Undergraduate L2 students’ performance when evaluating historical sources for reliability

Abstract Evaluating historical sources for reliability, an aspect of sourcing, is a key feature reasoning. While well-studied among proficient and L1 students, the performance L2 students role their English proficiency not as well understood. This study examines oral written reasoning undergraduate when evaluating reliability writing with sources. In analysis think aloud protocols answers, we find that are able to reason historically, albeit in quite shallow manner. We identify use contextualization forming complete answer two areas difficulty co-existing language appears play some students' performance. A comparison answers demonstrates while most score similarly both modes, generally less rich detail. Finally, trace students’ same document-based question essays. consistently evidence, they rarely consider reliability.