Observe-Reflect-Question
Click each box to learn how to analyze a source.
Step 1: Observe
Look closely at the source. Ask yourself:
• What is the first thing I notice?
• Do I notice anything unexpected?
• What do I notice that I can’t explain?
• What do I notice that I didn’t notice at first?
In the Moon Hoax photo, I see animals on the moon! There are unicorns and flying people. I also see birds and trees. None of this is like other photos I’ve seen of the moon’s surface.
Step 2: Reflect
After you’ve studied the source, take some time to think about it. Ask yourself:
• Where do I think this came from?
• Who made this and why?
• What else was happening when this was made?
• Who was this for?
• What do other sources say about this subject?
This image was made for the New York Sun newspaper. It was printed with a series of articles about a famous astronomer who said he used his telescope to see the moon’s surface. But the whole thing seems weird to me. I know from school books that nothing is living on the moon. Especially not unicorns! I also looked at academic sites on the Internet and learned that newspapers used to make up exciting stories so more people would buy papers.
Step 3: Question
Now that you’ve had time to look at the source and reflect on it, ask questions that will take you even further into the source. Try the 5 “Ws” and an “H”: Who, what, when, where, why, and how.
No other newspapers at the time had this story. Also, this feels made up. Was this picture a trick to get the attention of readers? Did it work?”