1. Writing the “OPVL” Paragraph
Historical inquiry and analysis often require students to examine primary and secondary source materials.
Acronym
Origin, Purpose, Value, Limitation
Critical: reading, thinking, writing

2. The Goal Analytical paragraph 7 – 12 sentences
1 – 2 cited pieces of evidence/support

3. What is the source’s ORIGIN?
Primary or secondary?
Author/creator?
When/Where created/published?
Know anything about the origin that is pertinent to evaluation?

4. Am I looking at a PRIMARY or a SECONDARY source?
PRIMARY SOURCES
Created during period being studied
Artwork, letters, journals, interviews, novels, movies, speeches, photos, paintings etc.
Considered “first person” accounts
Not filtered through interpretation or evaluation by others
SECONDARY SOURCES
Historiography
Analyze/interpret events from the past
Including primary sources
Written with benefit of hindsight
Often filter primary sources through interpretation/evaluation
Often publications of some sort
May reference primary sources
One or more steps removed from the event being studied.

5. What is the source’s PURPOSE?
Why does this document exist?
What does the document “say”?
Who is the intended audience?
-Requires evaluation

6. What is the source’s VALUE to me?
Tell us about the author?
Indications of other perspectives?
Indication of controversy?
Tell us about the time period/audience?
Accurately reflect what going on at the time?
Under what circumstances was it created and how are those circumstances reflected?

7. How is the source a LIMITATION to me?
When no longer useful to my research/understanding?
What can we not tell from this document?
Content verifiable?
More information needed to best use the source?
Anything inaccurate or “wrong”?

8. How do I comment on a bias?
May represent value or limitation
May relate to purpose, value, or limitation
Go into detail
Who biased against/toward?