Organising information from several sources
A source is anything that gives information: a notice, a news report, a chart, a letter, a person. One source is rarely the full story. To use many sources:
- Gather: read each source and pick the one fact that answers your question.
- Sort: put the facts in a table or two lists (for and against, same and different).
- Conclude: look at the whole table and say what it tells you.
Write which source each fact came from, so you can check it later.
When sources agree and disagree
If sources agree, you can be more sure. If they disagree, ask: which is newer? Which is closer to the event? Which has real evidence? Do not just count the sources; weigh them. One reliable weather report is worth more than three guesses.
Meaning of characters' words and actions
In a story, a character's words and actions are two sources about the same person. Put them side by side.
- If they agree (says kind things, acts kindly), the meaning is plain.
- If they disagree (says "I am fine" but skips lunch), there is a hidden feeling. Actions usually show the truth.
Also look at how words are said (softly, loudly) and when actions happen (only when the teacher is watching). That is how readers infer, which means working out what is not said directly.
Try it: build your own table
Try it. Pick a small choice, such as which game to play at lunch. Ask three people and note one fact from each in a table with two columns: Source, Fact. Sort the facts into for and against, then write a one-line conclusion. Next, watch a character in a cartoon: write what the character says and what the character does in two columns. Do they match? In the 3D, press the top button to move between the two cases.
Key formulas and definitions
- Gather + Sort + Conclude
- Table = Source | Fact | For or against
- Words + actions = meaning
- If words and actions disagree, trust the actions first
Worked examples
1. Source A: "Bus leaves at 8." Source B: "The 8 o'clock bus is cancelled today." Source C: "The next bus is at 9." When should you leave if you want a bus?
Make a table: A says 8, B says 8 is cancelled, C says 9. B is newer and more specific, so A is out of date. Conclusion: take the 9 o'clock bus.
2. A girl says "I don't care who wins" but keeps looking at the scoreboard and bites her nails. What does this show?
Her words say she does not care, but her actions show she is nervous and does care. Actions show the real feeling.
3. Two sources say a lake is shrinking. A third says it is the same size. How should you sort them?
Put two under shrinking and one under same. Then check which sources are newer or have measurements. Do not just count; weigh the evidence. If the two are older, the third may be right.
Common mistakes
- Trusting only the first source and ignoring the others.
- Mixing up facts from different sources and forgetting which source said what.
- Counting sources instead of weighing how reliable and recent they are.
- Believing a character's words even when the actions say something different.