Assignments in the Archives
Exercise #Orientation to Interpreting Primary Sources (Historical Inquiry class)
Purpose of Exercise: To emphasize the nature of primary sources, how to interpret them (in light of their purpose, gaps in documentation, bias and points of view, conflicting information), suggesting the significance of the information, and developing research questions.
Description of Exercise:
11:15-11:20 RegistrationMaterials needed:
Document sets
Bob Jones correspondence re Billy Graham
AIM station situation in Kenya
Wheaton philosophy professor dismissal
Deaths of John & Betty Stam
Invasion of Manchuria
US policy in Central America
Name tags
Notes:
Classes used with:
Fawcett's Historical Inquiry, 03/25/97
Gundlach's Historical Inquiry, 03/24/98
Gundlach's Historical Inquiry, 11/12/98
Gundlach's Historical Inquiry, 04/6/99
Snezek's Historical Inquiry, 10/12/99
Snezek's Historical Inquiry, 04/18/00
Blumhofer's Historical Inquiry, 3/1/01
s:\bgc\archives\outreach\assignments\assignment.005
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS EXERCISE [4/18/00]
You have each received a an assortment of documents. Your group's documents were all created or gathered by a person or agency. The records together document a variety of topics, events, and people's lives and activities. There will be numerous stories (although many incomplete) told in these materials. Review your own files before conferring as a group. Work quickley since your time is very limited. Divide the questions that follow between you; each person in the group will handle one of the questions when your group reports to the rest of the class.
1. What story is being told by the documents?
2. What conclusions did you reach on your own that were changed by documents you didn't have? What gaps exist in the documents your group has? Where could you find that information?
Ask yourself "What would I like to know that the documents don't tell me?"
3. What different points of view are being represented?
Look for conflicting views and biases.
4. What inconsistencies do you find inyour documents and how would you resolve them? Suggest sources you might use to do that.
Ask yourself, "Is there conflicting information in the documents?
5. What is the significance of this story? What are the relevant issues which connect this story to us?
Ask yourself "Why tell this story now?"
6. What research questions do these documents pose?
Ask yourself "What unanswered questions here can lead me to further study?"
HINTS:
1. Pay attention to the chronological order of the documents.
2. Each document has a notation, such as "111-6-7." This means the document came from collection 111, box 6, folder 7. The guide to collection 111 may contain background information which will help you place the information in a broader context.