Sourcing and Perspective in History

If a historical document is biased, a historian should throw it away because it is not useful.

Why is it that historians do not throw away biased sources?

• Biased sources are still useful because they show us the author's perspective and feelings.

• Biased sources should be avoided because they contain lies that will confuse historians.

• Biased sources are the only sources that contain real facts.

• Historians only use biased sources when they cannot find anything else.

Imagine two students argue in the cafeteria. One is your best friend, the other a stranger. If a teacher asks what happened, how might your perspective differ from a neutral student?

What is the definition of "Sourcing" in history?

• Writing a new book about the past

• Examining who created a document and why

• Memorizing dates and names of famous battles

• Finding the original location of a lost artifact

Which term describes a person's point of view based on their life and background?

• Reliability

• Bias

• Perspective

• Sourcing

What does it mean to have "Bias"?

• Being completely fair to all people

• Favoring one side or person over another in an unfair way

• Providing an accurate and honest account

• Studying many different points of view

Which word refers to how much we can trust a source to be accurate and honest?

• Reliability

• Sourcing

• Bias

• Perspective

According to the "Big Questions" of sourcing, which of the following is a question a historian should ask?

• How much does this document cost?

• When was it written?

• What is the font size of the text?

• How many pages are in the document?

What is the first thing a historian should do before they read a document?

• Check its origin (Sourcing)

• Write a summary of the facts

• Translate it into another language

• Correct the spelling errors

Bias is compared to which of the following items?

• A magnifying glass

• Tinted glasses that turn everything one color

• A mirror showing a reflection

• A flashlight in a dark room