An opinion or perspective presented by the author of a document, influenced by the author’s personal circumstances

Taking into consideration how the author was influenced by when and where the document was produced

Comparing different sources in order to 1) gain a more accurate account of the past, 2) evaluate the validity of a source, and/or 3) consider multiple perspectives.

The personal attributes and life experiences of an author that may have influenced his/her point of view.

The circumstances of the time in which an event occurred or in which an author lived that may have influenced his/her point of view.

First-hand accounts of an event created b y eyewitnesses or first recorders at the time of the event.

Accounts of events created at a later date and by someone who was not present at the event.

Examining a document to inquire about who, when, where, and why the document was created along with identifying the type of document.

The action of explaining the meaning of something

Sources of information that provide first-hand accounts of the events, practices, or conditions you are researching. In general, these are documents that were created by the witnesses or first recorders of these events at about the time they occurred, and include diaries, letters, reports, photographs, creative works, financial records, memos, and newspaper articles (to name just a few types).

Examples of ___________ sources:

Bibliographies

Biographical works

Reference books, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and atlases

Articles from magazines, journals, and newspapers after the event

Literature reviews and review articles (e.g., book reviews)

History books and other popular or scholarly books

Works of criticism and interpretation

Textbooks

_______________ sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. They are generally one or more steps removed from the event or time period and are written or produced after the fact with the benefit of hindsight.

Examples of ________ sources:

Autobiographies and memoirs Diaries, personal letters, and correspondence

Interviews, surveys, and fieldwork

Internet communications on email, blogs, listservs, and newsgroups

Photographs, drawings, and posters

Works of art and literature

Books, magazine and newspaper articles and ads published at the time

The events, or the climate of opinion, that surround the issue at hand.

What was happening at the time of the event or the decision that sheds some light on it? In what type of society did the event occur? An urban one? A rich one? An educated one? An unstable one?

The act of considering details across multiple sources to determine points of agreement and disagreement. Things you would ask would be:

• What do other documents say?

• Do the documents agree? If not, why?

• What are other possible documents?

• What documents are most reliable?

Close reading:

Frame of reference:

An opinion or perspective presented by the author of a document, influenced by the author’s personal circumstances.

Often times, historians will come to different conclusions or having different ways of thinking about certain topics due to the way they _______________ the historical evidence.