Transcript OPVL-1 - DHS Civics

OPVL What’s the point of this document?


All sources must be
approached with caution
When reading a source one
must consider who wrote
it, why they wrote it, what
is included, what is left
out, and how helpful this
source will be to one’s
investigation
Origins
 Author
 Date of original publication
 Date of any additional
additions
 Location of publication
 How might the time, place,
and author of this work
affect the work produced?
 For example: You
would have a
different
perspective on the
first day of school
compared to the
principal.
Purpose
Why did the author
write/draw/compose this
work?
* Consider the audience
* Does this author have
something to hide?
* Is he/she trying to convince
anyone of something?
* For example: Is this a textbook
that is written to inform a high
school student or a press
conference given to reassure
the American public?
Value

How is this source useful to your
investigation?

What is the author’s purpose and how can
that perception aid your investigation?

Has this work been particularly well
researched?

Is this a secondary source? If so, does that
allow the author distance to create a
subjective argument?

Is this a primary source? If so, does that
allow the author to provide a viewpoint
that no one else can (since they
experienced it for themselves?)
Limitations

What about this source hinders
your investigation?

Does this author only present
part of the story?

Is this a secondary source? If
so, does the author deliver only
part of the story?

Is this a primary source? If so,
what viewpoint does the
author present? What is
missing from his/her side of the
story?
OPVL Tips

Bias does not make a source worthless.

Try to give a balanced discussion of value and limitations (don’t spend a
page on value and a sentence on limitations).

In regards to origin, make sure you are familiar with the major political
cartoons, newspapers, media, etc. of the time era you are studying. It
often shows you what kind of perspective this source is coming from.

Do not disregard a source because it is “merely” propaganda.

Try to develop a purpose which relates to the origins of the source.

Keep in mind different historical interpretations of the source.

Is the source primary, secondary, etc? A historical artifact and an
encyclopedia article are very different.