OPVL Source Evaluation (Origin / Purpose / Values / Limitations)

Rule number one for source evaluation = focus on the specific details of the given source, and
avoid making very general comments about the source.

To evaluate each source just focus on thinking about the 5 simple Ws:

Who? Who produced the source (origin)?

When? When was it produced (origin)?

Where? Where was it produced (origin)?

Why? What is the source's purpose (purpose)?

For Whom? Who was the intended audience of the source (purpose)?

Below is a table reviewing key points to think about for the various types of source you are likely to
encounter in this question. Though do remember that come the exam you need to focus on the
specific sources provided. As you are likely to be asked to evaluate one primary and one secondary
source in the exam, please take care to read especially carefully the points below about academic
historians and freelance writers as sources.

Source Possible Values Possible Limitations

Type
Statistics Government Government origin - possible distortions- trying to convince people of a certain situation
information about
economics/military
performance etc -
factual details.
Memoirs/ Personal insight Subjective experience of one aspect of events - caught up in the moment, no overview of events.
personal into a key event Political opinions of the viewer can impact their judgment - not a balanced view.
recollection based on firsthand Emotionally partisan.
/ diaries experience. Recalling from a later date means that the person's views might have been affected by knowledge
of later events, new interpretations of what happened.
Important people Memory as unreliable!
in the events Motives in producing memoirs etc - i.e. trying to justify actions or policies
might give their (politicians and statesmen aware that their diaries will be read later!)
perspective on
what happened -
key actors give
their views.
Maps Show how Politically motivated - not just 'showing things as they are'.
producers of the
map want you to
see that part of the
world – ex. what is
the Israeli view of
the territories in
the region?
Visually show any
historic changes in
 regions/territories
Diplomatic Insight into Only selected documents are published - governments are unlikely to release things that make
documents government them look bad! Often intended to defend and justify any actions or policies taken.
- official decision making,
government and views of
records leaders/key
players, in
important events.
Intentions of
leaders!
Cartoons Firsthand Tend to oversimplify events they describe - can only use images and limited amount of text!
(and reactions to Subjective response to events - not representative - only gives views of one cartoonist/newspaper
possibly events as they are -not the whole population!
art) happening and Tend to exaggerate and ridicule - propaganda?
unfolding -
contemporary
insight into a
particular country's
response.
Newspaper Firsthand No hindsight or overview - just short-term view, no larger perspective.
reactions to
events as they are Very partial and politically subjective - only gives account based on perspective of
happening and country/ political viewpoint of paper.
unfolding -
contemporary
insight into a
particular country's
response.
Journalists who
witnessed events?
Photograph Documents events Photos can be staged for propaganda purposes!
at first-hand - They can also be clipped and edited
communicates
powerfully in a
visual format.
Speech Clear insight into a Propaganda and unbalanced: purpose to persuade, can any of it be trusted really?
leader's intentions How far were these policies actually put into practice?
or opinions on a
particular issue.
Shows how
leaders try to
communicate and
persuade people
of their point-of-
view - i.e. style
and strategies of
persuasion.
Freelance "It is written in "It is written by a Western freelance writer and (researcher who may not read
Writer 2005 and is or speak Arabic or Hebrew). The writer is not an academic historian and there
therefore up-to- is no information given about his professional background, which may make his
date and has the account less objective." From IB markscheme, Nov 2010.
benefit of Non-historian - might lack skills to produce a detailed account based on evidence, etc.
hindsight having
access to many
sources." From IB
markscheme, Nov
2010.
Academic "It was published Can favor a particular side in the events, depending on background and perspective
historian very recently by of the historian!
an acknowledged Perhaps the title of the work indicates it is more general, and will not focus in specific detail
expert. It is an in- on topic involved.
depth study of the Does the date of the work suggest it might be slightly 'out-of-date' now - i.e. more recent
history of the events might have made the argument less relevant, or newer interpretations might have
region." From IB challenged the historian's views.
markscheme, May
2010.
 Title could be very
specifically
focused on the
topic in question -
look carefully at
the title!
Could provide a
new perspective
on the events,
based on new
evidence or new
ideas on what
happened - look at
title and contents
of the source.
School Can provide an -Aimed at school children, therefore lacks in-depth analysis and serious academic discussion.
textbook accessible -may use extremely unbalanced sources as propaganda
overview to a -unlikely to give both sides of any argument
topic, if written by
teaching experts
with academic
training in the
subject.
If a textbook from
a single-party
state or one
nation, can show
how government
wants children to
view a particular
event.