Historical Thinking is Critical Thinking!

QCRE / Question / Claim / Reason / Evidence / Question / Claim / Reason / Evidence

Historians Ask Questions! / Why did something happen? / What was the impact of an event? / Who was responsible for an event? / Why did something happen? / What was the impact of an event? / Who was responsible for an event? QCRE

Historians Look for Answers! Historical argumentation requires the articulation of historical claims, explanation of the reasons for the claims, and the use of evidence to support the reasons. QCRE

Answers Require Evidence Using evidence requires the critical assessment of historical sources. QCRE

Thinking Like a Historian Evidence = Evaluation of a Source Contextualization of a Source Close Reading of a Source Corroboration of a Source Evidence = Evaluation of a Source Contextualization of a Source Close Reading of a Source Corroboration of a Source E = EC 3

Evaluating the Source / Before you examine a piece of evidence, ask yourself: / Who made this? (Or who wrote it?) Is this person believable? / What kind of evidence is it? (Diary entry? Police report? Newspaper article?) / When was this made? (A long or short time after the event? / Is it believable? / Before you examine a piece of evidence, ask yourself: / Who made this? (Or who wrote it?) Is this person believable? / What kind of evidence is it? (Diary entry? Police report? Newspaper article?) / When was this made? (A long or short time after the event? / Is it believable?

Evaluating the Source / When analyzing a source, there are characteristics that make a source more or less reliable, such as: / Credibility of the author / Commitment of author to the information? / Anonymous? / Signed under oath? / Motive for creating document / evidence / Witness or not? / When analyzing a source, there are characteristics that make a source more or less reliable, such as: / Credibility of the author / Commitment of author to the information? / Anonymous? / Signed under oath? / Motive for creating document / evidence / Witness or not?

Contextualization / In your mind, visualize: / What was going on at the time and place? / How did what was happening influence the creation of this source? / Why was it created? / In your mind, visualize: / What was going on at the time and place? / How did what was happening influence the creation of this source? / Why was it created?

Close Reading / As you read: / What claims does the author/creator make? / What evidence does the author/creator use to support the claims? / How does this document make me feel? / What words or phrases convince me that the argument is valid? / What information is left out? / As you read: / What claims does the author/creator make? / What evidence does the author/creator use to support the claims? / How does this document make me feel? / What words or phrases convince me that the argument is valid? / What information is left out?

Corroboration / Investigate: / What do other pieces of evidence say? / Am I finding the same information everywhere? / Am I finding different versions of the story? (If so, why?) / Where else could I look to find out about this? / Which pieces of evidence are or would be most believable? / Investigate: / What do other pieces of evidence say? / Am I finding the same information everywhere? / Am I finding different versions of the story? (If so, why?) / Where else could I look to find out about this? / Which pieces of evidence are or would be most believable?

Corroboration / What do you do if you find information from two pieces of evidence that contradict each other? How do you know which to believe?

H2W: How to Write (a history essay) / Introduction: / Recap the event (who, what, when, where) / Explain the historical question / Explain why the question is important / How do you answer the historical question—your “Claim.” / Introduction: / Recap the event (who, what, when, where) / Explain the historical question / Explain why the question is important / How do you answer the historical question—your “Claim.” QCRE

Contextualizing Paragraph / What is happening in history that makes your question important? / Provide a brief narrative of the event or issue in question. / What is happening in history that makes your question important? / Provide a brief narrative of the event or issue in question.

Supporting Paragraph / What is the strongest reason that supports your argument? / What is a quotation from your evidence or other example that will convince a skeptic of your argument. / Be sure to state the source of your evidence. / What is the strongest reason that supports your argument? / What is a quotation from your evidence or other example that will convince a skeptic of your argument. / Be sure to state the source of your evidence.

Rebuttal Paragraph / What is the strongest reason against your argument? / What is a quotation or other evidence that explains the other perspective? / Refute the opposing evidence. / What is the strongest reason against your argument? / What is a quotation or other evidence that explains the other perspective? / Refute the opposing evidence.

How to Refute / Challenge the author’s reliability. / Explain the influence of context. / Challenge the author’s facts or examples. / Challenge the author’s reliability. / Explain the influence of context. / Challenge the author’s facts or examples.

Conclusion / Recap the issue or event. / Explain why a reader should chose your argument over another perspective. / Connect your answer to the historical context. / Recap the issue or event. / Explain why a reader should chose your argument over another perspective. / Connect your answer to the historical context.

Sources / Nokes, Jeffery D., Building Students’ Historical Literacies: Learning to Read and Reason with Historical Texts and Evidence. N.Y.: Routledge, / Monte-Sano, Chauncey, et al. Reading, Thinking, and Writing About History. NY: Teacher’s College Press, / Wineburg, S., Martin, D., and Monte-Sano, C. Reading Like a Historian: Teaching literacy in middle and high school classrooms. NY: Teacher’s College Press, / Website: Stanford History Education Group, “Reading Like a Historian: Curriculum.” Accessed Aug. 17, / Nokes, Jeffery D., Building Students’ Historical Literacies: Learning to Read and Reason with Historical Texts and Evidence. N.Y.: Routledge, / Monte-Sano, Chauncey, et al. Reading, Thinking, and Writing About History. NY: Teacher’s College Press, / Wineburg, S., Martin, D., and Monte-Sano, C. Reading Like a Historian: Teaching literacy in middle and high school classrooms. NY: Teacher’s College Press, / Website: Stanford History Education Group, “Reading Like a Historian: Curriculum.” Accessed Aug. 17,