Evaluating an interpretation
The Argument
1.
What historical problem is the author addressing?
2.
What is the thesis?
3.
How is the thesis arrived at?
- a.
What type of history book is it?
- b.
What historical methods or techniques does the author
use?
- c.
What evidence is presented?
- d.
Can you identify a school of interpretation?
- 4.
What sources are used?
4.
What sources are used?
Evaluation
1. Did the author present a convincing argument?
- a.
Does the evidence support the thesis?
- b.
Does the evidence in fact prove what the author claims
it proves?
- c.
Has the author made any errors of fact?
2.
Does the author use questionable methods or techniques?
3.
What questions remain unanswered?
4.
Does the author have a polemical purpose?
- a.
If so, does it interfere with the argument?
- b.
If not, might there be a hidden agenda?
C.
The Debate
1.
How does this book compare to others written on this or
similar topics?
2.
How do the theses differ?
3.
Why do the theses differ?
- a.
Do they use the same or different sources?
- b.
Do they use these sources in the same way?
- c.
Do they use the same methods or techniques?
- d.
Do they begin from the same or similar points of view?
- e.
Are these works directed at the same or similar
audience?
4.
When were the works written?
5.
Do the authors have different backgrounds?
6.
Do they differ in their political, philosophical, ethical,
cultural, or religious assumptions?
Adapted Source: North
Park University: Using Historical Sources
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Primary Sources Overview
Using
Primary Sources in the Classroom
Types
of Resources
Reading
a Primary Source
Reading
Secondary Source
Evaluating
an Interpretation
Primary
Source Lessons (4)
Reference
Source for Lesson Plans
Primary
vs Secondary Sources: A Comparison
How to Interpret a document
How to Interpret a Map
How to interpret an object
Primary Source Websites
Primary Source Websites for Teachers
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