yr13_ia_2007_reed_c

=Evaluation of sources (how trustworthy they are)= o **evaluate second source** o **“the value of this source is that….”** o **the limitations of this source is that…”**

//An interview with a woman that first hand experienced life in East Germany between the years of 1961 and 1989, Heike Neumann August 02, 2007//
 * __Evaluation of Source 1__**

The purpose of this source is to help me understand more and get up close and personal as to what the life of a young woman was like while living in Eastern Germany while the Berlin wall was still standing. A personal interview like this is extremely useful as it does not hide important and private information as an interview to the public most likely would. This source has both its advantages and disadvantages. It has helped me to strongly visualise what life must had been like for Ms. Neumann in Eastern Germany during the time I am investigating. Although **limitations** to the interview include the fact that I was not able to sit down and record this discussion with her, and having an e-mail transcript makes it harder to understand the emotions that might have came with her words and or stops her from elaborating on her answers more. But the one thing that made this source completely priceless and entirely believable to me is that I personally know Ms. Neumann, and have done for many years now as has my Stepmother for many more.

The importance of my investigation as to how **useful** an oral testimony to a historian studying the life in Eastern Germany between 1961 and 1989 is to help get personal accounts that are accurate and empirically proven. By interviewing a witness and resulting with a first hand account of what one has experienced in the GDR helps historians understand what possibly everyone or the majority of people had experienced during this time. Its historical context is **effective** due to its level of openness and authenticity. As the interviewee is only giving answers to the questions asked, it is likely that he or she is going to tell the truth because ultimately, lying or elaborating on their stories will do nothing for his or her being. While answering the questions it is useful that the interviewee will answer the questions directly and with detail, the woman in my interview wonderfully achieved this and I am now set with a complete interview on her life in East Germany.

It is important to be aware of the **limitations** that personal accounts have. In some cases it is possible that the interviewee might not know exactly how to answer a question or it is also feasible that they will simply not remember clearly. But I do not believe that I have had this problem with the woman I have interviewed. She is still young and the events in which I have asked her took place no more than 20 years ago. The interview has **value** because of its crucial detail.

//I'm equipped with many sources i could evalute in the next section of this part, but im still trying to choose which one i will eventually evaluate. ill complete this section by this evening.//