How do I effectively plan source questions?

You're sat in an exam, the clock's ticking, the pressure's on and you're faced with a box or two crammed with information. It looks scary but don't worry, the paper is on your side, giving you masses of information you can use for a great answer. All that's required is a simple step by step plan you can replicate in seconds with enough practice!Take a deep breath and read through the question and then the source- your brain needs time to process it as you complete the other steps!Consider the provenance of the source. Who is the author? Why do they feel as they do? What is its intended purpose? It is crucial to understand we are merely viewing one person's version of history. How does this compare to our own knowledge of events?What is the overall message/argument of the source? What does the author want us to think about the event they are commenting on? How does this tally with our own knowledge of historical events?Can we pick out sections of the source that we know to be true or untrue based on our own knowledge? The more the better, we need these to strengthen our own argument!Okay, we've read the source, thought about its author, its overall message and some key sections of it. Time to decide, how far do I agree with the question (usually on the strength/reliability of the source)? We need a clear line of argument to hammer home all the way through our answer. The best examples are clear they either agree or disagree with the question, whilst acknowledging some of the limitations we've already found, and even better examples may link these strengths and limitations to the provenance of the source.We've decided on our line of argument and we've collected all our ammunition to fire home our point as a good historian does. Time to write! With enough practice you'll be able to whizz out whole plans in minutes!