📚 Case Study Practical Exercises | 案例分析实战演练
Welcome to your Year 7 CAIE History case study workout. A historical case study is like being a detective: you gather clues, question witnesses, and build an argument about what really happened in the past. In this article, we will walk through a real history mystery — the death of King Tutankhamun of ancient Egypt — and practise the same skills you need for your exams. You will learn how to handle evidence, spot bias, and write your own mini-report.
欢迎来到七年级CAIE历史案例分析训练营。历史案例分析就像当侦探：你要收集线索、询问证人，然后构建一个关于过去到底发生了什么的有力论证。本文将以一个真实的历史谜团——古埃及法老图坦卡蒙之死——为例子，带你一步步操练考试必备的技能。你将学会如何处理证据、发现偏见，并撰写自己的迷你报告。
1. What is a Historical Case Study? | 什么是历史案例研究？
A historical case study is an in-depth look at a specific person, event, or development. Instead of just memorising dates, you act like an investigator. You ask questions, weigh evidence, and come to a reasoned conclusion. It’s your chance to be the historian, not just a reader of history.
历史案例研究就是对某个特定人物、事件或发展历程的深入考察。你不只是背诵日期，而是像侦探一样去提问、权衡证据，得出有理有据的结论。这是你做历史学家的机会，而不只是历史的读者。
In your CAIE exam, you may be asked to analyse a short case study using provided sources. The skills you practise here — such as evaluating reliability and explaining causes — are exactly what examiners look for.
在CAIE考试中，你可能需要利用给出的材料分析一个简短的案例。你在这里练习的技能——比如评估可信度、解释原因——正是考官所看重的。
2. Introducing the Mystery: The Death of King Tut | 引入谜团：图坦卡蒙之死
King Tutankhamun ruled Egypt over 3,300 years ago and died aged around 18 or 19. His tomb, discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, was almost intact and filled with treasures. But how did he die? Was he murdered by an ambitious advisor? Did he fall from his chariot? Or did a simple infection kill him? The sources give us clues, but no single answer.
图坦卡蒙在3300多年前统治埃及，去世时大约只有18或19岁。他的陵墓于1922年被霍华德·卡特发现，几乎完好无损，堆满了珍宝。但他是怎么死的？是被野心勃勃的大臣谋害？从战车上摔下？还是一场普通的感染夺走了他的生命？史料给了我们线索，却没有唯一的答案。
This mystery is perfect for a case study because it forces us to use historical thinking: we must examine different types of sources, identify contradictions, and reach a supported judgment.
这个谜团非常适合做案例研究，因为它迫使我们运用历史思维：必须检视不同类型的史料，发现矛盾之处，并得出一个有证据支持的判断。
3. Step 1 – Collecting the Evidence | 第一步：收集证据
Start your case study by gathering all the available evidence. For King Tut, that includes his mummy, the objects in his tomb, wall paintings, and later writings about him. In your own work, this would be a mixture of written sources, artefacts, and images.
开始案例研究时，先把所有能找到的证据收集起来。对图坦卡蒙而言，这包括他的木乃伊、墓中随葬品、壁画，以及后人关于他的记载。在你自己做练习时，这将是文字材料、文物和图像的混合体。
Record each piece of evidence in a simple table. Note what it is, where it came from, and what it might suggest about the cause of death. This is your ‘evidence log’.
把每一条证据都记录在一张简易表格里。记下它是什么、来源何处，以及它可能暗示了什么死因。这就是你的“证据日志”。
| Evidence | Source type | Clue about death? |
| Fracture on the back of the skull | Physical remains (mummy X-ray) | Could suggest a blow to the head – murder? |
| Broken left leg (femur) | Physical remains (CT scan) | Fall or accident just before death? |
| Malaria parasites found in body | DNA analysis | Severe illness could weaken him |
| Painting of Tut in battle | Tomb painting | Shows him as a strong warrior, but may not be realistic |
Evidence log for the King Tut case study | 图坦卡蒙案例研究的证据日志
4. Step 2 – Identifying Primary and Secondary Sources | 第二步：识别第一手和第二手史料
To use evidence well, you must know the difference between a primary source (from the time period) and a secondary source (created later). In the Tutankhamun case, his mummy and tomb goods are primary sources. A 2010 scientific report on his DNA is a secondary source because it was made long after his death.
要想用好证据，你必须分清第一手史料（来自当时的）和第二手史料（后来创作的）。在图坦卡蒙这个案例中，他的木乃伊和墓中物品是第一手史料。一份2010年关于他DNA的科学报告则是第二手史料，因为它是在他死后很久才产生的。
Always ask: Was the source created by someone who saw the event? If not, it's secondary and may rely on interpretation. Primary sources can still contain errors or deliberate messages, but they give us a direct link to the past.
永远要问：这个史料是由亲历事件的人创作的吗？如果不是，那就是第二手的，它可能依赖于他人的解读。第一手史料也可能包含错误或有意的宣传，但它们直接连接着我们与过去。
5. Step 3 – Checking for Bias and Reliability | 第三步：检查偏见与可靠性
Every source has a purpose. A tomb painting showing Tut as a mighty ruler might be propaganda, not photographic truth. When you evaluate a source, think about who made it, why they made it, and who the audience was. These questions help you judge reliability.
每件史料都有其目的。一幅展示图坦卡蒙威武形象的墓室壁画可能是宣传之作，而非写实照片。评估史料时，要思考谁创造了它、出于什么目的、观众是谁。这些问题能帮你判断其可信度。
For instance, a court official writing about Tut’s death might want to hide his own involvement; he is a biased source. A natural mummification scar, however, is not biased — but it can be misinterpreted. Reliable sources are consistent with other evidence and come from a position to know the truth.
比如，一名朝廷官员记述图坦卡蒙之死时，可能想掩盖自己的参与；他是带有偏见的信源。而木乃伊上的一道天然伤痕则没有偏见——但它仍然可能被错误解读。可靠的信源往往与其他证据一致，并且处于能了解真相的位置。
6. Step 4 – Creating a Timeline | 第四步：创建时间线
A good detective maps out the sequence of events. For a case study, draw a simple timeline of everything connected to the death. For Tutankhamun, you would note: year of death (around 1324 BCE), discovery of the tomb (1922 CE), first X-ray study (1968), CT scan (2005), and DNA results (2010).
好侦探会梳理事件顺序。做案例研究时，画一条简单的与死亡相关的所有事件时间轴。对图坦卡蒙来说，你会记下：去世年份（约公元前1324年）、墓葬被发现（公元1922年）、首次X光研究（1968年）、CT扫描（2005年）以及DNA检测结果（2010年）。
Timelines reveal how our understanding changes over time. The 'murder theory' was popular after the 1968 X-ray seemed to show a skull fracture, but the 2005 CT scan showed the fracture probably happened during mummification. This shows why later investigations can overturn earlier conclusions.
时间轴能揭示我们的认知如何随时间变化。1968年X光似乎显示头骨骨折后，“谋杀说”流行起来，但2005年CT扫描表明骨折可能发生在制作木乃伊的过程中。这说明了为什么后来的调查会推翻先前的结论。
7. Step 5 – Forming a Hypothesis | 第五步：形成假设
After gathering evidence, it’s time to state a possible answer — a hypothesis. This is your educated guess about what happened. For King Tut, a hypothesis might be: 'Tutankhamun died from an infection caused by a broken leg, made worse by malaria.' This isn’t just a guess; it’s based on the pieces you have collected.
收集证据之后，就该提出一个可能的答案——你的假设。这是你对事件经过的有根据的推测。对于图坦卡蒙，一个假设可以是：“图坦卡蒙死于腿骨骨折引发的感染，疟疾使情况更加恶化。”这不只是瞎猜，而是基于你收集到的信息。
A strong hypothesis can be tested against the evidence. Remember, in history we rarely get 100% proof, but we can say which explanation is most likely given what we know now.
有力的假设要能经得起证据检验。请记住，在历史中我们极少得到百分之百的证据，但我们可以说，根据目前所知，哪种解释的可能性最大。
8. Step 6 – Testing Your Hypothesis | 第六步：检验你的假设
Now go back to your evidence table. Does every clue support your hypothesis, or do some contradict it? For the broken-leg theory, the leg fracture and malaria parasites fit well. But what about the skull wound? If that happened after death, it doesn’t affect the theory. The chariot painting might show Tut was active enough to ride, but it could also be an idealised image.
现在回到你的证据表格。每条线索都支持你的假设吗，还是有一些是矛盾的？对“断腿感染说”而言，腿伤和疟原虫很吻合。但头骨伤口呢？如果那是死后造成的，就不会影响这个理论。那幅战车壁画或许表明图坦卡蒙的活动能力尚可，但它也可能是一幅理想化的图像。
If you find evidence that doesn’t fit, you may need to adjust your hypothesis. This is exactly what real historians do — they shift their explanations as new sources emerge.
如果发现有证据不吻合，你可能需要调整假设。这正是真正的历史学家所做的——随着新史料出现，他们会修正自己的解释。
9. Writing Your Case Study Report | 撰写案例分析报告
Now structure your report. Use three clear sections: Introduction (what is the mystery?), Body (present the evidence and analyse it), and Conclusion (your most supported answer). Keep your language factual and avoid overstating — phrases like 'the evidence suggests' or 'it is likely that' show careful reasoning.
现在组织你的报告。使用三个清晰的章节：引言（谜团是什么？）、主体（呈现证据并分析），以及结论（你的最佳答案）。语言要求实，避免夸大——用“证据表明”或“很可能”这样的措辞，能体现严谨的推理。
Here is a short example conclusion: 'The combined evidence of a leg fracture, malaria, and lack of clear signs of foul play makes the infection theory the most convincing explanation for Tutankhamun’s death. However, without a time machine, we can never be absolutely certain.'
下面是一段简短的结论范例：“综合腿骨骨折、疟疾以及缺乏明确谋害痕迹的证据，感染理论成为图坦卡蒙死因最有说服力的解释。然而，没有时光机，我们永远无法百分之百确定。”
10. Common Pitfalls to Avoid | 常见错误要避免
One common mistake is treating all sources as equally trustworthy. Just because something is in a book or a BBC documentary does not mean it’s automatically true. Always check the origin. Another pitfall is forgetting to mention why a source might be useful — even a biased source tells us something about the person who created it.
一个常见错误是把所有史料都看得同样可信。不能因为某件事写在书里或出现在BBC纪录片里，就自动认为它正确。永远要核查出处。另一个坑是忘记提及某份史料为何有用——即使是有偏见的史料，也能告诉我们关于其创造者的信息。
Also, avoid answering the question with 'I think' without evidence. Every claim must be backed by a source. Finally, do not pick a side just because you like it — follow the evidence, not your emotions.
还有，不要在没有证据的情况下用“我觉得”来回答问题。每个主张都必须有史料支持。最后，不要只因为喜欢就站队——跟随证据，而非情感。
11. Practice Exercise: Your Turn! | 实战练习：轮到你了！
Below is a new mini-case. Read the evidence and write a short hypothesis and conclusion.
下面是一道新的迷你案例题。阅读证据，然后写一个简短的假设和结论。
Case: What Caused the Fall of the Western Roman Empire? Three sources are given:
案例：什么导致了西罗马帝国的灭亡？ 给出了三则材料：
- Source A: A letter from a Roman senator in 410 CE complaining that the city has become 'lazy and selfish' and that 'our greed has ruined us.'
- 材料A： 一位罗马元老在公元410年写的一封信，抱怨罗马城变得“懒惰自私”，“我们的贪婪毁了我们”。
- Source B: A modern textbook stating that repeated invasions by Germanic tribes were the main cause of the collapse.
- 材料B： 一本现代教科书，指出日耳曼部落的反复入侵是崩溃的主要原因。
- Source C: A graph showing the Roman Empire’s tax revenue dropping sharply from 300 CE to 450 CE.
- 材料C： 一张图表，显示从公元300年到450年罗马帝国的税收急剧下降。
Use the steps you have learnt: identify source types, check for bias, and test hypotheses such as 'internal weakness' versus 'external attacks'. Write your conclusion in one paragraph, using at least two of the sources.
运用你学到的步骤：识别史料类型，检查偏见，检验诸如“内部虚弱”与“外部攻击”的假设。写一段结论，至少使用其中两则材料。
12. Keeping a Case Study Journal | 持续记录案例研究日志
The best way to improve is to practise regularly. Start your own history detective notebook. Each week, pick a short mystery — like the disappearance of the Roanoke colony or the death of Alexander the Great — and apply the six steps from this article. Over time, analysing sources will become second nature.
提高的最好方法是经常练习。准备一本你自己的历史侦探笔记本。每周选一个短小谜团——比如罗阿诺克殖民地消失之谜或亚历山大大帝之死——然后运用本文的六步法。久而久之，史料分析会成为你的第二天性。
Remember, the aim is not to know all the answers, but to learn how to ask the right questions. That is what makes a great history student.
请记住，目标不是知道所有答案，而是学会提出正确的问题。这才是优秀历史学生的特质。
Published by TutorHao | History Revision Series | aleveler.com
更多咨询请联系16621398022（同微信）
或截图后用「扫一扫 → 相册」选择本图