This is Mr Cheong's consolidated list of SBQ skills. Remember: the structure itself is not important! It is far more vital for you to understand what the question is asking for and to include the relevant info. My structures should serve as a checklist for you as you answer the SBQ questions.

1. SBQ SKILLS:
CONSOLIDATED
a.k.a. Mr Cheong’s Snazzy Acronyms

2. PROGRESSION OF SKILLS
Inference
Purpose
Reliability
Utility
Makes use of previous skills

3. INFERENCE
1 Para: SEE (4-5 sentences)
Para 1:
 State your inference
 Evidence from source
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference

4. COMPARISON (1)
Two-sided questions
(similarities AND differences)
Usually 6-8m; more common
e.g. How far do these sources agree…
e.g. How different are these two sources…
e.g. Do these sources agree…
One-sided questions
(similarities OR differences)
To be safe, just do both sides!!!

5. COMPARISON (2)
2 Paras: SEE-EE (5-6 sentences) + SEE-EE (5-6 sentences)
Para 1:
 State similarity/difference (remember to have a CCC!)
 Evidence from Source 1
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
 Evidence from Source 2
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
Para 2:
 State similarity/difference (remember to have a CCC!)
 Evidence from Source 1
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
 Evidence from Source 2
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference

6. PURPOSE (1)
Purpose statement must include:
Verb
Audience
Message
+
Desired Outcome (DO)
 This source is trying to convince (V) the people of
Singapore (A) that the government’s policies benefits
foreigners rather than Singaporeans (M)…
 The desired outcome is that Singaporean citizens would
demand for better and more equal policies from the
government that benefit everyone more equally. (DO)

7. PURPOSE (2)
1 OR 2 paras
Para 1:
 V.A.M. statement (see previous slide)
 Evidence from source
 Explanation of evidence
(Para 2 if desired):
 DO statement (see previous slide)
 Context of DO (using CK or background info)

8. RELIABILITY
2 Paras: SEE (2-3 sentences) + SURE (6-8 sentences)
Para 1:
 State your inference
 Evidence from source
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
Para 2:
 State reliable/unreliable (but MAKE SURE YOU ATQ!!!!!)
 Unpack Purpose & Provenance (full purpose statement!)
 Refer to another source (full CR!)
 Explain how purpose and CR supports (un)reliability

9. UTILITY (1)
3 Paras: SEE (4-5 sentences) + SURE (6-8 sentences) + CK/CR
(2-3 sentences)
Para 1:
 State your inference
 Evidence from source
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
Para 2:
 State useful/not useful because of reliability
 Unpack Purpose & Provenance
 Refer to another source / CK
 Explain how purpose and CR/CK support reliability
Para 3 (only attempt if you have the time!!!)
 Opposite to P2 based on CK/CR (refer to next slide)

10. Par
a
Para
Structur
e
Option 1: If the
source is Reliable
Option 2: If the
source is
Unreliable
1 S
E
E
(inference
)
(2-3 lines)
Useful
because of
source content
(follow SEE)
2 S
U
R
E
(reliability
)
(full para)
Useful
because
source is reliable
(follow SURE)
Not useful
because
source is not reliable
(follow SURE)
3
CK/CR
(utility)
(2-3 lines)
Not useful
because of
missing information
Useful
because of
author’s perspective
UTILITY (2)

11. JUDGEMENT
5 Paras: 4x SEE (4-5 sentences) + SURE (6-8 sentences)
Para 1-4: (2x agree, 2x disagree)
 State your inference (agree or disagree)
 Evidence from source
 Explain how the evidence leads to your inference
Para 5: (must refer to a source used in P1-4)
 State reliable/unreliable
 Unpack Purpose & Provenance
 Refer to CK only
 Explain how purpose and CK support reliability