Using Evidence
– Remember the four categories of reading primary sources:
o Origin and context
o Meaning
o Argument
o Reading like a historian
– To find useful evidence you first need a historical question to
answer: what are you trying to figure out?
– Then, look to the sources you have individually: what
information could each of them contribute to an answer to the
question?
– Next, look at your sources in relation to one another. Does
putting them together reveal any additional evidence? Can you
identify any patterns or parallels?
– Finally, consider what additional evidence you need, or would be
helpful, to more fully answer the question. Where might you find
it?
Remember that all answers to historical questions are contingent on
available evidence, and can always be modified if/when additional
evidence comes to light.