Promary and Secondary Sources
Overview
The class centers on reading and interpreting primary sources as a core historical method, with emphasis on context, bias, author/audience, and how sources fit into larger historical narratives.
History is conceived as more than just events; it involves analyzing how sources are produced, interpreted, and used to construct meaning.
Goals include understanding how to discern primary versus secondary sources, and applying critical thinking to assess reliability, biases, and the ethical implications of interpreting the past.
Class logistics and attendance
Event timing and social aspect:
The session includes social/club information: Manatees/History majors, English majors, or minors should attend; socializing with History Club members and professors is encouraged.
Free pizza is highlighted; session runs until .
If you have a class immediately after:
You can try to grab leftovers after this class.
Attendance approach:
The instructor will use a seating-chart style attendance method; you should write your name in a box in the order it appears in the room.
The goal is for the instructor to learn all student names (linked to Canvas and Banner images).
TA and support:
No TA today; Mindy Bates, a graduate student, will join on Thursday.
Mindy sits in the back corner and helps with attendance and note-taking; she can be a resource for studying and questions.
Mindy’s contact: on syllabus and also via Canvas Messenger.
Availability and response times:
The instructor aims to respond promptly but weekend response may be delayed due to travel; Monday morning at the latest will be a response.
One-on-one availability:
The instructor offers one-on-one meetings after class to address questions.
Housekeeping and content focus:
The day’s focus is reading and interpreting primary sources as a key historical skill.
Textbook options, access, and costs
Two main options:
Print copy (physical book) – check if the bookstore has the right copies; if not, wait 1–2 days for availability.
Norton Illumine eBook – a cheaper path, around ; can provide access if the print version is delayed.
Cheapest option guidance:
Brief/short edition (referred to as the brief 13) is emphasized as the cheapest and shortest; students are advised to avoid the full edition to save money.
Access workaround for delayed access:
For those having trouble accessing assignments through Canvas (links opening in a new lab/tab and prompting log-in), consider signing up for the 21-day trial to gain access while awaiting book delivery or verification.
E-book through bookstore:
It may require one or more steps; the instructor offers help to work through this if needed.
Extra credit via eBook:
The Norton eBook registration includes embedded activities (e.g., multiple-choice) that count as extra credit, roughly +3% to the final score.
The grading structure can reach 103% total due to extra credit.
Practical note on timing:
The eBook/online components are optional but recommended for context and exam prep; the extra 3% is tied to Norton chapters done in the eBook.
Quick troubleshooting:
If you’re unsure whether the eBook path works for you, talk to the instructor for guidance.
Online modules, assignments, and grading
Canvas modules and due dates:
The right-hand column under Canvas shows upcoming assignments as you progress through the textbook.
Modules include History Skills Tutorials (primary/secondary source interpretation, image and map interpretation).
History Skills Tutorials:
Short activities (roughly 15–20 minutes each) designed to be participation-grade activities.
The first two tutorials are due at midnight on Thursday.
Interpretation of images and maps:
Emphasis on how to read media sources and interpret them for the midterm.
Extra-credit structure:
The Norton eBook registration provides extra credit opportunities; 3% is added to the final score if engaged.
The total possible is 103% including extra credit.
Inquisitive component (online quizzes):
If a student scores below 100% on the inquisitive portion, they can retake questions to improve the score up to 100%, as long as it’s before the deadline.
Students may work ahead if they wish, using inquisitive questions as a study tool.
PowerPoint slides and note-taking:
Slides will be uploaded, but not always before class; sometimes after class.
Recommendation for note-taking: write slide headings in a notebook and leave gaps to fill in after class when slides are available.
Access to slides and course materials:
Slides on reading historical sources are linked through Microsoft OneDrive; access may require UNA email login; typically available within the module week.
General reminder about deadlines and structure:
Plan to complete early assignments to stay on track; the instructor also emphasizes using the resources provided (tutorials, notes, slides) to succeed.
Primary sources vs secondary sources: definitions and examples
Core definitions:
Primary sources: sources that come directly from someone experiencing the time period; firsthand evidence.
Secondary sources: sources that interpret or analyze primary sources; usually written after the fact by historians.
Classic examples of primary sources:
Diaries, newspapers, artifacts, photographs, emails, social media posts, etc.
Photographs (including modern smartphone archives) can be considered primary sources when they capture a contemporaneous moment.
Classic examples of secondary sources:
History textbooks, scholarly articles that analyze or synthesize primary sources.
Narratives that build from primary sources to produce new interpretations.
Nuances and edge cases:
Autobiography vs biography:
Autobiography is usually a primary source (first-hand account by the subject).
Biography is usually a secondary source (written by someone else about another person).
Collections/anthologies (e.g., MLK speeches):
A published volume like a collection of speeches can be considered secondary because it is curated and edited by others; the individual speeches themselves are primary sources, but the volume as a whole is an editor-compiled product.
Periodicals and magazines can host multiple primary items (articles, ads, features) within one medium.
Practice exercise examples (class activity recap):
1963 Washington Post article on Kennedy assassination: primary (firsthand reporting contemporary to the event).
C-SPAN video of a 2019 congressional vote: primary (recording of the event itself).
2001 New Yorker series on stock market crashes: secondary (historical analysis of past events).
Abraham Lincoln biography found in a grandparent’s closet (published later): secondary; contrast with an autobiography of Lincoln (primary if authored by Lincoln himself).
Autobiography vs biography nuance: autobiographies are typically primary sources; biographies are secondary unless they reproduce the author’s own words as part of a compilation.
A philanthropy video on Instagram (philanthropy-related): primary source (created to document or promote a moment in time).
1970s TV commercials: primary sources for consumer culture and social values of the era.
History of pop culture (e.g., comics, Batman): historians may study pop culture artifacts as primary sources to understand cultural values.
Revision and interpretation:
Different biographers or scholars may present different narratives of the same figure due to new sources or new perspectives.
The process of compilation (e.g., what speeches to include in a collected volume) reflects editorial choices and bias; this is a source of interpretation and debate.
Why this matters:
The accuracy and reliability of historical interpretation depend on critical examination of sources and awareness of biases, agendas, and missing data.
Primary sources are raw evidence; secondary sources interpret that evidence and shape historical understanding.
The historical method: a four-step sock method (SOCC)
The acronym and four steps (SOCC):
S = Source: identify what kind of document it is; determine author(s); audience; when; where produced.
O = Observations: compile data from the source; note details, claims, and any questions or reactions; summarize the gist.
C = Context: situate the source within the broader historical environment; connect to social, political, economic conditions; consider what else is known about the time period.
C = Corroboration/Context-building: identify additional sources needed to build a fuller picture; consider what other documents or evidence would help interpret this source; plan for broader research (e.g., course catalogs, diaries, newspapers, other archives).
Practical application (class activity overview):
A primary source was provided (the 1860 University of Alabama document) for group analysis; students worked in pairs to identify the source, note observations, discuss context, and consider additional sources for fuller interpretation.
Why this method matters:
It helps avoid taking sources at face value and promotes a systematic approach to historical inquiry.
It reinforces the idea that history is constructed through evidence gathering, interpretation, and ongoing debate about meaning.
Case study: 1860 University of Alabama document (primary source exercise)
Source basics:
Document type: a note/letter about student fees and housing for the University of Alabama.
Audience: parents of incoming male students (the document uses masculine pronouns and references “parents of sons”).
Origin: University of Alabama, Montgomery, dated August 1860; two pieces of paper were originally part of a single document due to folding and later separation.
Publication context: pre-Civil War era; no modern addresses or ZIP codes; simple recipient addressing using town/city.
Content and features observed:
Packing list: six towels, two sheets, blankets, toothbrush; specific packing expectations for new students.
Housing arrangement: “Commissaries department” and housing in private homes; references to potential dormitory shortage or established practice of boarding with private families.
Financial details:
Tuition and room/board deposit paid to the president of the university; addressed as a combined payment to the university.
Total annual cost mentioned as (tuition plus room and board for the year).
Special fees and terms:
Music fee: an additional charge related to music instruction, implying a broader curriculum that included music.
“Don't bring pocket money”: implied social and moral expectations; caution against frivolous spending, indicating frugal norms and the view of college as a serious academic pursuit.
Clues about social structure:
The mention of “two dollars for servants higher” and the context of a slaveholding era suggests enslaved labor used for student needs like laundry; observation of “servants” and the implicit social hierarchy of the time.
The presence of