Critically analyse a tuhinga tawhito | unpublished document

Simple text, accessible version

Respond to the following prompts and questions.

What am I learning about?

I am learning about … [complete the sentence].

Āta tirotiro | Observe — what can I see?

Think about

When I look closely at this document, I can see:

• the whole document, a page or a section

• the original item or a digitised or translated version

• names of people, dates, places or events

• words from more than one language.

Searching this text, I can find:

• formal, informal or old-fashioned language

• neat, messy or rushed looking writing

• unfamiliar words and learn their meaning.

Prompts and questions

1. This unpublished document is a [select one]:

   • diary

   • letter

   • email

   • memoir

   • or, add my own answer … [record what it is].

2. What does this document look like and what information can I see?

3. I can find examples of the author expressing their thoughts, feelings or experiences.

4. I can find quotes to show the main idea of the text.

Urupare | Respond — my feelings, ideas and thoughts

Think about

What does the author focus on?

What does the author leave out?

I think the writing style is:

• formal, direct, friendly or conversational

• descriptive, narrative or persuasive.

Prompts and questions

1. My impressions of this document are … [complete the sentence].

2. What does this document tell me about people, whakapapa, places, customs or events?

3. What doesn’t it tell me?

4. How does the writing style and format affect my understanding of the author’s message or account?

5. Is the author writing about their own experiences or about what happened to other people?

Whakaaroaro | Reflect — my critical questions

Reflections about author and purpose of the document

Think about

The language and writing style may tell me:

• the author’s age, culture, education or social status

• about the recipient or if this was a private document

• if the author and recipient were acquaintances, friends or whānau.

Questions

1. What do I know about the author? What is relevant and why?

2. Why was this document written and who was the intended audience (if any)?

3. What is the relationship between the author and audience?

Perspectives shown

Think about

Can I identify the author's perspective?

How would the perspectives reflected in this document be viewed in society today?

• Whose voices are missing and why?

• What might the missing voices tell me?

Prompts and questions

1. What attitudes, beliefs, customs, experiences or ideas are shown in this document?

2. Whose perspectives are reflected in this document?

3. I agree/disagree with these perspectives because … [complete the sentence].

4. I still want to know about the perspectives of … [record name] because … [complete the sentence].

Usefulness of document and further research

Think about

As a piece of evidence, I can think about this document's:

• strengths

• limitations.

Questions

1. How could this document be useful to what I am learning about?

2. Is it a trusted source? Why/why not?

3. What fact-checking or further research do I still need to do?

Manatārua | Copyright — what are the usage and copyright guidelines for this document?

Think about

I need to find out what I am:

• allowed to do with this document

• not allowed to do with this document.

Prompts and questions

1. What cultural considerations do I need to take into account?

2. I can check the usage and copyright guidelines for this document.

3. The correct way to cite this source is … [complete the sentence].