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Primary and Secondary Source Analysis

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About This MicroSim

This interactive MicroSim helps students evaluate the reliability and perspective of primary and secondary sources by applying systematic criteria to historical evidence.. It supports the learning objectives in Chapter: Human Sciences and History.

How to Use

Use the interactive controls below the drawing area to explore the visualization. Hover over elements for additional information and click to see detailed descriptions.

Iframe Embed Code

You can add this MicroSim to any web page by adding this to your HTML:

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/theory-of-knowledge/sims/source-analysis/main.html"
        height="450px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Grade Level

9-12 (High School / IB TOK)

Duration

15-20 minutes

Prerequisites

  • Familiarity with the distinction between primary and secondary sources
  • Basic understanding of historical context and perspective in knowledge production
  • Exposure to the TOK concept of "shared knowledge" vs. "personal knowledge"

Learning Objectives

  • Evaluate the reliability and perspective of primary and secondary sources by examining provenance, purpose, and context

Activities

  1. Exploration (5 min): Use the sim to load the "Anne Frank's Diary" source. Examine the provenance score, purpose classification, and perspective indicators. Note how the sim rates each dimension. Then switch to a "WWII History Textbook" and observe how the scores shift for a secondary source.
  2. Guided Practice (10 min): Load the "Propaganda Poster" source. In pairs, predict what the provenance and purpose scores should be before revealing them. Compare your predictions with the sim's analysis. Discuss: Why might a propaganda poster score high on "reveals perspective" but low on "factual reliability"? How does purpose shape what counts as knowledge?
  3. Assessment (5 min): Choose one source you have not yet examined. Write a 3-sentence evaluation that addresses: (a) What is the source's provenance? (b) What was its intended purpose? (c) How does its perspective affect the knowledge claims it supports?

Assessment

  • Students correctly distinguish primary from secondary source characteristics using at least two criteria from the sim
  • Written evaluations reference provenance, purpose, and perspective as distinct analytical dimensions
  • Students articulate how the same event can be represented differently depending on source type

Quiz

Test your understanding with this review question.

1. A historian finds a soldier's letter from 1917 describing trench conditions. Which factor is MOST important when evaluating this as a knowledge source?

  1. Whether the letter was published in a book
  2. The provenance, purpose, and perspective of the author
  3. How many pages the letter contains
  4. Whether the letter agrees with a modern textbook
Show Answer

The correct answer is B. Evaluating a primary source requires examining who created it (provenance), why it was created (purpose), and what viewpoint it represents (perspective). The length of the letter or whether it was later published does not determine its reliability as a source of knowledge. Comparing it to a modern textbook would commit the error of judging a primary source solely by secondary source standards.

Concept Tested: Source evaluation criteria (provenance, purpose, perspective)

References

  1. IB Theory of Knowledge Guide, International Baccalaureate Organization, 2022.
  2. Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History. Routledge, 2015.