How do you tackle a 20 mark source qs at AS level?

These types of questions want to check that you can understand the main argument of 3 different historical sources.

- Firstly, the most important thing to do is to read all of the sources thoroughly and assess what side of the argument they represent.

- Secondly, it is vital to consider the provenance of the source ie. Who wrote it? What were their intentions/aim? Was it written at the time, or many years later? Was it part of a history textbook (and therefore likely to be more balanced) or the view of contemporary? 

- Thirdly, it is essential to look for both tensions and similarities across the three sources. Do certain aspects of the sources support each others' arguments? Or are there instances when the sources contradict each other? Look for cross-references. Especially in introductions and conclusions, it is important to examine the sources not just individually, but as a set. 

- Finally, before beginning to write a response to the question, you must make a brief plan of the argument you are trying to convey, as withouot this, the answer may lack structure/ coherency.