I need to do three questions for now out of the six.
I would be very thankful if everyone can provide me any example of how to answer the following questions:

1. Study source A.

What impression of Trotsky is given in this source?
Explain your answer using details of the cartoon. (6 marks)

This cartoon is called 'The Murderer's Hygiene' - a caricature of Trotsky from 1937.
The verse beneath the cartoon reads: 'The hero of crimes and
Treachery, does not forget the rules of hygiene. Those who are
In the pay of fascists, live by scientific rules. The executioner,
Finishing his day's work, washes his hands in fear.'

2. Study sources B and C.

To what extent do these two sources agree about Stalin?
Explain your answer using the sources. (8 marks)

3. Study sources D and E.

Which of these sources is more useful to a historian investigating Stalin?
Use the sources and your own knowledge.

Again, I might not be looking for the actual answer, what I need is a template or a style of answering thses questions.
Thanks in advance!

This is a comprehension and inference of a source question.
You need to say what you can see on the surface about Trotsky (very little that is true).
But then you need to go on to say what you can infer from the source (primarily about what the cartoonist thought about Trotsky).
There is advice on how to do this kind of question here.


This is a simple comparison on sources.
Start by comparing surface features, and then compare what they are inferring.
There is advice on how to do this sort of question here.


This is basically a utility of a source question.
You essay will simply assess the utility of the first source, then in the second section assess the second source, and then in a conclusion decide which was more important.
There is advice on how to do this sort of question here.

is it possible to upload the work and see what needs improvement ?

No - we don't have the resources to comment on draft work.
We can offer advice and help with specific issues, but it's your own teacher who you should gove your work to for comment and assessment.

Thank you very much for your help! Your help has been sensational!
but as I have said before there are six questions, therefore I will nelp help for the other three:

Question 4 is very similar to Question 1 or 2 therefore I won't post it.

5. Study sources H and I.
Explain possible reasons why these two sources give differing reasons for the purges. (8 Marks)

6. Study all the sources.
"Stalin carried out the purges to defend the USSR against its enemies". How far do these sources support this view? (12 Marks)

Thank you for you help again!

anyone answering my questions?

Sorry- been really busy lately and these are hard questions!


I think the key here is to find the differences in the origin, context and motives of the two authors.


This question requires you to use both content AND provenance to judge a dispute.
Start by dividing the soucres into two sides - those which SUPPORT the assertion, and those which CONTRADICT it.

First, look at the content of the sources-FOR, and see to what extent it supports the assertion. However, rememebr then to evaluate the sources' provenance, to see how reliable/trustworthy they are. Assess the overall power of the argument for taking both aspects into account.

Second, look at the content of the sources-AGAINST, and see to what extent it contradicts the assertion. However, rememebr then to evaluate the sources' provenance, to see how reliable/trustworthy they are. Assess the overall power of the argument against taking both aspects into account.

Finally, weigh the two sides of the argument, coming to a conclusion which involves assessing both the content an the provenance.

(Thus, e.g., it may be that the content of soues 1-3 provides a really good case that he carried out his ourges to defend Russia, but all the sources are highly unreliable because they were written by his creatures -- whereas, although sources -6 make less of a powerful argument, they are written by respected, objective historiand and can therefore be regarded as a genuine stab at the truth etc. - you get the idea)
A real key in this essay is to keep the overall argument in view all the time, and not to let the content-provenance-for-each-source obscure the underlying argument.

hi,
i'm really worried about my Russia coursework, it's not really related to yours, but I was wondering if you, or anyone else, has had to answer a "How far does sourc x differ from sources y and z?"
It's just i'm doing my coursework now, and can't finish a question in this style...
I need to get it done ASAP!
Thanks, anyone!

I have tried to answer this question for you in this thread.

What makes this question harder is that it is comparing, not one source against another, but on source against two others.
At your level, I would deal with this simply by treating the two sources as one 'item', and flip between them as necessary. Make sure, however, that you specifically mention BOTH those sources at least once.