Secondary Source Analysis
Assignment: For this assignment, you must write a 2-3 page (400 to 600 word) review essay on either a book or film that examines some aspect of U.S. history from the end of the Civil War up to the present (or, if you do something on the settlement of the West, you can go back as far as about 1850). This book or film must be approved by me. Should you choose a book or film that I do not approve, you risk failing the assignment for using an inappropriate book or film.
Due date: April 21.
What is a secondary source? To answer that, we must first know what a primary source is.
Primary Source: A primary source is firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic, an event, a person's life, original works of literature, and historical facts. It consists of original materials that have not been filtered through interpretation, condensation, evaluation or any type of commentary. Primary sources are usually the first formal appearance of results and offer an immediate picture of the topic under investigation.
Secondary Source: A secondary source is information about primary, or original information, which usually has been modified, selected, or rearranged after the fact, for a specific purpose or audience. It can be a description, an interpretation, an analysis, a commentary and an evaluation of an historical event or phenomenon, or the original writing of an author.
Examples: These definitions are from the Loyola University of Chicago Libraries. Got to their site for examples of primary and secondary sources.
Thus a biography of Thomas Jefferson or Fredrick Douglas, or films about their lives, would be considered secondary sources, but a collection of the letters of either man would be a primary source.
Choose either a book or a film: Remember, I must approve you choice. Below you will find instructions for doing either the film or book review.
Instructions for doing a book review
Instructions for doing a film review