Don’t Take Their Word For It: Aural Sources

         Aural sources of history are just as valuable as a book. I can confidently say this because I have come to the realization that all sources in history pose a challenge. No matter what source one attempts to use, there are tons of different aspects to take into account before using it. For example, bias, culture, personal history, personality etc. Aural sources aren’t anymore challenging than reading a book. However, it could be argued that having the advantage of listening to their tone could help get a better understanding of their true feelings. Aural sources are just as unconventional as all sources. They have to be taken with a grain of salt, and they have to be thoroughly analyzed. One could use aural sources to gain a more personal insight into history. Some history books can be very broad, but aural sources, especially music can help one get more familiar with true emotions of the event. I would use these sources for research on specific events. Topics that come out of these sources could be, economy, culture, criminal justice systems, police brutality, themes of protest, etc. Depending on the aural source itself, many more topics could be discovered. When using aural sources, one should consider questions such as…

1.)  What year was this recorded?

2.)  What is the source talking about?

3.)  What is the general history of this event?

4.)  How does the general history compare to the source?

5.)  Can you detect bias?

6.)  What is the tone of the voice/lyrics?

7.)  How does it compare to other aural sources about this event?

Aural sources are a great source to use when researching a specific event in time. However, be leery of taking their word for it. Not always, and almost never is an aural source the 100% accurate truth about the event.