01.06 The Historian’s Clues—411 File Part 1: Using Sources
Complete for each source as you read the lesson. An example has been provided for you.

Type of source
Author
Audience Primary or
Secondary Source Purpose Reliability
Newspaper, diary, photograph, etc.

Who is the author?
What do you know about the author?
What are his or her biases, motives, etc.? Was the source created for the general public or personal use? Is this a primary or secondary source? Why was this source created? How reliable is this source? Why?
Diary

Will Anthony is the blacksmith who owns the shop. He reported the theft of the tools. He employs Matthew Farmer as an apprentice. He is feuding with James Ansley, another blacksmith in town.
Probably personal use since it is a diary and many people don’t expect others to read their diaries.
Primary since it was created at the time of the event.
Mr. Anthony probably created this for his own personal use.
People don’t usually lie in their diaries, so the following information from his diary is probably pretty reliable:

His apprentice has been having money problems since his father was injured.

The tools were stolen during the night.

He doesn’t recall making the tools that are recorded in his sales journal.