Short guide to historical reading & thinking

by Rich Slatta, Professor of History, NC State University updated 2/12/19

Critical Reading of Historical Sources: What are they?

Book We utilize 2 main kinds of sources, sometimes supplementing with a third:
  • primary (from the time and place we study--firsthand accounts)
  • secondary, scholarly sources--written later by experts in the field
  • tertiary sources (dictionaries, encyclopedias, Wikipedia, etc.). You may consult a tertiary source for basic background information but never cite a tertiary source in university-level research.
After READING the sources, we EVALUATE sources by comparing the relative strength of different documents or interpretations. Read deeply, critically, and reflectively. It's one thing to know what the author says & another to evaluate it for validity and reliability.
  • ORGANIZE Outline your answer. Draw together information from various sources (synthesize, integrate). This process lies at the heart of many disciplines, including history. Look for key concepts, processes, or themes to help you organize topically. Each paragraph also needs a mix of primary source examples.
  • Avoid a "shotgun" approach. Do not spray facts and ideas around randomly Each paragraph should develop one coherent issue. The first sentence of a paragraph should do three things: explain what the paragraph is about, connect it to your thesis, and connect it to the paragraph before" (thanks for colleague Holly Brewer for the previous two sentences.) You may wish to use the Synthesis Matrix to help draw together information from several different sources into logical topics.

    Think Historically

  • Keyboard FOCUS on what the question asks. Read it thoroughly and thoughtfully. Be certain that you understand it. Ask or email the instructor if anything is unclear. Note whether you are being asked to discuss, contrast, trace, justify, evaluate, critique, etc. Students often write "around" a question because they do not understand its essence. 
  • ANALYZE the type of question being asked. First, examine the imperative verb. Are you asked to "compare" (which always means compare AND contrast; bring out points of similarity & difference), "evaluate" (give good and bad points, appraise, critique), "summarize" (give the main points briefly), "trace" (follow the course of, describe the progress or changes)? 
  • Look at how the question is phrased. Does it have several parts? Does it group things topically, such as economic, political, & social factors? Use the phrasing of the question as a guide for organizing your answer.