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Historical Source Research Guide
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Historical Source Research Guide
📚 Part 1: Source Identification
1. Which of the following is a PRIMARY source about the Civil War?
A diary written by a soldier during the war
A textbook chapter about the Civil War written in 2020
A documentary film about Civil War battles
A biography of Abraham Lincoln written in 1950
2. Check ALL that are examples of secondary sources:
A newspaper article from 1776
A history book about the American Revolution
A museum exhibit about colonial life
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography
A documentary about the Boston Tea Party
3. Why are primary sources valuable to historians?
They are easier to find online
They provide firsthand accounts from people who lived through events
They are always more accurate than secondary sources
They contain more pictures and illustrations
🔍 Part 2: Evaluating Source Credibility
4. When evaluating a source's credibility, you should check the:
Author's qualifications and expertise
Date the source was published
Organization that published it
Whether it contains facts or opinions
How colorful the pictures are
5. A website ending in .gov is generally considered credible because:
6. List three questions you should ask yourself when evaluating any historical source:
1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
3. _________________________________________________
✏️ Part 3: Research Planning
7. Choose a historical event you want to research: ________________________________
8. List two types of primary sources you might look for about your chosen event:
Primary Source 1: ___________________________________
Primary Source 2: ___________________________________
9. Explain why it's important to use BOTH primary and secondary sources when researching historical events:
10. I Can Statement Check: After completing this worksheet, I can...
Identify primary and secondary sources
Explain how to determine if a source is credible
Use effective research strategies
Plan my historical research project
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