My Name: ________________________ Class: ______

5 TYPES OF SOURCE-BASED SKILLS

A MENTAL APPROACH
Be skeptical; do not accept truth at face value.
Investigate, check evidence (sources) thoroughly
1. SKILL INFERENCE using source details

Type of questions:

What does the source tell you?

What can you infer?

Why did the speaker make the comment?

What is the speaker trying to hint ?

Is the speaker for or against (an issue)?

How to tackle inference questions (before writing)?

Read for hidden clues / details

For text source - look hard for OPINIONS

Opinions are emotive / biased

Opinions form tone and display feelings of source creator

For data source

Interpret source data (figures)/ details / data trend / high-lows

Do up the sums / calculate the data

Make guesses for data calculations

For cartoon source

Look into caricatures / sizes / expressions / symbols

Look in captions / directions / eye contact

Writing -

Infer + Evidence + Explain (own words)

What does the evidence tell you?

Why do you select the evidence?

How do you feel after reading the evidence?

How do the target audience (from provenance) feel?

What reactions do you expect from the target audience?

Think in 2 minutes
Write in 10 minutes
Write in 12 lines (half a page max.)
NeoCW - SBQ Checklist Version 4. All rights reserved.

5 TYPES OF SOURCE-BASED SKILLS

2.

SKILL TESTING RELIABILITY

(NOTE: You will still need all your inference skill in a reliability question)

Type of questions:

Can you believe?

How much can you trust the source?

Is the source truthful in?

Can you confirm the reliability of the source?

Can you prove that the comment in the source is ?

How to tackle Reliability questions

(Before writing)?

Who is the speaker?

Understand position of writer / relation to issue
Where is the source from?
Look into opinions / strong language
Look into missing information
Look for biasness / exaggerations (especially words in speech/ caricatures in
drawings)

Think about why source (QUESTIONABLE CONTENT) maybe angrily written /

exaggerated/ a complaint / motive

CROSS-CHECKING with other sources IMPORTANT!

Some Key
Words to use in

Writing:

1st paragraph - Why source is reliable?

2nd paragraph - Why source is unreliable?

Cross-checking facts

Use evidence from both sources (Information must MATCH)

Explain results of CROSS-REFERENCING, link to question!

to facts (Information must MATCH)

answer:
Complement
Contradict
Challenge
Tally
Support

Think in 3 minutes
- Find information in other sources for cross-checking
Write in 10 minutes
Write in 20 lines (3 paragraphs) - A4 writing paper max.
NeoCW - SBQ Checklist Version 4. All rights reserved.

5 TYPES OF SOURCE-BASED SKILLS

SKILL COMPARE

3.

AND CONTRAST

Type of questions:

How similar / different?

In what ways are the sources similar / different?

How to tackle Comparison questions

(Before writing)?
o

To check provenance (Look for intentions)

Read for matching content (FACT or Opinions)

For content with opinions and feelings >> Infer Tone and Purpose

Check if Tone and Purpose Match

Writing the answer:-

CE4
CRITERIA

EVIDENCE FROM 1ST SOURCE (EXPLAIN)

EVIDENCE FROM 2ND SOURCE (EXPLAIN
Write opening COMPARISON CRITERIA per paragraph (Your own words)
ESTABLISH criteria before using details from sources to match
Similarity / difference in separate paragraphs
State extent of Similarity, answering the HOW similar/ different in

Possible
Keywords for
use in creating
Criteria:

Problems
Issues
Concerns
Solutions
Consequences
Reasons /
causes

concluding paragraph
Tone
Balanced Opinions
versus Biased Opinions
Optimistic (Positive)
versus Pessimistic
(Negative)

Think in 2 minutes
- Create a few possible criteria - Choose 2!
Write in 10 minutes
Write in 25 lines (3 paragraphs)
A4 writing paper max.

NeoCW - SBQ Checklist Version 4. All rights reserved.

5 TYPES OF SOURCE-BASED SKILLS

SKILL CHECKING USEFULNESS OF SOURCE

4.

Type of questions:

Are you able to use the source for (a purpose)?

In what ways, is the source useful for?

Is the source of any use to your understanding?

Can the source help you to understand (this issue) more?

How useful is the source to your learning of ?

How to tackle Usefulness questions (Before writing)?

A source is seldom completely useful or useless
Establish question target Useful or helpful to / for

WHAT?

Look into source creator - Link the source creator to issue

E.g. Minister of Manpower or Employer to FOREIGN TALENT ISSUE
Check for gaps in source information
Incomplete information - QUESTIONABLE / Biased and subjective TONE

Explain WHY the missing information is needed to help your understanding

Possible Cross Checking to other sources to fill up incomplete information
Check for RELIABILITY (See Skill 2)
An unreliable source can also be useful as it shows WHY author wants it to deceive/
therefore a PURPOSE is involved

Writing the answer:- (NOTE : Language needs to be clear)

(Para 1)Yes, useful
- Source creator - link and explain
- I can learn more about from the source content
- Quote evidence
- I can further prove that by cross-checking
- The source is of some use to me
(Para 2)However, it is not totally useful
- There are limitations to the source
- Incomplete info?
- Bias due to writers choice of words / tone?
(Para 3) - Cross checking and conclude!
- I can further prove the source is not reliable, there
less useful to me
- I can prove by cross checking to other sources /
background info (Quote and match evidence)
NeoCW - SBQ Checklist Version 4. All rights reserved.

Think in 3 - 4
minutes

Write in 10
minutes
Write in 20 lines
(3 paragraphs) in
A4 writing paper
(max.)

5 TYPES OF SOURCE-BASED SKILLS

5. SKILL TESTING ASSERTION and MAKING JUDGEMENT

NOTE:
Skill 5 is about the overall source-based issue
One or many sources can be used
Must think like a lawyer, compiling the sources as evidence
Need to conclude with a judgement (own words) link to issue

Type of questions:- Issues to be tested are underlined

Do the sources agree that streaming is bad for school children?
Is the source fair in its comment that UN is a failure?
Study sources C, D and E, do the sources prove that foreign talent is good for
Singapore in the long run?
Does the source show that HDB flats are no longer attractive?
To what extent do all the sources indicate that the conflict resolution is
impossible in the Middle East?
Does source E provide a balanced view on means testing? (X-checking
needed for this question)

How to tackle Judgement questions (Before writing)?

PLANNNING for this question is crucial - take time!

Pupil to read all sources and marking out sources for FOR and AGAINST.
according to the Assertion/ issue given in question

Extract relevant details from sources - Identify sources and USE OF EVIDENCE

DO NOT sit on the fence when making judgement in conclusion

(Note: This is NOT a summary, pupils must identify sources openly)

Writing the answer: Divide answer into 3 separate paragraphs (Agree/ Disagree/ Conclusion)
Explain in own words and use details (IDENTIFY the sources clearly when you use
the details)

Group sources (FOR) in para.1 and groups sources (AGAINST) in para.2

Conclusion is crucial and must be in OWN WORDS as it is YOUR JUDGEMENT
Feel FREE to write a logical conclusion provided by the sources!
Plan in 3 - 4 minutes - Write in 12 minutes - 3 paragraphs Up to a full A4 writing paper

NeoCW - SBQ Checklist Version 4. All rights reserved.