Turning Points from the Wisconsin Historical Society says a primary source is like a "movie" while the textbook is a summary of that movie. "While textbooks provide a good overview of what happened, they are not the same as reading the words of people who actually lived through a particular event. Textbooks offer an interpretation of a historical person or event by those who did not witness them or live during that time period. Reading primary sources allows us to judge whether we agree with that interpretation because we will have read or seen the same primary sources as the textbook author."
To help you interpret primary sources, you might think about these questions as you examine the source:
Historical Context
1. Who is the author? What do you know about the author? What don't you know?
2. Where and when was it written?
3. Why was it written?
4. Who is the audience? What do you know about the audience?
Comprehension
1. Summarize the meaning.
2. What point is the author trying to make?
3. What evidence does the author give to his views?
4. What assumptions or biases does the author have?
Evaluation
1. Is this document the same as others from this time period?
2. How many people read it, or how many people knew about it at the time?
3. What have other people or scholars said about this source?
4. What problems, assumptions, and ideas does it share with other documents from the time period?
5. How would these assumptions prevent the author from recording history accurately?
Asking yourself these questions as you read will help you understand and interpret the document for yourself.
Questions:
Who is responsible for this Web site?
Look at the URL or web address. The domain and country codes at the end provide hints on the type of organization that's hosting the Web site.
.edu educational institution (like a college or school)
.gov US government site
.org organization or association (often non-profit)
.com commercial site (for profit)
.museum museum
.net personal or other site
Check for an author or organization taking credit for the online text.
Credentials
Contact information
About link (background, philosophy for the Web site)
Is there a clear purpose or reason for the site?
Discovering the purpose of the Web site can help determine the reliability of its information and the accuracy of their claims. Be wary of sites with products to sell, persuasive political or economic arguments, or an agenda.
What is the origin of the document?
The best sites state the source of the original material. A scanned image will show what the original document looks like. Scanned documents are easier to validate because of this. A transcribed document doesn't show the original, but provides the text content. It's important to know the source of the transcribed document to evaluate if the transcription is accurate and complete. Some sites use frames which prevent you from seeing where the source image is coming from (the address bar still looks like the home page address). A reliable Web site may link to a document in an unreliable site.
What do others say about the Web site?
Look up this site in a search engine and see if anyone has reviewed or awarded it. Check Internet Scout Project for your site. Find out what other webpages link to this site, and see how reputable they look.