The Library of Congress

Evaluating Primary Sources

Thomas Edison

What Do You Hear?

Using the Scan - Examine - Analyze process, evaluate the two primary sources below, then compare them. Go to each section in turn for guides to help you evaluate each source.

Primary Source One click here for text of recording
Primary Source Two click here for text of recording

Note: These are sound recordings (.wav files). Check American Memory Viewer Information for special players that may be needed.

Scan

the recording, by listening for audio evidence: its condition, any background noise, or other clues to the recording's context or history.
Examine for information about the subject, audience, setting, and purpose of this recording. Are there transcripts to this source that help to examine its contents?

Analyze

 the recording, attempting to integrate factual observations, prior knowledge, and intuition to reconstruct the story behind this recording.

Compare

 the two recordings. Use all the information you have learned from each recording to place them in context with each other.

Let's get started with Scanning a Recording

Evaluating Primary Sources: Getting Started | See | Hear | Read | Together | Resources


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Last updated 09/26/2002