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Free Resource — Paper 1

How to Answer Every Paper 1 Question Type

Q1 to Q4 — what each question asks, how many marks it's worth, and the exact method to hit the top band.

4 question types 10-mark maximum per question
What Paper 1 Tests

Four Questions. Four Different Skills.

Paper 1 is a source-based paper. You are given 2–4 sources on a global political issue and asked four types of questions. Each question tests a different skill. The mistake most students make is answering all four questions the same way — describing the source. This guide shows you what each question actually requires.

Question Name Marks Skill tested
Q1 Describe 2 marks Identify something specific from the source
Q2 Explain 4 marks Explain what the source suggests, using the source and your own knowledge
Q3 Compare 6 marks Identify similarities and differences between two sources
Q4 Evaluate 8–10 marks Evaluate the value and limitations of a source (OPCVL)
The Source

Used Across All Four Questions

All four model answers below refer to this source. Read it carefully before working through each question.

Source A

Excerpt from a statement by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, to the UN Security Council, 24 February 2022.

"Today, I have a message to the Government of the Russian Federation: In the name of humanity, bring your troops back to Russia. In the name of humanity, do not allow to start in Europe what could be the worst war since the beginning of the century. This is a time for reason and for responsibility and for restraint. Wars start easily. Ending them is much more difficult and costly."
The Method

Q1 to Q4 — Step by Step

Each card gives you the method, a worked example question, and a top-band model answer.

Q1 — Describe
2 marks

What it asks

Identify something specific from the source — a concern, a claim, an attitude, or a detail. Q1 does not require you to analyse or evaluate. It rewards precision and concision.

Example question

"Identify one concern expressed by the UN Secretary-General in Source A."

Examiner Tip

Q1 is the only question where you do NOT need to analyse. Just identify and briefly describe. Two clear points is enough for full marks. Do not over-explain — you are not being rewarded for analysis here.

Method

  1. Read the question carefully — identify exactly what it is asking you to find
  2. Locate the relevant part of the source
  3. State the point clearly and briefly — one or two sentences per point
  4. You may quote directly, but do not pad the answer
Model Answer — Top Band The UN Secretary-General expresses concern that the situation could escalate into the worst war in Europe since the beginning of the century. He calls on Russia to withdraw its troops, implying that the military action underway threatens large-scale conflict.
Q2 — Explain
4 marks

What it asks

Explain what the source suggests about a political issue — using the source and your own knowledge. You must go beyond what the source says and explain what it means in relation to the political concept in the question.

Example question

"Using Source A, explain what the statement suggests about the legitimacy of Russia's military action."

Examiner Tip

The key word is "explains". You must say WHY the source suggests something — not just WHAT it shows. Students who lose marks here are describing the source but not connecting it to the political issue or concept in the question.

Method

  1. Identify the key message of the source
  2. Link it explicitly to the political concept in the question
  3. Use at least one direct quote or specific detail from the source
  4. Explain — don't just describe. Say WHY it is significant.
Model Answer — Top Band Source A suggests that Russia's military action lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the international community. The Secretary-General's direct appeal to "bring your troops back to Russia" implies that the invasion is not sanctioned by international law or collective agreement. The reference to "reason and responsibility" further implies that the action is being viewed as irrational and irresponsible by the UN — an institution whose legitimacy rests on collective security norms. This challenges Russia's claim that its intervention was a justified act of self-defence, framing it instead as a unilateral breach of sovereignty norms.
Q3 — Compare
6 marks

What it asks

Identify similarities AND differences between two sources. You must explicitly compare — not write about each source in isolation. The examiner is looking for comparative language and specific evidence from both sources.

Example question

"Compare the perspectives presented in Source A and Source B on the role of sovereignty in the conflict."

(Imagine Source B is a statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry asserting Russia's right to act in self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.)

Examiner Tip

The most common Q3 mistake is writing about each source separately. You must explicitly compare — use "both", "whereas", "unlike", "in contrast". If you don't use comparative language, you are describing, not comparing.

Method

  1. Identify the position of each source clearly
  2. Find at least ONE similarity between the sources
  3. Find at least TWO differences
  4. Use specific evidence from both sources
  5. Link to a concept (sovereignty, legitimacy, etc.) where relevant
Model Answer — Top Band (Structure) Both sources address the question of sovereignty in the context of the conflict, and both implicitly acknowledge that military action has occurred. However, Source A frames Russia's actions as a violation of international norms — the Secretary-General's call for withdrawal implies that the invasion lacks legal authority. By contrast, Source B positions Russia's actions as an exercise of legitimate sovereignty, invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter to argue that the use of force is justified under international law. Unlike Source A, which appeals to collective moral responsibility, Source B prioritises state sovereignty as a basis for unilateral action. This reflects a fundamental difference in how each source understands the relationship between sovereignty and the international legal order.
Q4 — Evaluate
8–10 marks

What it asks

Evaluate the value and limitations of a source for a given purpose. This uses the OPCVL framework. You must address both what the source allows us to understand AND what it obscures or fails to represent. Doing only one will not reach the top band.

Example question

"Evaluate the value and limitations of Source A for a researcher studying the international response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine."

OPCVL Framework

Letter What to address
O OriginWho produced it, when, in what context?
P PurposeWhy was it produced? For what audience?
C ContentWhat does it actually say or show?
V ValueWhat does it allow us to understand that we couldn't otherwise?
L LimitationsWhat does it leave out, distort, or fail to represent?

Method

  1. Establish the origin: who produced this, when, and in what institutional role?
  2. Identify the purpose: what was this statement designed to do? Who was the intended audience?
  3. Note key content: what specific claims or language are most significant?
  4. Evaluate the value: what does this source allow a researcher to understand that they could not get from a different source?
  5. Evaluate the limitations: what does the source fail to tell us? Whose perspective is absent? What context is missing?
Model Answer — Top Band (OPCVL)

Origin & Purpose: Source A is a statement delivered by António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, to the UN Security Council on 24 February 2022 — the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As Secretary-General, Guterres speaks on behalf of the UN as an institution of collective security, and his statement was intended as a public appeal to Russia and as a demonstration of the UN's formal response to the crisis.

Value: For a researcher studying the international response to the invasion, this source is highly valuable. It offers primary evidence of the UN's institutional position at the moment the conflict began, demonstrating that the Secretary-General — the highest representative of international collective security — framed the invasion as a breach of international norms and called for immediate withdrawal. The urgency and moral register of the language ("in the name of humanity") reveals the extent to which the UN viewed the invasion as an exceptional breach, not merely a political dispute. This makes the source directly relevant to questions about international legitimacy and collective security.

Limitations: However, the source has significant limitations. As an institutional statement intended for a public audience, it represents the official UN position rather than a neutral assessment of the conflict. It does not engage with Russia's stated justifications under international law, and its rhetorical purpose — to appeal to Russia and signal international condemnation — means it does not offer a balanced analysis of the conflict's origins or contested legal dimensions. A researcher relying solely on this source would lack insight into Russian perspectives, the role of NATO expansion, or the domestic political context shaping Russia's decision. Furthermore, Guterres's limited institutional power — the Security Council was paralysed by Russia's veto — means this source also illustrates the structural limitations of the UN itself, a dimension the source does not address directly.

Examiner Tip

Q4 is where most marks are available and most marks are lost. Students who describe the source (tell you what it says) score low. Students who evaluate it (explain what it allows us to understand AND what it obscures) score high. You must do both V and L to reach the top band.

Common Mistakes

The Three Errors That Cost the Most Marks

Describing instead of explaining

Q2 demands explanation, not summary. Telling the examiner what the source says earns one mark at best. You must connect the source to the political concept in the question and explain WHY that connection matters.

Writing separately, not comparatively

Q3 requires explicit comparison. Two paragraphs — one about Source A, one about Source B — is a description exercise, not a comparison. You must use comparative language: "both", "whereas", "unlike", "in contrast to".

Leaving out Limitations

Q4 without a Limitations section cannot reach the top mark band. Many students discuss value thoroughly but then fail to evaluate what the source leaves out or distorts. Both V and L are required for full credit.

What's in the Full Program

Everything included with TopBandGlobalPolitics Full Access

Full Access
  • Complete Paper 1 question bank (40+ questions with mark schemes)
  • 10 fully annotated model Paper 2 essays
  • Full EA program: topic selection, fieldwork, and reflection frameworks
  • Case study bank: BRI, Ukraine, Climate, Human Rights, and more
  • OPCVL practice sets with 20+ sources
  • PEELE method drills with timed practice
  • Concept analysis guides: power, sovereignty, legitimacy, interdependence
  • May 2026 exam preparation timeline
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