Source Analysis practice

1. What are the two different types of sources?

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2. What is the main difference between these two types of sources?

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3. Identify whether the sources below are primary or secondary sources:

Source Primary or Source Primary or Source Primary or
Secondary? Secondary? Secondary?

News footage
Letters Posters

Encyclopaedias

Textbook Art

Speeches
Autobiographies Biographies

Artefacts
Newspapers Interviews

Developed by Meghan Smith February 2019

4. Read the statements below and determine whether they are related to a primary or secondary source:

Statement Primary or secondary source?

Made long after the event
Artist impression made at the time by seeing the
survivors
Based on other documents
Made at the time by someone who was there
Based on stories told to the artist by survivors
Direct observation
Based on people’s recollections of what happened

5. Match up the sources with their correct purpose (draw a line to the correct purpose)

Source Purpose
News broadcast Convince / encourage people to do something
Text book Memory aid
TV Show / books Sell
Diary Express
Political propaganda Entertain
Art work Inform
Cup, clothing Educate
Advertisement Practical purpose

6. Read the below groups. What part of source analysis are they related to? (circle the right answer)

Are they to do with:

Purpose / Reliability / Bias / Intended audience / relevance

 Young people / old people  Adults

 An interest group  Students
 A professional group  Researchers
 A nationality  Politicians
 Men / women  Young men or women

7. What is a purpose for the below sources and who might the intended audience be?

Developed by Meghan Smith February 2019

 Source Purpose & Source Purpose &
Audience Audience

Course: year 11 History – origins of WWII textbook

8. Sources are used to find out about history, society and environment. They can give information and be
used as evidence to support or refute (negate / disprove etc) opinions. They show different
perspectives about events and issues.

Developed by Meghan Smith February 2019

 a. Look at the holocaust sources below, what information do they give you?
Source Information you get from
reading / looking at source:

b. What conclusion can be made based on your information?

________________________________________________________________________________

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9. Strengths and weaknesses exist for every source. Determine whether each statement made about a
source is regarded as a strength or a weakness.

Statement Strength or weakness? Statement Strength or weakness?

Is reliable Not relevant
Is accessible Has agreement with
other sources

Is relevant Has depth to the

information
Has little information Is strongly biased
Lack of bias Does not agree with
other sources
Is difficult to access Is unreliable

10. For each of the sources below state one strength and one weakness of that source
Source Strength and Weakness

Developed by Meghan Smith February 2019

 Painting

Carl E. Rice WW2 Memoirs: June 22nd to August

23rd, 1945

Newspaper Dec, 1941

History textbook

Developed by Meghan Smith February 2019