Evaluating sources: values and limitations

Historians need to use and evaluate sources when researching about the past. When
evaluating sources you do it in terms of their values and limitations by examining their
origin, purpose and content.

What is meant by origin, purpose and content of a source?

Origin:
Who produced the source?

When was it produced?

What is the nature of this source? Is it a letter, a speech, a visual source, etc?

Where was it produced?

Purpose:
Why was this source published?

What impact does the producer of this source wants to create on its audience?

Who is the audience of this source?

Content:
Is the language used in the source objective or does it sound exaggerated or one-sided?

What information has been selected or focused on to support its point?

What is the tone of the source?

What is meant by values and limitations of a source?

Values: In what ways does this source help my study?

Limitations: In what ways do I have to be careful when using this source for my study?

Examples:

Source type Values Limitations

History books, - written by or professionals in the field.

- may have either a broad focus or a
encyclopedias, - has the benefit of hindsight.
very narrow focus to your work.

historians - May offer sources based on a range - The producer of the source may
of documents. be influenced by his/her
nationality, race, politics or
context.

Newspapers, TV or - may reflect publicly held views or - could be censored or influenced

radio reports.
popular opinion.
by political views.

Eyewitness accounts. - Might offer an expert view (for - May only give an ‘overview’ of the
example in the case of a situation.

documentary).
- May only give a one-sided
- Can give insight into contemporary perspective.

opinion. - Could emphasize on one minor

aspect of the issue.

- May have limitations on the tone,

use of language or expressions.
Photographs -It can give a sense of a specific event - they are limited because we can
or situation.
not see beyond the ‘lens’.

- it can give sense into the immediate - May distort the bigger picture
impact of an event on a particular because of their limited view.

place or people’s immediate - Might be staged.

response.
- Might reflect only what the
- Might offer information on the photographer wants to show.
environment.

Cartoons/paintings -can inform publicly held opinions as -could be censored and not reflect
cartoonists often reflect popularly held public opinion.

views.
- relies on stereotypes and
- can show the government’s line if there exaggerations.

is censorship. - Limited to the viewpoint of the

cartoonist/artist/place of
publication.

- May have limitations due to tone

or language used.

Government -may give an insight into the -might not reveal a dissent or
documents/speeches government’s position of an issue.
divergent opinion.

- can offer insight into decisions taken.

- might not show public opinion.

- Might reveal motives for government - Might not explain the motives for a
policies.
specific policy/decision.

- Might tell what the public has been - May have limitations due to tone
told about an event or issue by the or use of language.

government.