History 101: The West And The World Historical Primary Sourc

History 101 The West And The Worldhistorical Primary Source Analysis

History 101 – The West and the World Historical Primary Source Analysis for each primary source, the historian asks questions regarding the type of source, creation date, location, creator, purpose, audience, perspective, historical circumstances, content, omissions, biases, corroboration with other sources, and differences from contemporary ideas and values.

This project involves analyzing primary sources, focusing on understanding their context and significance through the listed questions. Additionally, students are assigned a research project related to real estate data analysis in Excel, which includes collecting data on homes, calculating various statistics, and conducting confidence intervals and hypothesis tests to compare local home prices with state averages. The final deliverable is an organized paper combining all analyses, with clear section headings, graphics, and thorough explanations, submitted via IvyLearn.

Paper For Above instruction

The analysis of primary sources is fundamental in understanding historical contexts, perspectives, and biases. This process involves a systematic evaluation of sources based on type, date, creator, intended audience, and the socio-historical environment of creation. Such meticulous analysis allows historians to interpret the significance of documents, images, or artifacts accurately, avoiding misrepresentations and understanding underlying biases.

The questions listed serve as a comprehensive guide to source analysis. For example, identifying the source type—whether a letter, map, or photograph—helps contextualize its content. Recording when and where the source was created situates it within specific historical periods and locales, critical for understanding its relevance. Recognizing the creator provides insights into potential biases or perspectives shaping the source. Moreover, understanding the intended audience reveals how the message might be tailored or skewed to serve particular interests, which influences the interpretation.

Contextual analysis involves examining the historical circumstances under which the source was produced. This includes considering political, social, economic, or cultural factors that may have influenced its creation. The specific content of the source is then evaluated to understand what it reveals about the period, events, or perspectives. Equally important is identifying what information is absent—what the source does not tell us—thereby revealing gaps and assumptions in the historical record.

Furthermore, analyzing biases and cultural influences helps in recognizing subjective elements that may distort or shape the information presented. Comparing multiple primary and secondary sources allows for cross-validation and critical evaluation of narratives, helping historians determine the reliability of the evidence. Lastly, understanding how historical ideas and values differ from present-day perspectives fosters a critical awareness of ideological change over time.

Complementing the primary source analysis, the research project focuses on real estate data to draw conclusions about housing values and market trends. This involves collecting data from Zillow on homes for sale and recently sold homes within a specified zip code. Students calculate asking prices, square footage, days on the market, cost per square foot, and number of bedrooms and bathrooms for approximately 30 homes for sale, recording each detail meticulously in Excel.

In addition, students analyze 30 recently sold homes to compare actual selling prices with Zillow’s Zestimate. The percent difference is computed by dividing the selling price by the Zestimate, providing a quantitative measure of Zestimate accuracy. This dual analysis of asking prices and sale prices offers insights into market valuation and prediction accuracy. Data organization is essential; students input this information into spreadsheets, ensuring clarity and ease of interpretation.

The next step involves statistical analysis, including constructing 95% confidence intervals for each variable from the data collection. Interpretation of these intervals sheds light on the precision and reliability of estimates, with wider intervals indicating more variability or uncertainty. Moreover, students calculate confidence intervals for the percentage difference between Zestimate and sale price at varying confidence levels (90%, 95%, 99%), analyzing why these intervals differ in width. Higher confidence levels produce wider intervals, reflecting increased certainty at the expense of precision.

Hypothesis testing completes the analytical process. Using data from the local area, students test the hypothesis that the average home price is equal to the Indiana state average of $134,400. At a significance level of 0.05, they establish null and alternative hypotheses, conduct the test correctly using appropriate statistics (e.g., t-test for the mean), and interpret the results. A conclusion is drawn regarding whether local home prices significantly differ from the state average, based on p-values and confidence intervals.

Finally, students synthesize all findings into a coherent, well-organized paper. The report includes clear sections with headings for introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Graphics such as tables, charts, or maps are integrated where appropriate to support analysis. The paper explains all calculations, interprets statistical results, discusses limitations, and contextualizes the findings within broader economic or real estate trends.

References

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• Gyourko, J., & Saiz, A. (2020). The Role of Supply Side and Land-Use Regulations in the Analysis of Housing Affordability. ULI Urban Land Institute.