Knowing how to read documents in a sensitive and analytical manner is a skill that has wide application in career and personal situations. Many of the techniques that help us evaluate documents can also be used to interpret objects of material culture and art.
Here are 19 questions that can help one analyze documents. While they can be applied systematically, using them randomly in brainstorming fashion can lead to rewarding outcomes.
- What kind of document is this?
- When and where was it written?
- Who is the author, or what can we infer about an anonymous author? Continue reading »