District 204 Research Handbook
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Primary Source Evaluation Checklist

You can ask similar question of a primary document as you might of any other source,, but there are some additional questions that should hep you put the source in context. 
Relevance
  • What is the purpose of this document?
  • Is the content of this document related to my research topic / question?
  • What new evidence does this document contribute to my project?
  • Are there any notes that help to introduce the context of this document?
Currency
  • When was the document published on the website, in the book or other source you found it in?
  • Was document written right after the event or at some distance from the time of the event?
Scope
  • What is the original purpose of this document? To persuade, provide documentation, for correspondence or a diary entry? Or other?
  • Who was the original audience for this document?
  • Was it intended to be a public (e.g. speech)  or private document (e.g. diary or letter)?
Sources
  • Is this a firsthand account written by a participant in the event or based on hearsay or interviews?
  • Does the author of the site, book or other source where you find the document provide sources for his or her analysis of the document?
  • Does the author of the site, book or other source where you found the document provide a source for where the document can be found (e.g. museum, library, archive, etc.)?
Accuracy
  • Was the document transcribed or scanned into the computer using optical character recognition (OCR)?
  • Compare the information in the document to other primary or secondary sources. Do the other sources contradict this one?
  • Did the author of the document make any factual errors based on what you have read from secondary sources or tertiary sources?
Credibility
  • Did you find the document on a university, library or museum’s website or other credible source? 
  • What do you know about the education, training or experience of the person presenting and providing context to the document?
Reliability
  • What are the point of view and biases of the author?
  • What was the role and/or place in society of the author of the document?
  • Did the author have a stake in what happened or did they want to be perceived in a certain way?
  • What assumptions or conclusions does the author make that are influenced by this time and place in history (e.g. status of women or people of color)?
The District 204 Research Handbook is a joint project between the Metea, Neuqua and Waubonsie High School LMCs. ​
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