How should I approach a source based question in an essay?

The best piece of advice that I can give when approaching source based essay questions, is to go down a more analytical rather than descriptive approach. It is important to look at what the source is trying to say, however, do not get too caught up in just listing and regurgitating facts. Go into greater depth by looking closer at who wrote the source, when the source was made, why it was written/made (looking at whether the author had an aim/purpose), but also what audience the source was directed at. By focusing on these aspects of the source, rather than just the context within the source, you will be able to make connections and links in the source, which allows you to judge it's usefulness to historians in their search for gaining a greater understanding of the past.