How do I tackle a paper one and achieve high marks?

The first thing to remember about writing a paper one is that until the last question you are only to use the information the sources present to you. In reality you are able to score above 70% on any one of the topics presented as you are only meant to utilise the information presented in the sources. If you decide to use your own knowledge in each question you do NOT gain any more marks and might actually loose some as you are taking time away from other questions. If you look at the mark scheme of a paper 1 it goes three, two, four, six, and then nine marks. For the first question you are often asked to extract information and mould it into a three sentence paragraph which usually explains why or how something happened. The best way to tackle this is to go into the exam with a different coloured pen and after reading the question underlining three statements. Question two is considered the easiest question but this can often be misleading. You are often told to write down the message of the source which tends to be a cartoon or drawing. Students often get lost in this question and write paragraphs upon paragraphs trying to explain the message (I was guilty of this as well). I then decided to do two steps which enabled me to stick to the question. I would at first write ONE sentence that demonstrated the overall message and would then select two specific aspects of the image, after I started doing this I never got less than 2/2. Question three can seem very long and tedious but if you follow the code of O(VL)P(VL)CVL it is easier. This structure is very helpful when in an exam situation. If you find the origin, purpose and content with a value and limitation for each you are guaranteed to achieve top marks in this section. The next question often poses a lot of difficulty for students as it sometimes requires them to annotate and evaluate two sources in detail and find contrasting and comparison points. Some teachers say write three, but if you can only find two for each then it is still possible to get 5/6 or 6/6 if you are answering the question clearly and using strong pieces of evidence. One must yet again have a different coloured pen and read the sources presented very carefully. The differences tend to be more noticeable than the similarities, but even small similarities like they both said "Poland would be attacked" can obtain you marks. We are now on to the final question which does require some of your own knowledge. I have always started this question by drawing a small table that has the headers of for and against as the last question usually asks you to debate a for and against. I would put each letter of the source in their own section and then go and highlight the evidence from each source that I would use. In regards to using your own knowledge in this question I would restrain from trying to word vomit every fact you have on the subject and instead use your own knowledge to support the sources ( DO NOT FORGET TO STATE THAT IT IS YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE). An introduction is not needed for this mini essay but if you miss out a conclusion then it is impossible to achieve a mark higher than 6/9 which could be the difference in a grade boundary. Paper one is under a very tight time restriction of only one hour. Students often panic and therefore do not tackle the questions with a clear head. I suggest doing many practices under a time restriction as this not only gives you a feel for the exam but helps you figure out how long each question is going to take you. It is reasonable to do questions 1 and 2 in 5-7 minutes as they are not very taxing. Personally question 4 was always the most time consuming for me as a result of this I would suggest that whichever question takes you the longest you try and concentrate on first by just reading the source through and then highlighting the information you have and then leaving it to do the other questions as often just staring at that source does not give inspiration. If you struggle with the last question then this advice does not apply to you because the last question is a kind of summary of the sources so if I was you then I would just re read all the sources so that you are more familiar and if needed break them down into easier snippets of information like a sentence or two that summaries them. Always try and read through your answer before moving on to the next question just for a final check.