The Component 02 mark scheme says that candidates have to evaluate the sources of information they have used. My students evaluate the sources before they write the report and only use good sources. Should they include bad sources?

You do not have to include ‘bad’ sources so that they are easy to criticise. All sources can be evaluated. Firstly, evaluation can be positive; explain why the source is useful, trustworthy, reliable, authoritative, etc. However, even ‘good’ sources can be evaluated critically. For example, students may consider whether the author has a vested interest in the subject; whether they consider counter-arguments; or whether the argument the author makes stands up to scrutiny.

It is rarely the case that sources are simply good or bad. Even good sources can have potential criticisms and it is important for students to think about and acknowledge these. It is also important to consider what impact the research had on the argument researched, which may be dependent on the quality of the source.  

For the 2022 – 2024 syllabus, three appropriate and well-explained points of evaluation like this should be enough to reach the highest band of the mark scheme.

Please note that the 2025 revised Mark Scheme now gives specific guidance on the number of sources that should be evaluated and how developed they are.