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Handout for Reading in History - Deb Culbertson, Ph.D.
1/27/2014
Source Analysis is the reading strategy you use in HISTORY
The steps in source analysis require that you gather information and make a judgment determining the historical
significance of the discourse.
Begin with the analysis by looking at the following information.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Context: What is the information from your lecture?
What are the new discourse (history) vocabulary terms?
Hint: (Terms in history are usually historical events, not unknown words.)
What is the relevant information?
To determine the relevant information you must decide the following:
Who is the author (rhetor) of the primary source? What is their rhetorical situation? Why are they in the writing
situation?
Since their position or discourse community reflects in their writing, find out….what their discourse community
believes. What are the values of the rhetor?
Exigence - What is the event or reason they are writing? (lecture at a university, speech for political gains, letter to
a friend)
What problems (constraints) is the rhetor up against?
From the information gathered, what is the historical significance of the discourse? (Did the writing lead to a
significant event?)
Outlining information for history requires a reader to make constant connections between events and the
significance of the events. One of the best ways to make these connections is to have a strategy that gathers all
the information that is relevant.
The textbook, the lecture, and the novel reading are connected. The textbook is a way to look at information from
the resources available to the text writer. The lecture contains more facts and explanations for the way events
connect or the way writers (historical figures) react to each other. It is important to remember that writing is the
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Handout for Reading in History - Deb Culbertson, Ph.D.
1/27/2014
way people connected in history and is still the main literary skill used to communicate. Speeches are delivered
through oratory; however, those speeches started as documents that are created because we need to hear what
our leaders think.
When outlining a text: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/02 I would use this website to explain
outlining to the students. You can also tell them to use the text features (Title of the chapter, bold headings at the
I, II, III and IV….then the information under the bold headings as their details) to create their outline. I have
amended the general directions for outlining from Purdue to create one for history.
Why and How to Create a Useful Outline
Summary:
This resource describes why outlines are useful, what types of outlines exist, suggestions for developing
effective outlines, and how outlines can be used as an invention strategy for writing.
Contributors:Elyssa Tardiff, Allen Brizee
Last Edited: 2010-04-17 05:26:08
Amended for history: Deb Culbertson, Ph.D., revision 1/27/14
Why create an outline? There are many reasons; but in general, it may be helpful to create an outline
when you want to show the hierarchical relationship or logical ordering of information. For research
papers, an outline may help you keep track of large amounts of information. For creative writing, an
outline may help organize the various plot threads and help keep track of character traits. Many
people find that organizing an oral report or presentation in outline form helps them speak more
effectively in front of a crowd. Below are the primary reasons for creating an outline.

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Aids in the process of reading
Helps you organize the text
Presents your note in a logical shortened
form
Shows the relationships among ideas in your
text
Format is easily annotated with new
information
Constructs an ordered overview of your text
Defines boundaries and groups
How do I create an outline?
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Determine the purpose of reading.
You are the audience.
Check the beginning of the chapter to find
out the big idea of the chapter.

Brainstorm: List all the topics included in
the chapter. What fits with the big idea?
Organize: Group related ideas together. If
you text uses sub-headings, this is done for
you.
Order: Arrange material in subsections from
general to specific or from abstract to
Then:
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
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Handout for Reading in History - Deb Culbertson, Ph.D.

1/27/2014
concrete or from main event to supporting
details.
Label: Create main and sub headings.
Remember: creating an outline while reading your text will make organizing your thoughts easier.
Outlines help you connect many events to the reason for the chapter. Whether you follow the
suggested guidelines is up to you, but making any kind of outline (even just some jotting down some
main ideas) will be beneficial to your reading process. A sample outline is below.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
The Purdue OWL: Sample Outlines
Alphanumeric Outline
1) THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS
a) CHOOSE DESIRED COLLEGES
i) Visit and evaluate college campuses
ii) Visit and evaluate college websites
1. Look for interesting classes
2. Note important statistics
b) PREPARE APPLICATION
i) Write personal statement
(1) Choose interesting topic
a. Describe an influential person in your life
(b) Favorite high school teacher
(c) Grandparent
a. Describe a challenging life event
2. Include important personal details
a. Volunteer work
b. Participation in varsity sports
ii) Revise personal statement
c) COMPILE RÉSUMÉ
i) List relevant coursework
ii) List work experience
iii) List volunteer experience
(1) Tutor at foreign language summer camp
(2) Counselor for suicide prevention hotline
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/
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Handout for Reading in History - Deb Culbertson, Ph.D.
1/27/2014
Full Sentence Outline
A.
Man-made pollution is the primary cause of global warming.
II.
Greenhouse gas emissions are widely identified by the scientific
community to be harmful greenhouse gases.
(i)
The burning of coal and fossil fuels are the
primary releasers of hazardous
III. Full sentence outlines are often accompanied with an APA
reference list on a separate page.
IV.
Quotes within the outline must also utilize APA in-text citations.
2) Decimal Outline
1.1.1. Choose Desired College
1.1.2. Visit and evaluate college campuses
1.1.3. Visit and evaluate college websites
1.1.3.1.1.
Look for interesting classes
1.1.3.1.2.
Note important statistics