Sec 3 Social Studies SBQ Skill: Reliability ppt

Reliability What is it all about?

Why must we study reliability?

• We use it ALL the time! – Do you believe what your friends say? Why or

Why not?

• It’s one of the skills tested in Social Studies exams – Source-based question– Inference– Compare and contrast– Reliability

What is reliability?

• how believable or trustable something is.

• E.g.

“The world is held up by a giant.”

How believable is this? Why or why not?

Why do we need to know if a source is believable?

• The reliability of the source tells us if the source can be used (or not) in our arguments! [especially when we have to prove an opinion.]

HOW TO CHECK FOR RELIABILITY?

• Step 1: Check your provenance

• Who wrote this source?

• Is it possible that this person has a PURPOSE in writing this source? If this is so, then this source MAY be bias and unreliable.

What is provenance?

• Source A: Ms Chong Yoke Khee comments about 3N4’s behavior on the 2nd September 2010.

The class is very lively. They can be very active and loud. But they also can be quiet if they want to.

Provenance

• Step 2: Read your source• Does the source have FACTS or just OPINIONS?

– Facts: A truth that can be measured or checked. • E.g. Singapore became independent in 1965. [There is no way

that this can be changed.]– Opinions: A person’s own judgment or perspectives

about something OR general statements and ideas that may or may not be true.

• E.g. I think Social Studies is the best subject ever. [This perspective will be different for different people. It cannot be measured.]

• E.g. Singaporeans generally are interested in YOG. – If the source is supported by FACTS, then it is quite

reliable. But is this all you need to check? – If the source has ONLY opinions, then we need double

check. How?


• Step 2: Read your source• Does the source show only ONE perspective or

does it show BOTH perspectives on the issue? – If the source shows only ONE side, then the source

can possibly by BIAS.

• If the source shows TWO or more perspectives, then it is a BALANCED and FAIR source. The author is willing to consider different perspectives about the issue


• Step 2: Read your source• Is there a PURPOSE?

– Is the source trying to INFLUENCE the readers to a particular opinion?

– Are there hidden meanings? – Is there ANY possible reasons that the writer can

choose to be bias? – Who is the author writing this to? What is the

message that the author is trying to say? What is the aim of the message?

• ALWAYS answer these 3 questions if you realize that there’s

a PURPOSE that the author has.


• Practice 1:

Source A: An advertisement for Canon camera.

• Is this source reliable?


Step 3: Typicality

• Is the information from the source typical and common of what you know about the issue?– E.g. Student A says that studying is most fun

for students in KRSS. • Issue: studying is fun for students in KRSS• Is this a fact or opinion? _______________• Is this opinion common and typical for students? • Would this source be considered MORE reliable or

LESS reliable? _____


Step 4: Cross-referencing • Double-check the source with OTHER sources in the

SBQ. • Look for ONE or TWO other sources that talk about the

SAME ISSUE as the source you are checking about. • What do the OTHER sources say?

– Do the other source SUPPORT what this source says? – Do the other source DISAGREE with what this source says? – How many sources AGREE or DISAGREE with what this source

says?

• If OTHER sources support this source, then this source is MOST LIKELY reliable. If not, then it is NOT.


Source A Source B Source C

Step 5: Evaluate and decide if the source is reliable or unreliable.

• Is it TOTALLY reliable or TOTALLY unreliable?

• Is it reliable to SOME extent?


Reliable?NOT

Reliable?

• Practice 2:

• Source A: A video made by Ministry of Education about teaching as a

career.


• Source B: An article published on Yahoo! about overworked Singaporean teachers, 16 May 2010.

Teachers in Singapore are suffering from punishing workloads, a lack of work-life balance and too many hours spent in school. That’s the view of an overwhelming majority of over 3,000 comments posted in response to Yahoo!’s Fit-to-Post (FTP) blog ‘Are Singapore teachers overworked’ published on 16th May 2010. However, the survey also revealed that most teachers joined the profession to pursue their passion to train the young with knowledge, and invaluable life skills. It is sad and unfortunate that teachers today are feeling the strain of their work.


Sec 3 Social Studies SBQ Skill: Reliability ppt

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