1. BELLWORK: OPCVL For each component of OPCVL…… Origin Purpose Content
One necessary requirement of IB HOA is the ability to read and analyze a document. This ability makes up portions of both Internal and External Assessments, so it is imperative you understand how to evaluate a source.
In history, you will always be required to analyze a document for origin, purpose, content, value, and limitations (OPCVL). In order to understand what those components mean, you will read the purple OPVL guidelines handout for bellwork today.
For each component of OPCVL……
Summarize in your own words what it means and provide an example
Origin
Purpose
Content
Value
Limitation

2. Historical analysis: evaluating OPCVL
When reading a historical source, it would be helpful if you were to think of yourself as being in the position of the investigators, defense, prosecution, jury and judge in a criminal trial. That is, you should be concerned with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
To achieve this, you will need to be as rigorous, as precise, and as logical in your examination and evaluation of evidence as the participants in any trial.
While reading a source, you should always determine origin, purpose, content, value and limitations

3. Historical analysis: evaluating OPVL
You are now going to put those historical skills to the test!!! As you analyze the DofI, you will do five things:
Evaluate the origin of the document
Evaluate the purpose
Summarize the content and main points
Assess the value of the document
Assess any biases or limitations of the document
Be ready to present your analysis to the class!

4. Tactics of DoI Analysis
Understand background/origin of the document
Message, when it was written, disputes over timeline
Place in context of historical events
Congress in the middle of waging war, deal with troops, British fleet approaching
Determine viewpoint it was written from
What influenced Jefferson (local declarations, Stamp Act Congress, Enlightenment philosophers)
Analyze circumstances under which it was created
What was Jefferson thinking about at the time? (VA Constitution)
Analyze what the document left out and why
References to Parliament, slavery, women
Reconstruct the language and intellect behind the words
“Pursuit of Happiness” & “all men created equal”

5. Keep in mind…..
When analyzing value and limitations you need to specifically reference origin, purpose and content!
How does the origin, purpose and content add value to the source?
How does the origin, purpose and content limit the source?