This is an introduction to the useof primary sources for Year 6 History students.

1. READING AND ANALYSING
PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIAL

2. Interpreting Primary Source Material in
the form of Posters

4. Steps in analyzing a visual primary source:
Step 1: BACKGROUND: - Who created it?
- For what purpose?
- For what audience?
Step 2: OVERALL IMPRESSION - What does the illustration depict?
- Where does your eye go first?
Step 3: LOOKING AT THE DETAIL - Objects–shapes, figures, depictions of people – How do they make you
feel? Is it a
symbol for something
- People-postures, gesture – What does that suggest about the attitude of
those
depicted? What group in society do they depict?
- Size of objects-themselves and in relation to others. Who holds the power?
Whose voice is being heard?
- Position of objects – centre, left, right, bottom, top, foreground, background
( objects which are centred or foregrounded are usually the centre of
interest).
Step 4: REFLECTING ON THE DETAIL- THE WRITE-UP
- What was happening in this period in history? ( Prior Knowledge)
- What was the creator’s purpose in making this primary source?
- What does the creator do to get his or her point across?
- What was the primary source’s audience?

5. Writing Up My Thinking Process
During the post-war period, the government wanted to establish an immigration policy which would result in
fifty percent of the immigrants coming from Great Britain. The creator wanted to promote the scheme set up
the 1950s to get Australians to nominate friends, relatives and types of workers they wanted to bring out
Britain. The smiling kangaroo and joey, in the source, act as a symbol of Australians as being welcoming and
family orientated. The British citizens are depicted as middle-class, family people bringing with them the
and chattels of a similar culture to white Australians. Australians with either family links or ancestral links to
Britain were the intended audience. Overall, the fthe poster suggests that the ideal Australian migrant should
be British as that will ensure the country will be populated by people who are like the majority of Australians
the 1950s.
Your Turn
During the …..
The creator…..
(Name the main objects, shapes or persons depicted) – 1 or2 sentences…..
Australians with…..
Overall……

7. Interpreting historical
photographs and documents

9. Steps in analyzing a visual primary source:
Step 1: BACKGROUND: - Who created it?
- For what purpose?
- For what audience?
Step 2: OVERALL IMPRESSION - What does the illustration depict?
- Where does your eye go first?
Step 3: LOOKING AT THE DETAIL - Objects–shapes, figures, depictions of people – How do they make you
feel? Is it a
symbol for something
- People-postures, gesture – What does that suggest about the attitude
those
depicted? What group in society do they depict?
- Size of objects-themselves and in relation to others. Who holds the
Whose voice is being heard?
- Position of objects – centre, left, right, bottom, top, foreground,
background
( objects which are centred or foregrounded are usually the centre of
interest).
Step 4: REFLECTING ON THE DETAIL- THE WRITE-UP
- What was happening in this period in history? ( Prior Knowledge)
- What was the creator’s purpose in making this primary source?
- What does the creator do to get his or her point across?

10. Writing Up My Thinking Process 2
During the beginning of the Twentieth Century the dictation test was part of the
process that was used by the Australian Government to limit the entry of non-
white, non-English speaking migrants to Australia. Some Australian born Asian
citizens who wished to travel overseas required an exemption form so that they
would not have to sit the test when reentering the country. The creator of this
document was the Commonwealth Government and specifically the department
which dealt with Immigration. The document is roughly divided into 2 parts, text
and two photos of one Asian woman, face-front and side-on, dressed in the
style of a middle-class Australian white woman of the time. The text is, as stated
in the title, an exemption declaration for the woman photographed. Australian
government officials linked to the Immigration Department were the intended
audience. Overall, the impression from the document suggests that this person,
despite having lived in Australia for sometime and from her dress had
assimilated into Australian white society, would still be classed as an alien and
subject to the dictation test if she overstayed her trip by more than three Years.
Your Turn
During the…..
The creator……
Description: (Name the main objects, shapes or persons depicted) – 1 or2
sentences…..
Australians …..
Overall……