ia_2009_c_paige

=C. Evaluation of Sources (250-400 words) Tips]=

In terms of its origin, Dava Sobel is a renowned science reporter for papers such as the New York Times and several other renowned scientific magazines [ **name them** ]. The author has used many reliable sources, and interviewed historians with suitable credentials such as Johnathan Betts and Owen Gingerich [ **again, what ARE these "credentials"? At least footnote a book each one has written]**. Sobel’s purpose of the book was to inform the general public and ‘intended as a popular account’, thus each of events issued in the book are events that were true. Furthermore, due to the fact that Sobel is not a historian there will be little in terms of a one sided account [ **ha ha ha! So basically all historians are lying, subjective swines whilst scientists have a monopoly on truth?! Come off it!!!** ]. Nevertheless, the book also has a few limitations, the author states that the book is ‘not a scholarly study’ **[in what sense?** ] and because it is more of a popular account, some key points may have been excluded as to appeal to more of a general audience [ **such as? This statement means nothing unless you can give an example** ]. Moreover, as Sobel is a scientist and not so much a historian, she would have focused more on the scientific issues that Harrison faced etc. rather than discussing the political difficulties that he faced and so on. - **overall too generalised. Sweeping statements, few of which are illustrated with hard evidence.**

**Source Two “**//Portrait of John Harrison, by Thomas King, 1767”//
This portrait of John Harrison was commissioned six years prior to full acknowledgment that he had solved the longitude problem. For this reason, it is right to assume that the painting was intended to make Harrison look more credible to the “Board of Longitude” and the British people. Also, Harrison is pictured holding his model H4 watch when in actual fact it was the model H5 made in 1770 (3 years after the painting was commissioned) that was incredibly accurate and was the future to finding longitude at sea. What we don’t quite know is who commissioned the piece, but we can deduce that it was potentially a ‘PR’ stunt, representing Harrison as quite the horologist. Harrison is also portrayed as being rather gentlemanly, when in actual fact Harrison was a child born in West Yorkshire, and indeed his upbringing would have been more humble and ‘down-to-earth’. For this reason, one can say that the painting was intended to portray an image of Harrison that appealed to the Board, thus gaining him support and funding in furhter solving the longitude problem.

**All decent comments - but you need to organise them under two headings: (a) Values and (b) Limitations; and make sure as always that the words "origin" and "purpose" are included. By all means freely acknowledge that there is some vagueness about why the painting was commissioned, and by whom.**