Sources, Reliability and Bias

What do we learn about history from this source?

What do we learn about history from this source?

n.b. This was taken at a museum in Agrigento, Italy.

Archaeological Sources

Questions to Ask

What is it?

In what context was it found?

Can it be accurately dated?

How does it’s condition affect its interpretation?

Is it reliable and/or useful in providing evidence about the past?

What evidence does the source provide about the past?

Written Sources

Questions to Ask

What type of written source it is?

Who wrote it and when?

What was the writer’s purpose?

Who was the intended audience?

Is it reliable?

Is it useful in providing evidence about the period?

Reliability

A suggested framework:

DateAuthorMaterialMotiveIntended audienceType of source Or Tone

Bias

When attempting to discover the bias of a source, try investigating the following:

Background

Political views

Life experiences

Gender

Social/Racial

Often overlooked, but equally as important, what HASN’T the author included in his/her work.