Nazi policies towards women
  2020	Support for the Nazi regime in the years 1933-39
  2021	Support for the Nazi Party in the years 1924- 28
  2022	Why Hitler became Chancellor in 1933
  2023	Cultural changes in the Weimar Republic in the years 1924 - 29

Question 3 (c) - "Why are interpretations different"?

• The interpretations used in Question 3 (c) will always be:

  • Different

  • Have different points of view

• Both Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 may have different interpretations due to:

  • The types of sources they have used to form their interpretation

    • For example, some interpretations may have placed more weight on political sources whereas others may use more economic, social or cultural sources to form their viewpoint

  • The authors focus on short, medium or long-term developments or effects

    • For example, some interpretations may have their interpretation because they have focused on the short-term effects of an event such as the Wall Street Crash. Whereas, others may focus on the long-term effects

• You should not explain that the difference between the interpretations is due to the provenance

  • For example, you should not focus on the date, the background of the author or where it was produced

  • You will not receive any marks for an explanation focused on the provenance

"Why are the interpretations different" question structure

• The most common way of structuring this answer is to focus on the sources that each historian has studied and how this has affected their viewpoint. You can do this by using Sources B and C in your answer

  • One of the sources will support the argument made in Interpretation 1

  • The remaining source will agree with the argument given in Interpretation 2

  • Do not use Source A in your answer, as you will not receive any marks

AWAITING IMAGE

• When you come to answering Question 3 (c), you could use this structure:

  • State that the historians' viewpoints differ because they have given weight to different sources (In)

  • For Interpretation 1, state that they have looked at sources like Interpretation 1's matching source (either Source B or C). Use evidence from the source and from Interpretation 1 to show how the connect (In)

  • Repeat this phrasing and structure for Interpretation 2, using its matching source

• Your answer should be focused on the enquiry in the question

  • Some students struggle to do this as they use irrelevant information from the interpretations that are not based on the question

    • From the example question above, a student may focus on the mention of Nazis in Interpretation 1, and discuss Hitler's rise to power. This is not relevant and will not receive marks

    • The best solution to this problem is to practice this question and to familiarise yourself with as many interpretations as possible when revising

• Both Interpretation 1 and Interpretation 2 must be included in your answer to receive full marks

Worked example of the Question 3 (c) interpretation question