Guides ยท History
Primary Source Analysis Basics
Analyze historical sources critically
This guide covers analyzing primary historical sources: identify who created the source and why, place it in context, assess reliability and bias, and connect it to other evidence and interpretations.
- primary sources
- history
- context
- bias
- interpretation
Identify provenance
Who created it, when, where, and for what audience?
Place it in context
Link the source to events, institutions, and norms of the time.
Assess reliability
Separate what the source directly observes from what it claims or assumes.
Corroborate
Compare with other sources to confirm details and understand disagreement.