1 Document-based inquiry skills Dutt-Doner, Cook-Cottone, Allen, & Rech-Rockwell (2003) using the Library of Congress’s Primary-Source Documents Part II

2 Overview Document-based questions –definition –required skills –example Student readiness & grade level –research –developmental theory –practical suggestions

Document-based Questions Enable students to work like historians –analyze & synthesize information from a variety of sources and media Evaluate students’ ability to interpret: –purpose –source –bias –date & place of origin –tone –etc

4 Working Like Historians ? Inquiry Document choice Product creation Analysis

5 ? Working Like Historians Inquiry Document choice Product creation Analysis Students teacher assignsstudent completes Document Analysis Skills our focus

6 Analysis Skills & Background Knowledge At any age, document analysis skills vary with experience. Analysis skills can range from basic & concrete to complex & higher-order. Background knowledge depends on life & educational experience. Content knowledge can range from no knowledge to complex & sophisticated understanding. Cultural (time and place) viewpoints differ and, at times, can interfere ideologically.

7 Student Readiness & Grade Level document as fact understand bias avg / count stories are constructed inquiry skills historic abstract reasoning author & context=>content truth is subjective understand validity of source choose documents wisely see multiple perspectives grade level:

8 Overview of research Purpose –Identify differences in developmental readiness between 5 th & 7 th graders Methodology –Students reported prior knowledge of subject –Students analyzed each of 4 primary-source documents consecutively –Students synthesized analysis of documents as a group

9 Preliminary findings 5th grade7 th grade Don’t know how to manage conflicting information Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding

10 Don’t know how to manage conflicting information Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Practical suggestions 5th grade7 th grade Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Provide background information Correct misconceptions in prior knowledge Incorporate other resources

11 Don’t know how to manage conflicting information Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Practical suggestions 5th grade7 th grade Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Provide opportunities to judge the relevance and accuracy of historical information Examine documents that provide conflicting information or only present part of the story Don’t know how to manage conflicting information

12 Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Practical suggestions 5th grade7 th grade Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Provide consistent successful use of primary-source documents Consistently demonstrate value of primary-source documents in determining the “real story” Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Don’t know how to manage conflicting information

13 Don’t know how to manage conflicting information Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Practical suggestions 5th grade7 th grade Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Provide opportunities to examine authors’ motivations and perspectives Understand how personal viewpoints color interpretation Demonstrate necessity of multiple points of view to determine complete picture Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents

14 Don’t know how to manage conflicting information Rarely suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Only occasionally suggest primary source documents as sources of additional information Primary-source documents alone are insufficient to provide a deep understanding Practical suggestions 5th grade7 th grade Believe that what they read is true Less likely to accept the credibility of primary-source documents Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation Understand original purpose of documents and their value to our understanding Provide experience with evaluation of documents’ relevance Provide guided questions to scaffold analysis Precede analysis with accurate background knowledge Model the process of analysis Not able to analyze documents without significant prior preparation

Practical suggestions: before 5th grade Examine differing perspectives of common experiences Use timelines & narrative to examine sequence of time Provide opportunities to retell personal stories Clarify objectives before reading or listening Practice making observations about pictures Use Constructed Response Questions to develop analysis skillsConstructed Response Questions –What is a CRQ?CRQ

Practical suggestions: high school Shift to student-led investigation –Choose their own documents –Recognize & fulfill need for scaffolding Replace analysis worksheets with student-created formats –Begin with a developed thesis –Organize & connect relevant ideas –Cite supporting source evidence to create coherent text that makes claims

Practical suggestions: high school Provide opportunities for collaboration –Understand how personal viewpoints color interpretation –Evaluate strengths of differing arguments about interpretations –Identify contradictions within documents –Recognize bias in interpretation –Recognize multiple interpretations

18 Library of Congress & American Memory

19 Preparing Primary Source Lessons What content base do students have? –What is their prior knowledge of the topic? –Can they read & understand the documents? What is the students’ attention span? –How long can students pay attention to the documents? –How much can you do with a group that can only concentrate for a few minutes? How can students develop inference skills? –Can students infer from documents –Are they prepared to take risks in developing hypotheses? –What brainstorming techniques can be used to help them become risk-takers?

20 Preparing Primary Source Lessons Do students have the analysis skills? –What investigative methods should be encouraged –Comparing similarities and differences –Causes and effects –Analyzing bias –Defense of thesis – substantiating points –Social, political and religious causes How do we need to prepare them? –Example from New York State StandardsExample from New York State Standards

21 Preparing Primary Source Lessons What writing skills do the students have? –Should analysis be completed in writing? –What level of support should you give to students in writing about primary source documents? How do we manage the lesson? –Should students work at computers or on paper? –Should the work be collaborative or individual? –How do you manage diverse abilities? What do we want students to demonstrate during the primary source analysis lesson? –What is the expected outcome? –How can it be measured?