HSC Modern History: Core Study WWI

TOMCA-RUP: Dealing with usefulness,

reliability and perspective.
The final question of the Core Study will ask you to assess TWO sources based on a specific question.
For example, you might be asked:
Assess the usefulness of Source E and F to an historian studying the nature of trench warfare on the
Western Front.
In your answer, consider the perspective provided in each source and also their reliability.
No matter what the question, no matter what sources you are given, you can approach this kind of
source-based activity using the following idea: TOMCARUP.
Type: primary/secondary,
photograph, diary entry, extract,
speech, article, poster, painting, ?
Motive: why was it created? What
was it trying to achieve? Is there
overt bias?
Audience: who was the source
created for? What other audiences
may have seen/read this source at
the time?

Type
Origin

Origin: who created the source?

When did they create it? Has it been
republished? What other issues
surround its creation?

Motive
Content
Audience

Content: what is actually said/shown

in the source (at face value?) are
there statistics, quotes, evidence, is it
limited/narrow or generalised? Does
it offer a comprehensive view of the
issue?

Reliability

Usefulness
Perspective
How useful is a source?

Reliability:
As historical FACT
OR
As historical EVIDENCE
(e.g. of a position/view)?

Therefore, how USEFUL would this

source be to the historian studying
the topic asked in the question?

Highly useful
Very useful
Useful in many ways
Useful in some ways
Somewhat useful
Of limited use
Of little use

HSC Modern History: Core Study WWI

Factor

TYPE

ORIGIN

MOTIVE(s)

CONTENT

AUDIENCE

Perspective

Reliability

Usefulness