Examinations in History of China
Frequently Asked Questions

Useful links: Test Preparation  guide;  templates for: map quiz: Fall & Spring; mid-term: Fall & Spring; final: Fall & Spring
Yes, you are so advised.  No need to write in full sentences; just give the basic identifying information and a clear, succinct statement of historical signficance.
You should be able to recognize/identify the period in which the source was written, the issue being discussed, and the point of view being presented.  If you can't name the precise author, then at least give a category (e.g., Buddhist monk, Neo-Confucian of the Zhu Xi School, district magistrate, peasant placard, late 19th century revolutionary, follower of the Nationalist Party / Guomindang, etc.).
The standard phrase is "the final concentrates on material since the mid-term".  In practice, that means that there probably won't be any any essay questions that could as easily have been asked on the mid-term, but some essay options may ask you to take the "long view".  And, some term and quotation IDs could also come from the pre-mid-term material.