A Framework for Source Analysis

For many students a structured approach for analysing sources will be useful. The
following framework will assist students in achieving high level results, although you will
not get Band 6 results sticking to such a rigid framework. Instead, the best approach is
to use the framework to help understand the types of thinking required in source
analysis, then move to a more complete approach required in the HSC (Step 5).

TOMACRU (Type, Origin, Motive, Audience, Content, Reliability, Usefulness)

For the following three questions, students should deconstruct the source using the
TOMACRU acronym. If you don't have the background knowledge to answer parts of the
TOMACRU framework you are welcome to research online or check your
books/workbooks. Remember that you may not always be able to answer each part of
the framework, in History we don't have every answer!

T: Type
What type of source is it? How does this influence the information that is provided? Is it a
personal letter, official inscription, pot sherd, weapon/armour fragment...

O: Origin
Where did the source come from, how may this influence the motive?

M: Motive
What reason for making the source did the creators have? Why did the individual write the
letter? Why did the government make the official announcement? What is the propaganda
poster trying to make the original audience believe or do?

A: Audience
Who is the target audience for the source? Who is it trying to influence, address or impact?

C: Content
What information does the source actually provide us? Does it tell us about a religious belief,
social custom, political  occurrence, military event?

R: Reliability
Do you know where the source has come from? Can you trust that the information you are
being given is accurate?
U: Usefulness
How useful is the source for the particular purpose you are investigating? A fragment of
armour may be useful for an historian studying warfare in the ancient world, but it would be
less useful for an historian researching marriage customs in that society.
For each source below, use this question as a guide for assessing the usefulness of the
source: "How useful is this source for an historian studying the nature of Spartan
Society?"
Question 3
“They assign to the helots every shameful task leading to disgrace. For they ordained
This extract comes from the writings of Myron of Priene, cited in the work of
that each one of them must wear a dogskin cap and wrap himself in skins and receive
a stipulated number of beatings every year regardless of any wrongdoing, so that they Athenaeus. It is discussing the treatment of helots within Spartan society, or at least
would never forget they were slaves. Moreover, if any exceeded the vigour proper to a
his perception of the treatment. Little is known about when Myron of Priene wrote his
slave’s condition, they made death the penalty; and they allotted a punishment to
those controlling them if they failed to rebuke those who were growing fat. And in works, and he is only referred to by Athenaeus.
giving land over to them they set them a portion which they were constantly to hand
over.”
When researching, do not confuse Myron of Priene with the famous Athenian sculptor,
Myron, cited in P. Cartledge, Sparta and Lakonia, p. 354
Myron.
Question 4
“Suppose that the city of Sparta were to become deserted and that only the temples
Thucydides is one of the most famous historians throughout history. His epic work,
and foundations of buildings remained, I think future generations would, as time
passed, find it very difficult to believe that the place had really been as powerful as it The History of the Peloponnesian War, is the most thorough account we have of the 30
was represented to be.”
year struggle between Athens and Sparta.
Thucydides, The Peloponnesian War, 1.10
Thucydides was a contemporary of the war, being an Athenian General who was
disgraced after being defeated by the Spartan, Brasidas. 
Question 5
“Thucydides tells how those helots who had been singled out by the Spartiates for
This question deliberately has less supporting information. Note that Plutarch is a
their bravery were first crowned as if they had been granted their freedom, and made
a round of the sanctuaries of the gods; but then a little later they all vanished – over Greek author who was also a Roman citizen, and lived between 46-120AD.
2000 of them – and nobody either at the time itself or later was able to explain how
they had been eliminated. Aristotle makes the further notable point that immediately
upon taking up office the ephors would declare war on the helots, so that they could be
killed without pollution.”

Plutarch, On Sparta, trans. By R. Talbert, p.41