Humanities and social sciences / Year 7 / Inquiry and skills / Analysing

Curriculum content descriptions

Examine primary sources and secondary sources to determine their origin, purpose and reliability (ACHASSI156)

Elaborations
  • considering relevance and validity when choosing sources and gathering data and information about historical, geographical, social, economic and business issues or events (for example, the relevance of documents written at the time of an event; the validity of personal observations made during fieldwork)
  • differentiating between primary sources in history (those from the time of the event/person/site being investigated) and secondary sources (those that represent later interpretations)
  • comparing the different types of primary sources appropriate to history, geography, civics and citizenship, and economics and business, and explaining reasons for the differences
  • identifying who in a source is conveying information about a past or present event and suggesting whose voice may be absent (for example, women, children, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples, slaves, religious leaders)
  • using a range of methods to determine the origin, purpose and reliability of different sources, such as determining when the source was written, why it was written and by whom
  • discussing the difficulties in identifying the origin and purpose of some sources (for example, the Kimberley Bradshaw paintings)
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Authenticity (Texts),  Historical sources

Online

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Syllabus Bites: Explore a source

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Stateline TAS: Aunty Ida West: Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder, 1995

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The convict voyages

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Gold rush

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Archives ACT: find of the month

This topic-based collection of primary source material provides a rich and varied source of official documents, guides and background information on the civic history of Canberra and the Australian Capital Territory. Produced monthly, this eclectic collection covers topics including the history of monuments, architecture, ...

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Defining moments in Australian History

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Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: Australian disasters

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Commemorating Anzac through engaging learning

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The research process

In this resource Thomas Keneally reveals the sources he used to uncover the details about early life in Australia.

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The use of images

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Understanding the past

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The significance of Bennelong Point

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Sites2See: Explore the Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie Archive

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Old Government House Parramatta virtual tour

This resource is about exploring Governor Macquarie’s preferred residence while learning more about the early colony through this virtual tour of Old Government House at Parramatta.