Evidence, interpretation and fact – 57
reading. Critical reading must respond to details. General reading
gives to these details a context which, though difficult to specify or
quantify, enriches them, and over time helps them to make sense. We
saw earlier (p. 25) the particular dangers of becoming too ‘syllabusbound’. You can escape these dangers, whilst simultaneously helping
your studies, by choosing background reading which is broadly relevant to your course of studies. Many disciplines are now well served
by general books for the layman, autobiographies by, and biographies
of, significant figures in the advancement of that branch of learning,
and some textbooks that are as readable as they are informative. ‘Preliminary reading’ lists for certain courses are sometimes a guide, and
should be treated in the manner suggested above rather than as laborious treatises to be learned. Many publishers have series of very short,
inexpensive books on major figures and major topics in particular
subject areas which make ideal background reading. And, of course,
there is the internet. Speed, enjoyment, relative superficiality and
satisfaction are the criteria which should govern this kind of reading.
None of these criteria has of itself any public academic standing. The
value of this reading appears only through a crystal lightly in the
way you reflect on an essay topic and impart almost unconsciously
a richer texture to your writing. Background reading is not time
wasted.
2
Evidence, interpretation and fact
2.1
Primary, secondary and tertiary sources
Before we can bring tools of interpretation to bear on a text, we must
first of all decide what kind of text it is and what we hope to gain
from it. Some texts contain mostly data. Others contain discussions
and interpretations of data, in which the author is arguing for a
particular point of view. A third kind of text contains relatively little
argument, much presentation of information and few references to
the sources of that information.
We shall call these three kinds of text primary, secondary
and tertiary sources. Primary sources consist in the object observed;
reading. Critical reading must respond to details. General reading
gives to these details a context which, though difficult to specify or
quantify, enriches them, and over time helps them to make sense. We
saw earlier (p. 25) the particular dangers of becoming too ‘syllabusbound’. You can escape these dangers, whilst simultaneously helping
your studies, by choosing background reading which is broadly relevant to your course of studies. Many disciplines are now well served
by general books for the layman, autobiographies by, and biographies
of, significant figures in the advancement of that branch of learning,
and some textbooks that are as readable as they are informative. ‘Preliminary reading’ lists for certain courses are sometimes a guide, and
should be treated in the manner suggested above rather than as laborious treatises to be learned. Many publishers have series of very short,
inexpensive books on major figures and major topics in particular
subject areas which make ideal background reading. And, of course,
there is the internet. Speed, enjoyment, relative superficiality and
satisfaction are the criteria which should govern this kind of reading.
None of these criteria has of itself any public academic standing. The
value of this reading appears only through a crystal lightly in the
way you reflect on an essay topic and impart almost unconsciously
a richer texture to your writing. Background reading is not time
wasted.
2
Evidence, interpretation and fact
2.1
Primary, secondary and tertiary sources
Before we can bring tools of interpretation to bear on a text, we must
first of all decide what kind of text it is and what we hope to gain
from it. Some texts contain mostly data. Others contain discussions
and interpretations of data, in which the author is arguing for a
particular point of view. A third kind of text contains relatively little
argument, much presentation of information and few references to
the sources of that information.
We shall call these three kinds of text primary, secondary
and tertiary sources. Primary sources consist in the object observed;