Evaluating Evidence - PROP Procedure When you consider a source of information about an event, always apply the props method to determine how believable the source is. 1 st ask yourself, is there a source for the information? –If no, the information is unsupported and weakened. Choose a more reliable/truthful source. If yes, evaluate it: EXPLAIN!!! –P – primary or secondary?P – primary or secondary? –R – reason to lie or exaggerate?R – reason to lie or exaggerate? –O – other evidence to verify this evidence?O – other evidence to verify this evidence? –P – public or private?P – public or private?

P- Primary or secondary source Primary source is evidence given by a person present at event. It can also be an object that was part of event. Primary sources are more desired. You should look to collect as many primary sources as possible to create clearer picture of event. Collect secondary sources only when primary sources are unavailable.

R - Reason to lie/distort People have reasons to lie –Make themselves or their group look good –To help their own interests (i.e. to make money) Does the person giving the statement, writing the document, recording the audio, or identifying the object benefit from the truth being distorted, covered up, falsified sensationalized, or manipulated? Witnesses with no reason to do the above are more desirable.

O- Other evidence Is there more information that reports the same data? –Witnesses –Statements –Recordings –Evidence Having other evidence to verify adds strength to your argument.

P – Public or private statement Public if… –…the person knew that others would see, hear or read what they said. Private if… –…the person stated the information in confidence or privacy. Private is judged more accurate because it was probably more likely to reflect the speaker’s true feeling or observations.

Criteria for Evaluating Evidence P Is it a primary (more reliable) or a secondary (less reliable) source? R Does the person giving the evidence have no reason to lie (more reliable)? O Is there other evidence which supports or verifies what this evidence says (more reliable) or is this the only evidence presented on this topic (less reliable)? P Is it a public (less reliable) or private (more reliable) statement? It is public if the person giving it knew others would read or see it.