Thinking Like a Historian
Split Up 1st Paper in 4 Sections Contextualization Corroboration Sourcing Close Reading
Contextualization When and where was the document created? What was different then? What was the same? How might the circumstances in which the document was created affect its content?
Corroboration What do other documents say? Do the documents agree? If not, why? What are other possible documents? What documents are most reliable?
Sourcing Before reading the document ask yourself: Who wrote this? What is the author’s perspective? Why was it written? When was it written? Where was it written? Is it reliable? Why? Why not?
Close Reading What claims does the author make? What evidence does the author use? What language (words, phrases, images, symbols) does the author use to persuade the document’s audience? How does the document’s language indicate the author’s perspective?
Method of Analysis for Primary Sources A.R.T.I.S.T. R & B Method of Analysis for Primary Sources © Copyright 2012
What is ARTIST? A.R.T.I.S.T. is a method of primary source analysis that allows students to process information in a written or visual source of a historic nature. © Copyright 2012
What does A.R.T.I.S.T. stand for? Author Reason To whom Immediate effect Subsequent effects Time period Painting history with BROAD STROKES! © Copyright 2012
Author Who is the author of the document? Key Issues: Why might the author be important? Can the author give us insight into their biases and points of view? Is the author in a position to have an understanding of the events described? © Copyright 2012
Reason What is the reason or purpose of the communication? Key Issues: Does the reason help us see the big picture? Does the reason help us place the document in context? © Copyright 2012
To Whom Who is the intended audience? Key Issues: Does the intended audience provide clues to the document? How does the audience potentially impact the document? © Copyright 2012
Immediate Consequence What were the immediate consequences of the production of the document? Key Issues: What happened as a result of this document? Was/were the consequences intended or not? © Copyright 2012
Subsequent Impact What was the subsequent impact of the source under consideration. Did it have significant impacts or only slight ones? Key Issues: How or did this document have an impact across time? © Copyright 2012
Time Period When was the document produced? Key Issues: Where does this document fit into the scope of American history? Is this document part of a sequence of events? Is there any other important document that precedes the document or comes afterward? © Copyright 2012
Lunchroom Fight Activity Lets look at the testimonials from this scenario. Pick up one person from the testimonial and apply the ARTIST model.
Share out!
What is R&B? R&B stand for Reliability and Big picture ideas respectively. © Copyright 2012
Reliability Attempt to determine the reliability of the document(s). Should include possible biases and unique points of view © Copyright 2012
Big Picture Ideas Ask leading questions to get your students to fully process the document and its place in the larger scope of American history. Actively discuss the main ideas embodied in the document or source. © Copyright 2012