Dissecting a Secondary Source

Secondary Source

An account written by a historian based on primary sources from the past.

Thesis

The specific argument made by an author in a scholarly work.

Primary Source

Original materials from the period being studied, such as documents, artifacts, or eyewitness accounts.

Scholarly Source

A work that has been peer-reviewed and meets academic standards for quality and reliability.

Peer Review

A process where experts in the field evaluate and critique an article or book before publication.

Selective Reading

Reading strategy where one only skims the introduction and main points of each paragraph instead of reading the entire text in detail.

Organizational Structure

How a book or article is arranged, either thematically or chronologically.

Historiography

The study of how history is written and how interpretations of historical events change over time.

Critical Book Review

A critical analysis of a scholarly secondary source, examining its thesis, evidence, and the author's arguments.

Praiseworthy Summary

A less critical summary of a book summarizing key points and arguments.