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Sources Point of View

and Bias

Monday - August 18, 2014 (8/18/14)

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Evidence and Sources

•Evidence - something that shows proof or an indication that something is true. ▫material objects (such as clothing, artifacts,

etc.)▫written materials.

•Source - Where you get information or evidence.

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Primary Source:

•Firsthand account• Speech• Letter• Journal• Artifacts• Interview• Photograph• Newspaper article• Autobiography

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Secondary Source

•Secondhand account.

–These cite primary sources.–Ex:• Biography• Internet and Magazine articles (usually)• Textbooks• Encyclopedia

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A biography about Thomas Edison.

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Rosa Parks describing the choice she made during the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

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An encyclopedia entry about the Cherokee Native American tribe.

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A textbook entry about the Civil War.

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A letter from a soldier in the Vietnam War.

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A video reel of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

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The movie The Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

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A modern newspaper article about The Great Depression.

Analyzing Reliability: POV and Bias•There is a fight in the lunchroom

▫How do you determine the truth of what really went down?

Questions to Think About:1. What happens to the account of the truth

if everyone interviewed watched it from the same spot?

2. What would happen to the account if everyone hated both students involved?

3. What would happen to the account if everyone were friends with student A?

4. What would happen to the account if everyone were friends with student B?

The more accounts the closer we can get to the truth. Historian’s job - to get as

many accounts as they canand to determine the bias.

Bias is an unreasoned, emotional judgment about

people and events.

When looking at a source, ask... WHO?

Who is the speaker/author? Who is the audience?

WHAT? Is this a primary or secondary source? What is it about? Does it contain accurate facts?

WHEN? How long ago did the account happen?

WHY? What is the purpose?

TONE:

•Language and word choice affect how a story is portrayed.

•Are there a lot of negative words? Is the story presented in a negative way?

•Are there are a lot of positive words? Is the story presented in a positive way?

• Point of view is a personal attitude about people or life.▫Everyone has different interpretations of reality

due to background factors that have contributed to their lives.

• Bias can be deliberate or unintentional.

• Every age contains its own biases. These make understanding the past difficult – but not impossible.

Elements Affecting Bias• Political Position

▫ All people want to preserve power• Social Class

▫ People from different classes typically despise one another• Potential gain/loss

▫ All people want to protect wealth• Nationalist Association (country)

▫ USA all the way• Religious belief

▫ My religion is better at delivering a message of peace than yours so I will kill you to show my values are better and stronger

• Race▫ People support people of their own race or might traditionally

hate another group• Ethnic Origins

▫ People support people of the same ethnicity.• Historical tradition

▫ People normally hate anyone that has persecuted them in the past.