Analysing evidence When using historical sources as evidence, historians need to ask questions about each source, such as where the source comes from (origin) and why it was created (purpose). A source may be fact or someone’s opinion — that is, it could be biased . One way to test sources for reliability is to compare them to other sources. If this evidence leads to the same conclusion, we call it supporting evidence. If it leads to different conclusions, we have contradictory evidence. When we use sources to try to find out about the past, we must ask some questions. For example, we might ask: • What type of source is this? • Who is the author or creator of this source, and when was it written or created? • What was the purpose of writing or creating this source? • What evidence does the source present? • What were the historical or contextual circumstances at the time of the source’s creation? • Is the source reliable and trustworthy? 1.2.6 Continuity and change When studying different societies, historians can see that some aspects of life have remained the same over time, while other aspects of life have changed dramatically. This concept is known as ‘identifying continuity and change’. Change refers to something that is different from what has occurred in the past. This may occur over a long period of time or may occur dramatically and suddenly. Continuity refers to the things that endure, relatively unchanged, over time. You will find that many things remain the same across long periods in history. Sometimes these continuities have lasted into modern times.
SOURCE4 a. Medieval doctors check for problems by using visual examinations. b. In contrast, a modern 3D dental scanner creates a detailed image of the jaw.
a.
b.
8 Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
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