Working with the Sources

 

How do I get information from my sources?

 

 

Now I get to dig into my sources.  I will look closely at each of the documents and collect evidence.  Then, I will think about the evidence I have found and how it can help me answer my essential question. 

 

 

The answer to my essential question will be my thesis statement.  Some historians also call this their 'argument.'  When I build my historical inquiry report, I will use evidence from my sources to support my thesis statement.

 

 

Three sources of evidence
Description | Source
A poster, Preston's account, and trial testimony of Boston Massacre
From left to right, this shows a poster of British soldiers shooting into a group of Boston men; the front page of trial depositions entitled, "A Fair account of the late unhappy disturbance at Boston in New England extracted from the depositions that have been made concerning it by persons of all parties ; with an appendix containing some affidavits and other evidences relating to this affair, not mentioned in the narrative of it that has been published at Boston;" and a page entitled, "The Trial of William Wemms, James Hartegan, William McCauley, Hugh White, Matthew Killroy, William Warren, John Carrol, and Hugh Montgomery for the Murder of Crispus Attucks, Samuel Grey, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell and Patrick Carr."Digital Sources: Library of Congress viewed 9/15/09; http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?pp/app:@FIELD%28NUMBER%283b51693%29%29; MA Historical Society Digital Collection viewed 9/15/09 http://www.masshist.org/database/images/fairacc_1_ref.jpg; Library of Congress viewed 9/15/09 http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/vc006708.jpg

 

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Summary:
The Process of Historical Inquiry continues with:

  • Collecting evidence from sources
  • Evaluating or interpreting the evidence
  • Putting the evidence to work to answer your essential question

Terry's Tips

Provide choices and options to increase engagement

Giving students choices in topics, materials and expression encourages both engagement in the process and increased comprehension of the material.

The website Making Sense of Evidence  provides guides, activities and expert discussions for teachers and students on how to make effective use of text and non-text primary sources.