ORIGIN – PURPOSE – VALUE - LIMITATION

ORIGIN When and where was the source produced? Author/creator? Primary or secondary source?

Primary Sources Closest to the event Any examples? Original documents, creative works, and artifacts Ex: Eyewitness accounts, diaries, records

Secondary Sources Based on primary sources-one step removed from event An researcher’s (historian’s) interpretation of the primary sources Examples? Magazine or newspaper articles, history essays or books, biographies

Tertiary Sources Made up of secondary and primary sources One more step removed What could be tertiary? High school textbooks, encyclopedias

Beware! The lines can be blurry

PURPOSE Why was source produced? What is the immediate historical context for it? Who is the intended audience? What does it “say” at surface level? What does it say below the surface?

VALUE What can it tell historians about the time- period or topic? Flashlight in a dark room – what does the source illuminate for the historian? Use origins and purpose to help Important ideas: Perspective of creator based on position, influence, geography, relationships, etc. Time period importance – contemporary or produced at a later date (primary v. secondary)? Public v. private source

LIMITATIONS What can’t it tell historians about the time period or topic? Flashlight/dark room – What might be outside the beam? What can we not see? Important ideas: What the source is! Bias of the source based on social class, gender, race, position, nationality, religion, etc. Time of production: again primary or secondary

Origins? Purpose? Value? Limitations?

Example-Don’t write this down A historian is analyzing a private entry in President Truman’s diary concerning the possible use of atomic weapons on Japan. The following is a general OPVL review. More specific analysis would make reference to details in the document. Origin: President of the US, a private, primary source. Context = World War II and the aftermath of Germany’s surrender and the looming invasion of Japan. Purpose: personal journal meant for later reflection and recall. Private, not public. Interpretation of what it says (literally) and what it may reflect would be based on specific document.

Example Value: private diary entry and thus likely to be honest and revealing; from one of the major leaders concerned with making the decision. Again, interpretations and explanations would be based on specifics within the document. Limitations: only the private perspective of a high ranking government official from the US. May not reflect other individual’s opinions who were also involved in the decision- making process. Informs about the immediate decision but not later concerns. May reflect but is not the official public US government policy position or necessarily the same as US public opinion on the issue.