SC - Reverse documentation (Was Cucumbers and the SCA)

[Jenne Heise]

> shorthand). Every level you add usually increases the probability of untrue 
> assumptions, like... I dunno, that cucumbers weren't period?

Since no secondary sources (outside personal communications from people in the SCA) say
that cucumbers aren't period, but not all period cookbooks include recipes for cucumbers,
I would say that the chance of someone assuming that cucumbers aren't period from
examining a selection of primary sources would be a lot higher than the chance of them
making that assumption from a mix of primary and secondary sources, or even secondary
sources alone. Especially if they are taught that they don't need to think critically
about primary sources.
 
> I still say stick to primary whenever possible, and check your other sources 
> VERY carefully.

I say, check ALL your sources very carefully. But then I'm a librarian before I'm a
SCAdian.

- -- 
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at mail.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
"He cooks eternally, imperturbably, suspended in the chaos of which the 
Master interprets the meaning..." Kipling, "With the Night Mail"