2. Interpretation What is the key point is being made? How has the author interpeted the American West/Indians ? Is this a recent type of interpretation? Is it typical? Is it radical? How has this type of study advanced our understanding of the West? Approaches What approach do you think this person has adopted? Is there a clear focus for the study? Does this fit neatly into an historiographical school? What other approaches are there to a topic like this? Evidence What sorts of evidence has the author used to reach thier conclusions? How has the approach dictated the type of evidence and influenced the conclusions reached? What are the advantages and drawbacks of this combination of method and approach?

3. Features of Approach What are the main features of this approach to the West? What specific examples can you find of where historians have approached the topic through this means? How do these compare with another approach? Again use examples Useful Aspects How has the approach improved our understanding of the topic? What gaps has it filled? Give precise examples from people we have studied Limitations How might this approach be limited in tackling the topic? How might other approaches do a better job of understanding the topic? What areas are missed out? Give precise examples from people we have studied