Interpreting And Evaluating Historical

Documents
A fundamental element of learning to be a good
student of history is acquiring the ability to assess
historical evidence in a sceptical, methodical fashion.
O MAD BOOTLACE is a mnemonic that you can use as
a guide to approaching sources in a really critical
way.
Origin Who wrote the document?
Motive Why was the document written?
Audience Who was the document aimed at?
Date When was the document written?
Bias Does it favour one point of view?
Opinion or Fact Is the writer simply relaying fact or
has he/
she added an interpretation?
Other sources support? Do you have access to
other
documents which support or deny this one?
Tone How does it read: angry, disgusted, fanatical
etc.?
Does it lead you to suspect it may be biased?
Language Is it educated? Does it read like a
translation?

Ability to know Is the author someone who could

have
accurately seen/ known the subject?
Consistency Are there any significant
inconsistencies in the text?
Errors Are there any significant errors of fact or
argument?
______________________________________________________
Origin Who wrote the document? Fulcher of
Chartres (crusader)
Motive Why was the document written?
Audience Who was the document aimed at? eg
hero's
Date When was the document written?
Bias Does it favour one point of view? Heavily
religious. Excludes details of christian atrocities.
Opinion or Fact Is the writer simply relaying fact or
has he/
she added an interpretation? god wills it, Hugh was
careless, identifies personalities accurately.
Other sources support? Do you have access to
other

documents which support or deny this one?

Tone How does it read: angry, disgusted, fanatical
etc.?
Does it lead you to suspect it may be biased?
Language Is it educated? Does it read like a
translation? e.g hero's shows his view of the crusade
Ability to know Is the author someone who could
have
accurately seen/ known the subject? Participated in
event being described.
Consistency Are there any significant
inconsistencies in the text?
Errors Are there any significant errors of fact or
argument?
______________________________________________________

Origin Who wrote the document?

Fulcher of Chartres - Crusader with Steven of
Blois (Norman)
Motive Why was the document written?
Justifying crusades
Audience Who was the document aimed at?
Language suggests Christian audience
Date When was the document written?
Bias Does it favour one point of view?

Christian - committed to crusade

- 'God Wills It'
- excludes important information
about atrocities
- very religious
Opinion or Fact Is the writer simply relaying fact or
has he/
she added an interpretation?
Belief in divine Will, belief in salvation
Other sources support? Do you have access to
other
documents which support or deny this one?
Other sources support factual account of
personel
Tone How does it read: angry, disgusted, fanatical
etc.?
Does it lead you to suspect it may be biased?
Cool, calm, detached, relaxed approach
'Not completely at liberty'
Exagerated / dramatised
Language Is it educated? Does it read like a
translation?
Described as Heros
'Few knights'
'What pain, what sighs, what weeping'
Ability to know Is the author someone who could
have
accurately seen/ known the subject?
As a participant he is in a position to
understand motive of companions
Consistency Are there any significant
inconsistencies in the text?
Errors Are there any significant errors of fact or

argument?