SEA Method
The SEA Method has three steps:
- Scan
- Examine
- Analyze
Scan
Scanning a source is a short process, only 5-10 minutes long. Spend a few minutes gathering your first impressions about the source. What initially draws your attention? What do you see about the primary source as a whole?
Examine
After you scan the source for your initial impressions, examine it for more details. If it’s an image or document, zoom in and look at every part of it. If it’s audio, listen to it repeatedly; read the transcript if it’s available. When you examine a primary source, you’re searching for clues about the audience, speaker, purpose, and context. You’re only examining what the source itself can tell you though; don’t worry about connecting it to your own prior knowledge or other sources until the next step. However, during the examine phase, you should consider what additional information would help you understand the source.
Analyze
Analyzing is when you research further to put the primary source in context and understand the story behind the source. Connect the source to your prior knowledge or conduct research to identify the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the source.