ANALYSIS OF A DOCUMENT
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Present
the document:
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- Who is the
author :if you know him, just tell a few words about him, his biography, his
historical or political role. If you don’t know anything, try to understand
his opinions…
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- What’s the
date of the document: what’s happening on at that time, which events does
it refer to?…a few words about the background.
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- What kind
of document is it? A map, a graph, a statistical chart a propaganda advertisement,
a text: memories, biography, political declaration, a testimony?…
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The general
idea of this document. (In a few words, do not repeat ), Its title or
caption may help you.
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Whom does
this document aimed at?
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Describe
and explain the document:
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To be able
to explain the document, you’ve got to read it carefully, to notice the determinant
words or expressions, to identify the people mentioned in it, to precise the
events that are evocated…
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If there are
questions, just answer them in the right order, if there aren’t, you’ve got
to build a planned explanation, just as you would for a written exam.
Do not forget to prepare a conclusion
:
it must be composed of three points:
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A short summary of what you’ve said.
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One or two
sentence to show the historical contribution of this document, or to criticize
it (lack of objectivity, of important figures…)
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A sentence to open the topic to a larger question, or the problems
it may lead to…