To explain how representation developed, compare an earlier position with a later one, then say what caused the difference. Three parts carry the marks: before, after, and why.
This lesson follows reading historical election information. You use the same three questions, but now on two sources instead of one.
What makes an answer about development?
A description says what was true at one time. A development answer shows two times side by side.
Look for a change in who voted, who stood or what the elected body could do. Name the change, name the group affected, and give the reason it happened.
Worked example: 1948 and 1955
The two sources below are adapted from published figures and written in our own words 1 2.
Earlier source (1948): “The Federal Legislative Council was set up with 75 appointed members.”
Later source (1955): “The council now has 98 members, and 52 of them are chosen by voters. The Alliance won 51 of the 52 elected seats, and Tunku Abdul Rahman became Chief Minister.”
Question: Explain how representation in the Federal Legislative Council developed between 1948 and 1955.
- Before: in 1948 the 75 members were all appointed.
- After: by 1955 voters chose 52 of the 98 members, and the winning party’s leader became Chief Minister.
- Why: the sources give no reason, so a careful student says so and offers a link from your textbook study, for example that British plans to move Malaya towards self-government and the pressure of the Alliance for elections led to more elected seats. Check the reasons your textbook gives.
A developed answer: “Representation widened. In 1948 all 75 members were appointed, but by 1955 voters elected 52 of 98 members. The winning Alliance’s leader became Chief Minister, so elected representatives gained real power.”
Representation moved on again in 1959, when the council was replaced by a Parliament formed after the general election 3.
The mistake that loses marks
The common slip is to write two events in a row without connecting them: “First the council was appointed. Later there was an election.” The marker cannot tell what changed.
| Part | Weak answer | Developed answer |
|---|---|---|
| Earlier position | “There was a council” | “All 75 members were appointed” |
| Later position | “There was an election” | “Voters elected 52 of 98 members” |
| Change named? | No | Yes, who chose the members |
| Link | None | “so elected representatives gained power” |
The fix is a frame you can reuse: “At first ___, but later ___, which shows ___.”
A frame for any development question
- Write the earlier position in one sentence.
- Write the later position in one sentence.
- Name the group or power that changed.
- Close with “which shows” and the meaning of the change.
The timeline and sequence practice helps you fix the order of events before you write the links.
Check yourself
Earlier source: “The 1955 council had 98 members, 52 of them elected.” Later source: “In 1959 a Parliament was formed with a Dewan Rakyat of 104 elected members.” Explain the development in two sentences.
Answer
“In 1955 voters elected 52 of the 98 council members, but in 1959 Parliament was formed with a Dewan Rakyat of 104 elected members 3. This shows representation widened again, because the whole lower house now came from an election.”
It names the earlier position, the later position, the group added, and the meaning.
What to study next
The next lesson shows how to link an election result to a change in the body that governs: connecting election outcomes to institutional change. For a parallel skill in general answers, read turning facts into developed explanations.
If you want a teacher to read your comparisons, see online one-to-one Sejarah tuition.