AH26: Depth Study Technique
Specific techniques for the OCR J198 Depth Study paper
Depth Study Technique
Specific techniques for the OCR J198 Depth Study paper
Key Fact: The Depth Study (Paper 2) is worth 50% of the GCSE and lasts 1 hour 30 minutes
Key Fact: It focuses on a shorter period in much greater detail, requiring depth of knowledge and source analysis
Key Fact: Source-based questions are central to the Depth Study — you must use sources as evidence
Key Fact: The paper may ask you to evaluate the utility of a source for a specific question
Key Fact: You may be asked to compare two sources or interpretations, identifying agreement and disagreement
Key Fact: Interpretation questions ask you to explain why historians might disagree about an event or person
Key Fact: For source questions, always combine what the source says with your own contextual knowledge
Key Fact: The Depth Study rewards depth of knowledge — detailed, precise evidence about a narrower period
Key Fact: When evaluating interpretations, consider what evidence the historian used and what they might have omitted
Key Fact: Depth Study topics include: Sparta, Athens, the foundation of Rome, or the Roman Emperors
Key Fact: Always refer to the source by name or provenance, not just 'the source says'
Key Fact: The extended question in the Depth Study usually involves evaluating a claim or interpretation using evidence
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Depth Study Technique, you must know:
- Depth Study: Paper 2 of OCR J198, focusing on a shorter period in detail with emphasis on source analysis — worth 50%
- Interpretation: A way of understanding or explaining historical events — different historians may offer different interpretations
- Utility: How useful a source is for answering a specific historical question
- Contextual knowledge: Your own knowledge of the historical context that you use alongside source evidence
- Corroboration: When two or more sources support each other's evidence, strengthening the argument
- Contradiction: When two sources disagree, which may indicate bias, different perspectives or different evidence
❓ Practice Questions
Q: What percentage of the GCSE is the Depth Study worth?
Q: What is the key difference between the Period Study and the Depth Study?
Q: Why must you combine source evidence with your own knowledge?
Q: What should you consider when explaining why two interpretations differ?
Q: How should you refer to sources in your answer?
✅ Answers
- 50% — it is Paper 2, equally weighted with the Period Study (Paper 1).
- The Period Study covers a broad period focusing on narrative and causation; the Depth Study covers a shorter period in detail, emphasising source analysis and interpretations.
- Because your own contextual knowledge allows you to evaluate the source's accuracy, identify what it omits, and provide a fuller analysis than the source alone can give.
- The evidence each historian used, their perspective or school of thought, what they chose to emphasise or omit, and when the interpretation was written.
- By name or provenance (e.g., 'Herodotus states...' or 'The Athenian inscription records...'), not just 'the source says'.
🎯 Exam Tips
- For source utility questions, use the structure: 'The source is useful for X because... However, it is limited for Y because...'
- When comparing interpretations, identify specific points of agreement AND disagreement, then explain why
- Always use contextual knowledge to test what a source says — does other evidence support or contradict it?
- In the extended question, structure your answer around 2-3 main arguments supported by both source evidence and your own knowledge
- Don't just describe what a source says — analyse its provenance, purpose and limitations
📝 Exam Technique
GCSE Ancient History Exam Tips — Depth Study Technique:
1. For Depth Study Technique, include specific factual detail: dates, names, events and statistics where relevant
2. For source questions, analyse provenance (who, when, why, audience) before using the content
3. In evaluation questions, discuss multiple factors and weigh their relative significance
4. Always link back to the question focus — don't just narrate what happened with Depth Study Technique
5. Use phrases like 'the most significant factor was... because...' to show analytical judgement
1. For Depth Study Technique, include specific factual detail: dates, names, events and statistics where relevant
2. For source questions, analyse provenance (who, when, why, audience) before using the content
3. In evaluation questions, discuss multiple factors and weigh their relative significance
4. Always link back to the question focus — don't just narrate what happened with Depth Study Technique
5. Use phrases like 'the most significant factor was... because...' to show analytical judgement
⚠️ Common Errors
✗ Quoting the source without any analysis of its provenance or reliability ✓ Always explain what the source reveals and evaluate its strengths and limitations based on provenance
✗ Writing about the topic in general without referring to the specific source ✓ Source-based questions require you to use the source as evidence — your answer must engage directly with it
✗ Saying 'the source is biased so it is not useful' ✓ Bias does not make a source useless — it reveals attitudes and perspectives that can themselves be valuable evidence
✗ Giving equal weight to a minor point and a major point in your analysis ✓ Prioritise your arguments — identify the most significant factors and give them the most developed treatment
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
How far do the sources support the view that Pericles was the most important Athenian politician of the 5th century BCE? (15 marks)
The sources largely support the view that Pericles was the most important Athenian politician, though they also reveal limitations to his influence. Thucydides provides the strongest support, describing Pericles as 'the first citizen of Athens' who led the people rather than being led by them. His account of Pericles' Funeral Oration shows a leader who defined Athenian identity and values. Plutarch, writing later, reinforces this view by devoting an entire biography to Pericles, emphasising his political dominance, his building programme on the Acropolis, and his management of the Delian League. The archaeological evidence of the Parthenon and other Periclean buildings physically demonstrates his ability to direct Athenian resources on an unprecedented scale. However, the sources also reveal counter-arguments. Thucydides himself notes that Pericles was temporarily deposed and fined after the Spartan invasion of Attica, showing his influence had limits. Aristophanes' comedies mock Pericles and his associates, reminding us that he faced significant political opposition. The death of Pericles in 429 BCE from the plague did not end Athenian democracy or the Peloponnesian War, suggesting the institutions he worked within had their own momentum. Furthermore, other politicians like Cimon and Cleon were also significant — Cimon built the Delian League's power before Pericles, and Cleon continued the war effort after. Overall, the sources support Pericles' importance but suggest his dominance was greatest in the 440s-430s BCE and that he operated within a political system that both enabled and constrained him.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Analysis
AO1 (Knowledge & Understanding): Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of depth study technique, including key events, individuals, and developments in the ancient world relevant to OCR J198.
AO2 (Explanation & Analysis): Explain and analyse historical events and periods related to depth study technique, using historical concepts such as causation, consequence, change, continuity, similarity and difference.
AO3 (Source Analysis & Interpretations): Analyse, evaluate and use sources and interpretations related to depth study technique, considering provenance, utility and the construction of historical arguments.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
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