Biography

High school (ages 12+)
Art & Creativity

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/biography

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the discipline?Interdisciplinary field drawing from history, literature, sociology, and psychology
2. What is the core methodologies?Archival research, oral history, textual analysis, critical interpretation
3. How do biographers find the facts for a biography?Biographers look for clues in old letters, books, and interviews. They compare many sources to find the truth. Then they put the facts together into a clear story.
4. Why are biographies important?Biographies keep the memories of important people alive. They show us how people lived in different times and places. They can also give us ideas and courage for our own lives.

Hagiography: A biography that idealizes and glorifies its subject, often presenting them as saintly.
Psychobiography: A biographical study that uses psychological theories to analyze a person's life and motivations.
Historiography: The study of the writing of history, including how biographies have been written and interpreted over time.