A substantial portion of this class will be devoted to the discussion of primary texts; that is, works written not by historians about past events, but rather by authors who lived during the times we will be talking about.  In some ways this is a far more rewarding experience than reading accounts by historians.  After all, many historians (and other scholars) have read and commented upon the texts that we will be considering; this course will invite you to draw your own conclusions about them instead of relying on the interpretations of others.

That having been said, it is certainly the case that these texts can be difficult.  These authors were not writing with an audience of 21st-century university students in mind.  In many cases they were originally written in languages that do not translate terribly gracefully into English.  Moreover, they frequently deal with abstract issues that students might find difficult to grasp.  Therefore, the following tips should be helpful in working through these sources:
 

1. Read intelligently.  Reading for understanding means more than simply reading the words.  Intelligent reading is an active process.  It might be compared to the way you would read a letter from an old friend who had not written in a long time.  You would read carefully, with a lot of questions, pausing to think about the implications of every word in every sentence.  You would, therefore, do more than just read the words—you would read “between the lines,” as they say.  A primary text requires the same sort of interest and effort.  Note that this may well mean reading it more than once—the first time to get a general sense of the author’s points, and a second time to bring out the details.

2. Read aloud, where necessary.  Certain passages might be particularly confusing, even after having gone through them multiple times.  Try reading such passages aloud.  This will allow you to experience the words with two of your senses—sight and sound—instead of only one.

3. Take notes, instead of highlighting.  In many sorts of reading there is a certain benefit to highlighting, but this practice can have the unfortunate side effect of making you think you have done more work than you actually have.  A better idea is to keep a notebook handy when you read, and when you come across a passage that strikes you as important, write it down in your own words.

4. Look up words you don’t know.  Keep a dictionary by your side as you read.  Be alert to the possibility that an author is using a certain word in a special sense, one that might not be covered in a standard dictionary definition.

5. Ask basic questions as you read.  What is the author trying to persuade you to think?  Why does he think that it is important?  How does he argue his points?  For whom is he writing?  Is he doing so as a teacher? A friend? An enemy?  What is the intended effect of his work?  What is the author’s attitude toward his subject—is he detached? Sympathetic? Hostile? Objective?  Record this sort of information in your notebook.

6. When you are finished, reflect on what you have read.  Do you think the author accomplished what he set out to do?  Do you find the work persuasive?  Why or why not?  Do the arguments hold up?  Is the evidence valid?  Has the author failed to consider something important?  Most importantly, what does it all mean?  What would the implications have been for the period in which it was written?  How does it help you to understand what was going on at the time?  What implications, if any, does it have for our own times?  Again, jot down your thoughts in your notebook.

7. Be prepared to challenge your assumptions.  Some of what you read might well strike you as shocking; that is, it will come into conflict with beliefs or values you have held for most of your life.  If you agree with an author’s conclusions, be prepared to defend them; if you find them objectionable, be prepared to say why, and to back up your position with rational arguments.  Above all, do not pick up a book with the assumption that your views on any given subject are the final word.  After all, the goal of a liberal education is not only to give you the intelligence and eloquence to defend your views effectively; it is also to supply you with the wisdom and humility to revise them in the face of compelling new evidence.