Question 2 OPCVL - THE HISTORY DESKthehistorydesk.weebly.com/.../9/8/5/4985187/answering_question_2_… · }O –Origin What type of source? (Newspaper, speech, gov’t document?)

Essential QuestionHow can I answer an OPCVL on the IB Exam?Learning Outcomes - Students will:◦ Find out what OPCVL stands for◦ Look at the structure

Success CriteriaI can answer an OPCVL question

} Worth 4 marks◦ With reference to origin, content and

purpose, analyze the values and limitations of Source A for a historian studying the impact of Brown v Board of Education

} O – Origin◦ What type of source?

(Newspaper, speech, gov’t document?)◦ Who is the author? (Historian?

Hitler? Nazi Party member?) } C – Content◦ What info does the source

provide/What do we learn (dates? Statistics? Locations?)

} P – Purpose◦ Why did they write this?◦ 3 reasons� Inform, explain or persuade

Values

Orig

in

• Eye-witness account • Part of the decision making process• Thoroughly researched by a historian

(Historian)

Cont

ent

• Shows how people lived/dressed (Photo)• Statement of official government policy• Gives reasons• Gives insight• Statement of an individual thoughts/ideas• Provides reaction to various events• Analysis of an event or a person

Purp

ose

• Candid/honest• Objective• Simplified version of events• Statement of an individual thoughts/ideas• Access to a wide range of sources

(Historian)

Limits

Orig

in

• Bias (Ethnicity, Position, Political Philosophy)• Because of the type of source, it was not

meant to be analyzed (Speech)• Only shows one aspect

Cont

ent

• Exaggeration• Extract• Topic only briefly discussed• Doesn’t give reasons• Needs to be cross referenced with other

primary evidence

Purp

ose

• Personal involvement, which could lead to untruths, omissions, justifications for actions

• Needs to be cross referenced with other primary evidence

• Propaganda – attempting to persuade the reader

• Only shows one aspect/perspective

Origin?• Value• Limit

Content?• Value• Limit

Purpose?• Value• Limit

} Sentence 1

} Sentence 2

The origin of the source, which is , is

valuable because

The of the source, which is , is

valuable because

} Sentence 3

} Sentence 4

The of the source, which is , is

limited because

The origin of the source, which is , is

limited because

} Students do not specifically say the origin, purpose or content of the source◦ Ex. The origin of the source is valuable because…◦ How to not make this mistake� Structure – follow exactly how it is written on the paper

} Students confuse the terms◦ Ex. “The purpose is limited because no reasons are given

to explain the why Hitler invaded Poland”◦ How to not make this mistake� Origin – only discuss the author, nothing about what is

written� Content – only discuss the words written, nothing about the

author� Purpose – only discuss the why the author wrote the words

he/she did