Primary Source Travel Narratives
Citation:
Information on traveler
Name of traveler________________________________________________________________
Nationality or state affiliation______________________________________________________
Ethnicity______________________________________________________________________
Gender________________________________________________________________________
Social status and age ____________________________________________________________
Profession and educational background______________________________________________
Religious affiliation and dominant intellectual beliefs___________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Any other personal information that seems relevant to the narrative (such as sexual orientation,
health conditions, marital status, legal status, etc.)______________________________________
Information related to travels
Travel location_________________________________________________________________
Traveler’s previous trips (to this location or others)_____________________________________
Traveler’s level of familiarity with this culture________________________________________
Context:
Time of writing_________________________________________________________________
Language of writing_____________________________________________________________
Purpose of travel________________________________________________________________
Is travel voluntary?______________________________________________________________
What is the relationship between the traveler’s origin and her/his destination? _______________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Is travel between these two locations common or rare during this period?___________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What other events are you aware of that occurred in the same time or same place (they do not
need to be directly relevant)_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Communication:
Purpose and Content
Is the narrative written in first-person or third person?__________________________________
What does this choice tell you?____________________________________________________
Does the author position herself/himself as an insider to the culture or an outsider?___________
_____________________________________________________________________________
What is the theme/main topic of the writing?__________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What does the theme tell us about the author’s interests, feelings, or views?_________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What is the author’s thesis/argument?_______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What kind of imagery and examples does the author use to support her/his thesis?____________
______________________________________________________________________________
Audience
Who is the intended audience?_____________________________________________________
In what geographic location and type of publication was the piece published? How widely was it
distributed?____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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Do you know how the work was received (was it popular, unread, debated, etc.)?_____________
______________________________________________________________________________
Why would the author’s argument matter to her/his audience at this particular time?__________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion:
Your teacher has chosen this primary source because she/he believes it will further your
understanding of a current topic you are studying in class. What are you currently studying?
______________________________________________________________________________
Which pieces of information above do you feel are most relevant to the topic you are currently
studying in class? Is that information new to you or does it further support information you have
already learned?________________________________________________________________
Now, go back over this worksheet and star the pieces of information that you feel most inform
the author’s views on the topic/theme of the piece. Please list them below and provide evidence
(quotations from the reading) that you believe illustrates how that characteristic or experience
has shaped or influenced the author’s views.
Information
Evidence to Support
________________________
________________________________________________
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________________________________________________
________________________
________________________________________________
________________________
________________________________________________
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________________________________________________
How does this source help you to answer the essential question your teacher has posed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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