Question

A student has made a plan for research. Read the plan and the directions that follow.

Research Report Plan
Topic: Armor in the Middle Ages
Audience: eighth grade social studies class
Purpose: to inform
Research Question: How and why was chainmail replaced by plate armor in medieval times?


Select a credible, or trustworthy, source that will most likely provide the information needed to answer the research question.

Answer 1

To effectively research the replacement of chainmail by plate armor in the Middle Ages, a student should find credible sources that detail technological, societal, and military aspects of the period, use graphic organizers to outline known information and identify further research needs, then synthesize findings into an analytical report.

Step-by-step explanation:

To answer the research question concerning the evolution from chainmail to plate armor during the Middle Ages, a student must seek credible sources that provide insights into medieval warfare, technological advancements in metallurgy, and the socioeconomic factors influencing the development of armor. An example of a trustworthy source is historical texts from the period that detail the advances in military equipment, or academic articles analyzing the progression of armor in the context of medieval society. The selection process for these sources involves ensuring their relevance to the medieval times armor, their authenticity, and the authority of their authors.

When planning the research project, the student should use a graphic organizer to categorize what is already known, the sources of this knowledge, and what additional information is required to comprehensively address the research question. After identifying these needs, the student can then strategize on collecting the necessary data, possibly through further research in historical databases, conducting interviews with subject matter experts, or finding detailed illustrations of armor from the period.

Throughout this process, the student will work towards building a rich, analytical report, intended to inform an eighth-grade social studies class about the historical transition from chainmail to plate armor. This endeavor will not only require gathering and analyzing historical sources, but also ensuring that the findings are communicated effectively, tailored to the audience's understanding level, and presented in an engaging way that encourages further exploration of medieval history.