What are sources? Unit 1 Activity 4

The Two Types of Sources Type of Source Definition Example Primary Source documents or other artifacts created by people who were present at historical events either as observers, witnesses, or participants Personal diaries Speeches Published works Paintings Photographs Secondary Source accounts or commentaries based on primary sources by people who were not present at the actual event, summarizing or analyzing the event Editorial article Scholarly journals Textbooks

How to tell which source to use? What to Look Out For Reliable Sources Unreliable Sources Who is the author/ publisher? written by someone respected in their field of study websites ending in .gov, .edu unknown ** (unless from a respectable website like a newspaper) no credentials What is the author’s purpose? To inform without any bias (favoring one side or another) To persuade** (unless they provide coverage of both sides of a debate in a topic) What type of language/ grammar is used? Formal language Correct grammar usages = more educated author Informal language Grammar errors Do they cite other sources? Citations given Links to other websites are given No citations Cannot prove where they got their information

your 7-year old neighbor For example… If you were asked to write a research essay about the phases of the moon, who should you trust to give you accurate information? a physicist your 7-year old neighbor