Primary Source Any artifact or first-hand account of an event. Primary sources are witnesses to the event Examples???

Secondary Sources Any re-telling of a story by someone who was NOT present at the event and only knows about it by studying primary sources. Examples??

Primary or Secondary? Photographs

Primary or Secondary? Essays/Reviews

Primary or Secondary? News Reports/Newspaper articles

Primary or Secondary? Diaries/Journals

Primary or Secondary? Textbooks/Encyclopedias

Primary or Secondary? Clothing

Primary or Secondary? Statistics/Data/Maps

Primary vs. Secondary? I was watching ESPN and one of the reporters said he had heard good reviews about a new sports movie. The reporter is a …. My friends and I found and old wedding dress in the attic that my dad said belonged to my great-grandmother. The dress is a … My mom has CDs of my grandparents telling stories from their childhoods and we listen to them at Christmas. The CDs are … I like to read the articles written about Hollywood actors and music artists in People Magazine. These articles are… I am writing an essay on George Washington for my US History class. I used articles from Wikipedia and information from my textbook. These sources are…

Cross-Reference Comparing Multiple Sources The more sources that agree on the same story, the more likely the story is true Examples??

Credibility A source’s trustworthiness measured by: Examples?? Having qualified authors with trustworthy reputations Being created during acceptable circumstances Including only consistent accurate facts Agreeing with other trusted sources (cross-references) Examples??

Bias When a personal point of view and life experiences influence a person’s beliefs and/or actions. can be either positive or negative The less bias a source has the more credible it is. Examples??

Credibility and bias practice

Who do you trust? Historical Question: Who was present at the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Source #1: Hollywood movie about the American Revolution made in 2001. Source #2: Book written by a famous historian who is an expert on the American Revolution, published in 1999.

What was slavery like in South Carolina? Who do you trust? Historical Question: What was slavery like in South Carolina? Source #1: 1936 Interview with a former slave. Interviewer is a black man collecting oral histories for the Federal Writer’s Project. Source #2: 1936 Interview with a former slave. Interviewer is a white woman collecting oral histories for the Federal Writer’s Project .

What was slavery like in South Carolina? Who do you trust? Historical Question: What was slavery like in South Carolina? Source #1: 1936 Interview with a former slave. Interviewer is a black man collecting oral histories for the Federal Writer’s Project. Source #2: 1936 Interview with a former slave. Interviewer is a white woman collecting oral histories for the Federal Writer’s Project .

Who do you trust? Historical Question: What was the layout of the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz? Source #1: Interview with an 80-year old Holocaust survivor in 1985 Source #2: Map of concentration camp found in Nazi files.

Who do you trust? Historical Question: Whose policies and actions made him was the better president, Bill Clinton or George W. Bush? Source #1: Head of the local county democratic party, in charge of online blogging Source #2: 30 year experienced national political analyst unattached to any specific political party

Thesis Statement An opinion based on credible evidence. An effective thesis: Takes a position Previews evidence (but is not just a list of facts) Addresses all parts of the question Uses descriptive vocabulary

Spotting a strong Thesis Writing Prompt: Discuss the social, political and economic effects of World War II on the United States. Thesis #1: World War II was a costly war that had a major impact on the economy of the United States. Thesis #2: World War II not only saved the US economy, but also altered the role of the American government and the American spirit forever.

Spotting a strong Thesis Writing Prompt: Describe 3 physical features of Latin America and their importance to the region. Thesis #1: The Andes Mountains, the Amazon River, and Yucatan Peninsula are the three most significant physical features in Latin America as shown by their impact on population and the environment. Thesis #2: Three physical features found in Latin America are the Andes Mountains, the Amazon River, and the Yucatan Peninsula.

Spotting a strong Thesis Writing Prompt: Early on in life, people develop an admiration for heroes. In a well-developed essay, discuss a person you admire and why you chose this person. Thesis #1: One person I admire is Babe Ruth, who played baseball from 1914 until 1935. Thesis #2: One person I admire is Babe Ruth, the greatest baseball player of all time proven by his athletic skill, knowledge of the game, and heroic personality.