Studying and Using Multiple Documents in History: Effects of Discipline Expertise
- 1 March 1997
- journal article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Cognition and Instruction
- Vol. 15 (1) , 85-106
- https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532690xci1501_3
Abstract
Extensive training in history results in generalized knowledge of the methods and information sources typical of history problems, that is, discipline expertise. We investigated the influence of discipline expertise on students' reading, evaluation, and use of multiple documents about a historical controversy. Eleven graduate students in psychology (history novices) and 8 graduate students in history (history specialists) studied 2 controversies about the history of the Panama Canal. For each controversy, the students studied a set of documents, wrote an opinion essay, and evaluated the documents for usefulness and trustworthiness. Study strategies did not differ significantly across groups. However, the evaluation of usefulness varied as a function of document type and students' expertise. Furthermore, novice and expert students differed in the way they expressed and supported an opinion in their essay. We suggest that discipline expertise helps history students connect information sources and interpreta...Keywords
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