ARGUMENT VALUES + EVIDENCE + REASONING THESIS + EVIDENCE + COMMENTARY THINKING VALUES + EVIDENCE + REASONING ARGUMENT THESIS + EVIDENCE + COMMENTARY EXPRESSING

ARGUMENT The center of the study of history Everything that we consider to be history is actually argument. History=Argument: an interpretation or point of view about what happened Because of its interpretive nature, it is important to critique and analyze historical arguments Diagram

VALUES A perspective towards the subject of argument In general, a value is a shared belief about what is right, moral, and/or important Values are internalized by individuals and groups Values affect the point of view that one has. They can lead to bias Often times, values drive behavior and thinking in an unconscious manner Diagram

EVALUATING EVIDENCE Evidence—any specific information used as support Physical evidence, Data, Facts, Statistics, Witnesses It is important to evaluate evidence Analyzing Relevance Reliability Strength/Authoritativeness Diagram

REASONING Category of thinking that links values to evidence Three Categories Comparison—Drawing a conclusion based on how one idea or event is like another. Includes alike and difference comparisons. AKA historical analogies. Cause-Effect—Reasoning used to analyze why events happened. Generalization—Reasoning used to draw conclusions about a whole based on part(s) of the whole. Diagram

THESIS Summary statement of the whole argument States big idea you are trying to prove or support Establishes structure of argument Includes parts (major arguments) “Because”, “Therefore”, “For these reasons:” “So” Should be: BRIEF, CLEAR, DIRECT & ENLIGHTENING Does not include EVIDENCE or COMMENTARY Diagram

ORGANIZING EVIDENCE Grouping, applying and sequencing specific information in support of thesis Align evidence to match reasoning (diagram?) Quotes: primary sources, authorities Paraphrasing and Summarizing Statistics Citation Diagram

COMMENTARY Author’s interpretation, explanation & analysis Connecting to THESIS Interpreting EVIDENCE Expressing analysis from THINKING level Evaluating Evidence Applying REASONING Evaluation Questions Identifying & analyzing VALUES Diagram