Identity: Who made this source?
Context: When was the source created? How long after the event? What else was
Accuracy/reliability: Does this source confirm or contradict the story told by similar
SSC.475BB, Potorti
Spring 2022
Primary Source Analysis #2
Assignment Guidelines
due Fri Feb 25 at 11:59pm ET
Primary sources offer first-hand accounts of past events or experiences and are, therefore, central
to the social sciences, particularly the disciplines of history and sociology. To demonstrate
aptitude in analyzing primary sources, students will submit two short writing assignments this
semester deciphering and contextualizing the incidents or experiences conveyed by a primary
source related to a single person, organization, or event.
Choosing a Source
For your second primary source analysis, choose a single primary source related to a topic we
have covered since the first primary source analysis was submitted (from the Montgomery bus
boycott through Freedom Summer). You may select a source that was assigned (including
images that appear on the lecture slides) or one that you find online. (If you choose an image
from the lecture slides, you must still include a full citation and locate background info on that
source.) Take care to choose a source that is compelling to you. Your task is not merely to
summarize or describe the source and the information it conveys, but to analyze how this source
might be useful to historians and other social scientists trying to make sense of a specific figure
or event in the past. Make sure that you select a primary source; secondary sources are not
appropriate for this assignment. To ensure you have selected an appropriate artifact, all students
must submit their primary source for approval no later than Thu Feb 24 at 5pm using the posted
link. Make sure that you can write at least 600 words about the source you have chosen. If you
do not think you will have much to say, please select a different source.
Analysis
After choosing a source, examine it closely and/or read it multiple times. Consider the messages,
themes, or images it conveys. Then consider the following factors in evaluating the strengths and
limitations of the source you have selected:
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Identity: Who made this source?
- Authority: How close was the creator to the event(s) they describe?
Audience: Who was the source created for? What was the target audience, and why?
Motivations: Why was this source created? Did the creator have something to gain or lose
in influencing how the event would be understood?
Context: When was the source created? How long after the event? What else was
- occurring at that time?
Accuracy/reliability: Does this source confirm or contradict the story told by similar
- sources? If so, what might that tell us about how a given event has been studied?
Note: Please do NOT answer these questions directly in a list-like format. Instead, your task is to
offer detailed and insightful analysis of what the source reveals, the perspective it offers, and the
ways in which its usefulness may limited. What questions can this source answer about the past,
and what questions can it not answer?
Keep in mind: It is not useful to argue simply that a source is “good” because it is “unbiased” or
“objective.” By definition, a primary source offers the perspective of the person or people who
created it; primary sources are, in essence, subjective. Instead, consider what the source you have
chosen is useful for. What can it reveal to historians in the 21st century about the historical
moment it captures?
Your submission should be in the form of an essay consisting of at least three well-constructed
paragraphs.
• The introductory paragraph should provide necessary context or background about the
figure or event at the center of the source(s) you have selected. It must end with a clear
thesis statement (your argument) about the significance of the source.
• The middle paragraph(s) should analyze the strengths and limitations of the source,
making clear what information or knowledge it can provide and how or why it is useful.
• Your last paragraph should conclude with a final assessment of the source. For example,
do you think the source you have selected is a useful tool for teaching and learning about
the events it portrays? If not, what other information or types of sources would help
create a more complete picture?
Requirements, Formatting, and Submission
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Final essays must be double-spaced, at least 600 words in length, and include a word
count.
Please use 1-inch margins, 12-point font, and page numbers. Break your essay into
indented paragraphs. There should not be a line break (a blank line) between the heading
and title, the title and the body of the essay, or between paragraphs.
Include your name, the date, and a useful title that reveals something about your
argument. (This should not be something generic like “The March on Washington” or
“King’s Dream” and should not simply be the name of the source you are examining, e.g.
“I Have a Dream.”)
Be sure to proofread and to run spell check. Take care and pride in your work. Take
special care to spell names and places correctly. Proper nouns like “United States” or
“African American” must be capitalized.
This assignment is due to the Turnitin link on Blackboard by 11:59pm ET on Fri Feb 25.
If you anticipate difficulty in meeting this deadline, you must let me know in advance.
Late submissions will be penalized by one-third of a letter grade deduction each day
(including weekend days) until submitted and will not be accepted more than two weeks
after the deadline.
Citing Sources
• Include a “References” section at the bottom of your essay, which must include a link and
full citation for the primary source. The citation must identify the creator (if known), the
title of the work, and the date. See the MLA citation guide for more info on citing
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primary sources. An internet link is not sufficient; you must include a full citation as
well.
You are not required to use secondary sources (e.g. academic articles, books, etc.) for this
assignment. However, if you consult a secondary source (including websites like
wikipedia.org, history.com, or britannica.com), you must include a full citation.
You must cite the source of all information that is not common knowledge or that we did
not cover in class, even if you do not quote the source directly. For example, if you
discuss Elizabeth Eckford’s childhood to provide context for her role as a member of the
Little Rock Nine, you must indicate the source of that information. My lecture slides do
NOT constitute an approved outside source. They are posted for your convenience when
studying, and are not a substitute for a published, peer-reviewed source.
If you use the exact words of another source (including online sources) you MUST
put those words in quotation marks. Otherwise, you indicate to the reader that
someone else’s words or ideas are your own; doing so constitutes plagiarism. The
consequences for plagiarism will be, at minimum, a zero for this assignment and a
referral to the Dean of Students. There will be no second chances.
If you are having trouble getting started, be sure to review the syllabus topics and assigned
primary sources. I am happy, too, to schedule a meeting or correspond via email to help you
select a source.