Primary Sources Analysis - Essay Example

Unit: Introduction Primary sources give direct information or first- hand proof about a topic under investigation. Witness or recorders create primary sources, when the events occur at the time they are present in the places of occurrence. Usually these sources come up when the events or circumstances are occurring. Primary sources have their content; it does not matter whether they were in their primary format, in microfilm or microfiche, in written format, or in digital format. Knowing what a primary source is can be difficult, it is more apparent as in the case of books and pamphlets. At one vantage point, books are typical form of secondary source. Mostly scholars use primary sources material to make secondary sources for example letters and diaries to write books. It is also easy to determine whether a book functions as a primary source in case of published memoirs, autobiographies, and published documents. Also use of video in class, where the students to can see clearly charts, tables or concept maps are the most significant areas where students can find key ideas and relationship among ideas. In museum graphics organizer are there so that students can answer most historical questions, write connections, and relate to particular observation to larger concepts. Videos also help students to compare and contrast, a strategy that help analyze similarities and differences, this can be applied to in museum exhibitions and resources too. Forms film give the students a tangible feel of what people felt and how things were happening that time. Those videos show clarity to what may seem random happening. Examples of primary source include constitution, pamphlet, treaty, a law, and city council proceedings in political history. In cultural history, we have Novel, dance, music oral traditions, key religious work, and training manual for new converts, visual art, costume, and religious tract. Also in social history, we have Lyrics such as protest songs, laws, college catalogues for curriculum and types of students, letters, biographies, and news reports. According to economic history, primary sources are tax filing, will, and foreclosure records, patent applications Business ledger and contract placards. In military history it includes, map, soldier diary, weaponry, uniform and strategic and tactical plans. Court transcript, judicial ruling, parole officer report, police report in legal history and A law, constitution, pamphlet, treaty, city council proceedings finally in political science. Handling of selected primary documents. Identifying primary sources and using them requires a careful thought and some extra knowledge. Primary sources increase questions, may be among them: primary source is what? What is the level of history in these primary sources among others? They stand for range of concerns from vital studying skills to the nature and historical knowledge. There basic questions we must know their answers so that we can identify source of primary data: 1. Is the source is self-published? 2. What is the level of history does the source belong? 3. Is the source independent? 4. Where did the document originate? 5. The limitations present in the document. 6. Why is the document there? 7. How reliable the document is? All above will determine how we handle our primary document, which are useful in working definitions about historical sources and practical tips for reading primary documents. The theory of primary, secondary, and tertiary sources came from academic discipline of historiography. It gave historians away to indicate how related was the piece of information to real events . It is vital that the concept is with actions of events but not ideas or theoretical aspects. A primary source has about same time of event, despite the source of contents. Therefore, when a dictionary is a tertiary source, an ancient one is the primary source because it has the meaning of words in ancient world. There is no quaternary source; the sources may be primary, secondary, or tertiary. The first written opinions are primary sources. Proclamation and diary are primary sources. These primary sources are written at the time and they are free of opinions given by other generation. Although it may contain propaganda made for other purposes may be to understate the significance of facts or to understate the significance of facts, even for political inconvenience facts. The diary may be showing the biasness of its author but the author might be unaware relevant facts. When we are dealing with the level of history in handling of primary documents, most questions then questioned when taking historical work is, how and where did the writer obtain information? Did the writer simply copy the facts? How reliable are the facts are. Has the writer become relevant in the field of research in whichever language he has used? Has the historian made a general study that has finally put down to the opinions? Actually there many types of history relating to handling of primary source it include political, military, economic, social, technological, environmental, and cultural. When we are checking sources, we may find that a source may contain more than two types of history. Our information of past events and conditions should got from primary source. For example the decapitation of King Charles I of England in 1649, or for the march of Napoleon into Russia, were reliable sources of information. However, those who read and study history encountered primary or first-hand information. When we want to know who exactly wrote the primary document, it is difficult for us to trace back especially if those who wrote were poor people in our society. However, if who know the author that one can help us get them. Here the historians deal with several issues, vitally the source. We will look at the credibility, importance, transparence, and reliability of the author. Some facts written may be valuable and survives thereafter. We learn that every source is the primary source; it may include the name of the author, title, date when the sources are written. A copyright page is always present inside the font of the book to show that it is a primary source. We will also check the biasness of the document, the way the author viewed the world and life in general. Does the information go against anybody was it against something? Primary documents are not independent, authoritative, high quality, accurate and reliable. They can be self-serving and self- published for other purposes. We know that a reliable and unbiased primary source has he following characteristics: It has a characteristics and reputation that they are reliable It is published by houses that are good in publishing He mention material in needed, therefore it is relevant It does not depend on third parties, so that conflict of interest does not came up. It must have a professional structure. It is important to learn why the author documented the primary source. Most of the authors do their work with showing their intentions. Therefore we can easily read the mind of the author by examine and coming up with conclusions. Since writer is unaware of their texts, their beliefs are usually expressed. The author may want to educate the reader, inspire people in the society, to challenge touching issues in the society, to motivate students and others personal issues. Lastly, we will want to know how important and convincing the document can be. We understand that most people tend to believe that primary sources mean a bad document that is unreliable or unusable. However a primary documents cannot be fully independent, but it can be of high quality, perfect, powerful, fact-checked, expert-approved, published by reputable publisher and subject to editorial control. A primary document should be reliable and be used. Usually a primary document is use directly for direct speech and quotation. In most cases, original document is the best source because it does not have errors and misquotations which other sources like primary and tertiary documents. In conclusion, it is important we note that historians said that primary sources give vital stories looking into the past but into writing of history itself. This primary sources make the story to come around alive, they put the reader in a network of issues and many of perspectives rather a version of secondary issues. They even invite the reader to join a debate and give credit to views given by the writer so that they can interpret issues in a different manner. They usually give chance to argue and form dialogue between the past and present. Moreover, we always know that a secondary source is built from primary source. They do not require providing you with a bibliography; however, the source should be a building foundation from primary sources. A secondary source should be separated from primary sources. For example, a reporter’s book is an original source, and the news story written by the newsmaker based on the reporters notes are primary sources. If the journalist reads many journals and finally makes a report, it forms secondary source. The difference is defined by the length and place of doing their work. High-quality secondary sources are base on using more than one primary source. It usually gives analysis, commentary, evaluation, context, and interpretation. Secondary sources go beyond the fact of giving just simple description, showing us the meaning behind the simple facts, making it valuable. Therefore, handling of primary source is vital process. Handling of selected videos and documents as primary sources A document may be of many types: a map, a photograph, a statistical table, a film, video, a written document, a painting, and a monument. It is usually anything from the past that enables us to study what happened, and why it is a document. In the Microsoft presentation shown in the class, Dr. Michael Scott uncovers the fantastic, strange, unknown world of ancient Greeks. He looks for those people who gave out democracy, philosophy, literature, sport, language, and architecture. The ancient Greece explores one of the Greek world’s most significant legacies, theatre. It shows how theatre was divided into material of ancient society. In addition how it followed the story of theatre growth from Greek to the roman world then finally to our generation today. The video shows life was like so many years ago, it shows how humanity has changed and how it has not. We are can just watch at successful Hollywood movies about ancient times. All this has deep effect on our modern culture, ideas, language, lifestyle, and ideals. When we try to understand ourselves, we get to know them better. This is crucial for the people to learn also about the ancient Greece. In conclusion, we can make a hypothesis about uses of videos and object pictured in a snap. We can use online and library study to help of contest the theory. Then we make a presentation to the student so that they can make a hypothesis, results and make them to tell what they saw. This method is applicable in many methods; we can employ old photographs to learn fashion systems. How has style changed over time? How did fashion show people’s work and the function of society? What fashion has carried on over the present times? We use to learn old photographs to have the growth of creation over time. Photographs can tell us about the technology, tools, and material available all time. We will learn about the discovery of the past and how those inventions that can apply today. Thoughts on experiences, videos, and documents as primary sources According to Dr. Michael Scott, working in Greece was a difficult business. Most public departments were suffering due to financial cutbacks, and even the film industry has same problem. The Greek process was demanding, they always wanted to see the script of what you were to do. Moreover, most firm screw spent less time filming, making it difficult for videos to be show faster. We know that, Primary sources are used in the earth of history education; many scholars have written their effectiveness. It makes student to understand more about historical knowledge. This was important in hicks, Doolittle and lee’s (2004) investigation on the importance of the primary sources in history lessons. This has made us learn more and understand class work with understanding of history. Therefore, primary sources deep the minds of students. Moreover, research study finds the importance of the use of direct sources in classroom. We contribute to current issue in the learning world that is very important. It also helps us know the importance of historical actions and concepts. In conclusion, we can say that, primary source is a document, artifact or image that gives evidence about what happened long time ago. It is the original document made when the event occurred. A straight quote from a document is primary source. Primary sources makes the investigator to get as close as possible to what really happened through historical event or occasion period. Usually primary sources reflect the personal views and participant observation. Primary sources are found in library or manuscript collection in the world, however some has been transferred to microfilm, in print and published digitally on the web. Works cited Falk, Candace. The Life and Times of Emma Goldman A Curriculum for Middle and High School Students. Primary Historical Documents on: Immigration, Freedom of Expression, Women's Rights, Anti- Militarism, Art and Literature of Social Change. Washington, D.C.: Distributed by ERIC Clearinghouse, 1992. Print. Foster, David William. Mexican literature: a bibliography of secondary sources. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1981. Print. Primary sources. San Diego: Lucent Books, 2002. Print. Allman, Melinda. Primary sources. San Diego, Calif.: Lucent Books, 2002. Print. Read More