Input: Analyzing and Evaluating Documents

Tools for U.S. History

Input: Analyzing and Evaluating Documents

Page 1: Written Document HIPPOS Analysis

Page 2: Image Document PIC Analysis / Extended Analysis

Pages 3-4 Persuasive Devices

Output: Forming and Supporting Arguments

Page 4:Thesis Templates

Page 5: Essay Templates

Page 6: CitationTemplates

Page 6: Annotations Template

Page 7: Rubrics

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Written Document: HIPPOS Analysis

Historical Context- What is the setting in which this message was created?

• What has just happened? What’s been happening for a long time?
• What is on the verge of happening? What won’t happen for a long time?
• What deep-rooted issues are causing this document to be created?
• How does this document represent this era/period?
  

Intended Audience- Who is the intended primary audience? Who else would hear or see it?

• Single person, a specific group, a large sector of society?
• Is this audience one in which the speaker belongs?
• Is there a reason this audience has been targeted in particular?
• Who else would likely hear this during this time?
  

Point of View- Who is the author of the document? What does (s)he believe or want? How does the author’s personhood impacted what they wrote? Is his/her POV limited or strengthened in some way?

• Race, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, other general background
• Education level, profession, role in the issue or society
• Personality, values, viewpoints on the issue
• Does the author have ulterior motives? Does the author’s background make it hard for him/her to understand the opposing viewpoint or be convincing in his/her argument?
• Does the author’s background strengthened their effectiveness?
  

Purpose- What is the author trying to accomplish? Does (s)he have ulterior motives?

ComplimentHonor Inspire EncouragePraise

Oppose Expose Contrast WarnQuestionDemand

Solicit Outline SuggestOffer Connect Prove

Introduce Predict Establish Justify Propose

______

Outside Information-What are facts, ideas, events that you already know that are related to this document?

• Names of people, events, laws, ideas
• Stats or facts about the event, person
• Long standing trends about larger topic, group of people

So what?- How can you put all these pieces together in a concise analytical sentence?

• What does this document prove to you, the historical student?
• How does this document represent or not the larger trend of the era or topic?
• How does this document help support an answer to the unit question?

Image Document: PIC Analysis

Pertinent/Prior Information

• What else do you already know about the topic in the image?
• What events happen before or after this image was created?
• How did people at the time respond to this image?
• What did the textbook give as specific details about this event?

Inferences

• Any symbols or added meaning the creator wanted to stress or include?
• What is the impact of this image on its intended audience?
• How would you feel if you were a person in this scene?

Conclusion Sentence

• What does this document prove to you, the historical student?
• How does this document represent or not the larger trend of the era or topic?
• How does this document help support an answer to the unit question?

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Extended Analysis

Differing Points of View

• On what issues do the two authors disagree? Why?
• What is the evidence they use to support their differing arguments?
• How do their backgrounds shape their beliefs and arguments?

Use of Evidence

• What types of evidence does the author use? Is it trustworthy?
• Is there evidence missing that would make their argument stronger?
• What makes their argument strong or weak?
• Are you satisfied with the evidence provided?
• Do you think the evidence persuaded the intended audience?

Rhetorical Devices, Persuasion

• What kinds of devices did the author use? Are they effective?
• Are devices used in place of any real evidence, creating a weak argument?
• Do the devices used persuade you?

Persuasive Devices

Rhetorical Devices

Allusion: a reference to an event, literary work or person

• I can’t do that, I am not Superman.

Anecdote: a personal account or story

• “I had the same thing happen to me, and look at me now!”

Antithesis: makes a connection between two opposite things

• “That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” (Neil Armstrong)

Enumeratio: makes a point with details, lists and numbers them out

• “There are three reason why… One, you should…”

Epizeuxis: repeats one word for emphasis

• The amusement park was fun, fun, fun.

Glittering Generalization: vague, emotional description without many details, or evidence

• “It is made with state-of-the-art materials” “The best you can get”

Hyperbole: an exaggeration

• “I have done this a thousand times.”

Instruction: give orders or clear directions to the audience

• “Now listen to this….”

Metaphor / Simile: compares two things by stating one is the other or using “like” or “as”

• “The skies of our future are darkening” “Life is like a box of chocolate”

Parallel: uses words or phrases with a similar structure

• “He came, he saw, he conquered”

Rhetorical question: posing a question with an already known answer, often immediately answering it

• “Who wouldn’t want to help these starving children in Africa?”
• “Why you vote for me? Here’s why…”

Single words: isolating a single word to give added weight, often with pauses to emphasize the word

• “What has my opponent done? Nothing.”

Emotional Appeals

Inclusion / Plain folk: colloquial or inviting words to connect to audience

• “Y’all” “Growing up in a working-class family, I… ”

Insult/Compliment: put down of the opposing side, praise own side

• “He’s a jerk; don’t listen to him!” “He is a upright citizen”

Patriotism: an emotional appeal, eliciting pride for one’s country or other organization

• “Do it for your country” “It’s the American way”

Transfer: linking an idea with a strong emotional attachment to another

• Images of a happy family in a grocery store advertisement

Logical Fallacies

Bandwagon: emphasizing acceptance by the majority

• “Everyone is doing it, so why aren’t you?” “You are really missing out”

Circular Argument:restating the argument rather than actually proving it.

• “President is a good communicator because he speaks so eloquently”

False Dilemma:presenting the idea of only two choices with one being extreme

• “If you don’t elect me, this country will crumble”

Genetic Fallacy:stressing the origins of something as determining it’s current worth

• “The Volkswagen Beetle is an evil car since it was originally made for Hitler’s army”

Hasty Generalization:rushing to a conclusion based off limited knowledge

• “I can already tell from the little bit I saw, it’s going to be a complete failure”

Slippery Slope:presenting the conclusion if one event happens, then eventually the extreme will happen

• “If we let two people of the same gender marry, what’s next? A person marrying their dog?”

Straw Man:oversimplifying an opponent’s viewpoint in order to attack it

• “People who don’t support a minimum wage increase hate the poor”

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Thesis Template

Even though ______(X), ______(A) and ______(B), therefore ______(Y).

Even though ______(X), ______(Y) because of ______(A) and ______(B).

X: Counter-Claim

• What you’re NOT going to argue, the least/most different of the three categories

A: Strongest Category

• The evidence for what you ARE going to argue, the strongest/best of the three categories

B: Second Category

• Additional evidence for what you ARE going to argue, the next strongest/best of the three categories

Y: Claim

• What you ARE going to argue; the evaluation of the topic

Even though I really should be studying for this tomorrow’s SATs, I am instead going to enjoy tonight’s football game because my friends are all going to be there and need s break from all the studying I’ve already done this last month.

Even though the San Francisco 49’ers and the Seattle Seahawks are both strong teams, the Seahawks have a more fan-friendly stadium and a quarterback who is a role model, therefore the Seahawks are a much easier team to root for.

Essay Templates

Historical Causation- How much did something cause/effect something else? What are the causes or effects of an event? Which are the most/least important causes or effects?
More so Caused/Effected
Even though ______had been present and serves as an underlying causes of…. (X), ______(A) and ______(B) occurred which caused ………. to happen which…….. (Y). / More so Didn’t Cause/Effect
Even though ______certainly increased …… (X), ______(A) and ______(B) had already been occurring ………. which…….. (Y).
X paragraph: The smallest effect was in regards to….
A paragraph: However, in regards to……. the effects were enormous…
B paragraph: Additionally, the effects on ….. were also…
Continuity and Change - How much and in what ways did something continue and change over time? Is there more continuity or change and what accounts for them?
More so Continued
Even though ______changed in…., (X), ______(A) and ______(B) remained constant ………. which…….. (Y). / More so Changed
Even though ______remained constant …… (X), ______(A) and ______(B) were dramatic changes ………. which…….. (Y).
X paragraph: The one thing that did continue was in regards to….
A paragraph: However, when looking at……. there was significant change …
B paragraph: Likewise, the changes to ….. were also…
Periodization - How much and in what ways can a time period be characterized?
More so Described As
Even though ______was occurring (X), ______(A) and ______(B) were much stronger during ………. which allows ______to be considered…….. (Y). / More so Not Described As
Even though ______was occurring (X), ______(A) and ______(B) were strong during ………. which weakens ______to be considered…….. (Y).
X paragraph: There certain was many examples of….
A paragraph: Meanwhile, though, there was far more …
B paragraph: On the same thread, there were….

Citation Templates

In text: source is mentioned right in the wording of the sentence

• According to….. in his essay entitled……..
• The picture of…… shows….
• President….. said to …….

Parenthetical: source is named within parentheses at the end of a sentence) after being referred to within the sentence

• Even the president wasn’t going to agree to the plan (President Cleveland’s Veto Speech).
• Unfortunately racism was still strongly felt decades after slavery was abolished (Photos of African American soldiers).

Works Cited: source is formally and in its entirety listed on a separate sheet following the end of a work, used when writing a formal research paper

• Riis, Jacob. How the Other Half Lives. W.W. Norton. New York: 1903.
• Garrison, William Lloyd. “Inaugural Edition Editorial”. The Liberator. Boston: 1831.

Citation Websites: create properly formatted citations using these online tools

• Easy Bib-
• Bib Me-

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Annotation Template

Annotation: write a brief “note” about the source as a whole and how it helped your research

• Summarize
• What kind of information did this source cover that’s related to your topic?
• Evaluate
• How do you know you can trust this source?
• How helpful was this information? What unique perspective did it provide you?

Example Citation with Annotation

Bates, Daisy. The Long Shadow of Little Rock. 1st ed. New York: David McKay Co. Inc., 1962.
Daisy Bates was the president of the Arkansas NAACP and the one who met and listened to the students each day during the Civil Rights Movement. This first-hand account memoir she wrote about her experiences was very important to my paper because it made me more aware of the feelings of the people involved, especially how scared so many of the seemingly brave activists were.

Rubrics

Document-Based Essays

Evidence (Common Core History 1, 7)

Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning
Cites specific, diverse, and multiple pieces of evidence to support a solid and rich analysis of the sources and topic, connecting insight gained from specific evidence to a coherent, solid understanding in order to address the question. / Cites specific and multiple pieces of evidence to support a solid analysis of the sources and topic, connecting insight gained from specific evidence to a solid understanding in order to address the question. / Cites few specific pieces of evidence to support a vague or limited analysis of the sources and topic, limitedly connecting specific evidence to a shaky or limited understanding in order to address the question. / Cites very few specific pieces of evidence to support a very vague or limited analysis of the sources and topic, very limitedly connecting specific evidence to a very shaky or limited understanding in order to address the question.

Argument (Common Core Writing 1)

Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning
Introduces a precise, knowledgeable thesis; uses ample transitions specific to the targeted skill to link sections; maintains a formal style; provides a thoughtful concluding statement appropriate to the argument made. / Introduces a knowledgeable thesis; uses transitions specific to the targeted skill to link sections; maintains a formal style; provides a concluding statement appropriate to the argument made. / Introduces a basic thesis; uses limited transitions specific to the targeted skill to link sections; maintains a limitedly formal style; provides a generic concluding statement for the argument made. / Introduces a very basic thesis; uses very limited transitions specific to the targeted skill to link sections; maintains a very limitedly formal style; provides a very generic concluding statement for the argument made.

Extended Document Analysis

Point of View (Common Core History 6)

Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning
Evaluates author’s point of view by deeply assessing the claims and evidence used, solidly connects the author’s personhood to their work; uses ample evidence from the text to make own solidly organized evaluation of the document. / Evaluates author’s point of view by assessing the claims and evidence used, connects the author’s personhood to their work; uses some evidence from the text to make own organized evaluation of the document. / Limitedly evaluates author’s point of view by assessing the claims and evidence used, limitedly connects the author’s personhood to their work; uses few or general evidence from the text to make own limitedly organized evaluation of the document. / Very limitedly evaluates author’s point of view by assessing the claims and evidence used, very limitedly connects the author’s personhood to their work; uses very few or general evidence from the text to make own very limitedly organized evaluation of the document.

Argument (Common Core History 8)

Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning
Evaluates an author’s claim and evidence by supporting or challenging it with other documents and evidence, citing ample specific examples and soundly discounting the counter argument. / Evaluates an author’s claim and evidence by supporting or challenging it with other documents and evidence, citing few specific examples and discounting the counter argument. / Limitedly evaluates an author’s claim and evidence by supporting or challenging it with limited documents and evidence, citing few specific examples and discounting the counter argument. / Very limitedly evaluates an author’s claim and evidence by supporting or challenging it with very limited documents and evidence, citing very few specific examples and discounting the counter argument.

Rhetorical Devices (Common Core History 4 & 5)

Exceeding / Meeting / Approaching / Beginning
Evaluates and critiques how a source is structured, citing how ample key words choices, sentences structure, and organization contribute to the meaning as a whole, shows solid understanding of the effects and effectiveness of the document. / Evaluates how a source is structured, citing how multiple key words choices, sentence structures, and organization contribute to the meaning as a whole, shows understanding of the effects and effectiveness of the document. / Limitedly evaluates how a source is structured, citing how few key words choices, sentence structures, and organization contribute to the meaning as a whole, shows limited understanding of the effects and effectiveness of the document. / Very limitedly evaluates how a source is structured, citing how very few key words choices, sentence structures, and organization contribute to the meaning as a whole, shows very limited understanding of the effects and effectiveness of the document.

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