This document discusses primary and secondary sources and questions to ask when evaluating sources. Primary sources are first-hand accounts like diaries, letters, photos created during the event, which provide direct evidence but may be biased. Secondary sources are analyses created after the event from multiple primary sources, trying to be less biased, but are still often biased. When evaluating any source, one should consider when it was created, the author's attitude and potential biases, whether all facts are included, if it aims to persuade, and whether other sources corroborate it to determine how much the information can be trusted.

1. USING SOURCES
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF ABOUT EVERY SOURCE:
(although every question might not apply to every single source)
1. When was the source made and why?
2. What is the attitude of the writer or photographer or artist or cartoonist to their subject matter?
3. Does it tell the whole story?
4. Are certain facts deliberately left out or only certain facts included?
5. Is it being used to try and persuade or manipulate you, the reader, in any way? If yes, it will usually be
trying to force you to feel certain emotions about the subject matter – identify these emotions.
6. Does the source reveal only one point of view or more than one?
7. Do different sources back each other up? (more likely to be true)
8. How far can you trust the information in the source to be true?
9. Which words can you quote to prove what you have said about the source?
10. Which particular part of the photo or drawing or cartoon proves what you think about the source?
SECONDARY SOURCES:
These are almost always written a
long time after the events took
place.
The writers are able to analyse
and interpret the events and
outcomes and to draw conclusions.
Cartoons would also fit in here as
the cartoonist is often interpreting
the events in her/ his own way.
Quite often writers of secondary
sources try very hard not to be
biased by reading many different
primary sources and taking all
points of view into account when
they do their interpretation.
In spite of all of this, they too are
often biased or prejudiced and you
must be able to find their bias and
identify it – by quoting.
PRIMARY SOURCES:
First-hand, witness accounts in the form of diaries,
letters, newspaper articles and documents written
at the time of the incidents, photographs or
drawings done at the time which show specific
events, posters and pamphlets.
Some cartoons are also primary sources.
One should never assume that primary sources are
absolutely reliable because the person was there.
Primary sources often present only one side of the
story as they represent the opinions or thoughts of
the person who wrote them and as such, are usually
biased in favour of one side or another.
Even photos often reveal the bias of the
photographer.
You must become skilled at recognising and
identifying bias and prejudice.
You must also be able to show exactly which words
in the source (by quoting) or which part of the
drawing or photo, shows this bias.
One of the skills you need in History is being able to identify and work with SOURCES.
1 2