Exam Guidance for 4 Marks Questions

Information

This question is designed to test your factual recall. In this type of question, you are asked to provide details of a well-known person, event or historical occurrence. There are four marks for this question and the most likely way to obtain full marks would be to write four separate sentences, each of which provides a piece of information. However, if you did write a sentence that was a statement of fact and also contained some extra development of that fact, you could score two marks for that sentence.

Examples

What was the Doctrine of Lapse? [4]

The Doctrine of Lapse was introduced in 1852 (fact), because the British wanted to extend their control (development). It was introduced by Governor-General Dalhousie (fact). The Indians hated the policy (fact), because they thought it was just a British excuse to take over their land (development).

It has three statements of fact and two of those have been developed. So, there is more than enough information here to score full marks.

What was the Cripps Mission? [4]

The Cripps Mission was called in 1942 (fact). Cripps offered an Indian Union with Dominion status (fact). After the Second World War, a Constituent Assembly would be elected (fact). That Assembly would draw up a new constitution (fact).

It has four statements of fact with no development. This should be enough to score full marks.

What was the U-2 incident? [4]

The U-2 incident was a dispute between the United States and the Soviet Union (fact) over the shooting down of an American spy plane (development). The pilot parachuted to the group and was captured (fact). He was called Gary Powers (development). Powers was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment (fact).

It has three statements of fact and two of those have been developed. So, there is more than enough information here to score full marks.