History Department

Tideway Community School & Sixth Form Centre

In you essay you MUST describe the strengths and weakness or the good points and bad points about the exhibition and its description of the Western Front.

You might find it useful to draw up a table for your visit and make notes into it as you explore the exhibition.

The section below comes from a website that teaches you how to use Primary Sources in history and you might find some of the information helpful.

First Ask These Questions

Historians go to primary sources in the search for evidence to answer questions about what happened in the past and why. When working with primary sources, answering a series of basic questions can help us draw more accurate conclusions.

When trying to gather evidence from a primary source, first try to answer these basic questions. (You may not have enough information to do so.)

What is it?
Who wrote or made it?
When was it written or made?
Where was it written or made?
How was it written or made?
What evidence does this source contribute to my research?

Then Ask, What Is The Meaning of This Primary Source?

Why was this document/object written or made?
Who was the intended audience/user?
What questions does this source raise? What don't we know about this source?
What other information do we have about this document or object?
What other sources are like this one?
What other sources might help answer our questions about this one?
What else do we need to know in order to understand the evidence in this source?
What have others said about this or similar sources?
How does this source help me to answer my research question?
How does evidence from this source alter or fit into existing interpretations of the past?