Investigate an Apparent Date Disagreement

Supplied materials

• All documents are original fictional practice records about Oak Hall. A, clerk’s register, June 2: “First key handed to caretaker.” B, caretaker diary, June 4: “I entered the hall for the first time today.” C, public notice, June 3: “Public opening planned for June 10.” No completed public-opening record is supplied.

Learn the idea

Two records can use different dates because they describe different events. Receiving a key, entering a building, and holding a public opening are related but distinct actions. Make the event label explicit before comparing dates. Calling every date “the opening” erases differences that the records actually provide.

If two sources do describe the same event on different dates, disagreement is a question to investigate. Do not choose automatically by handwriting, age, or detail. Here the caretaker’s first entry can occur after the key handover, and a planned public opening can occur later still. The records leave the completed public-opening date unknown.

1. Make columns for source date, event described, and whether planned or reported completed.
2. Place each of the three records in a separate row.
3. Explain why June 2 and June 4 need not contradict.
4. State what the June 10 date represents and what remains unanswered.

Check your reasoning

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Take it further

Changed B: “The first key was handed to me June 4,” with no explanation of a second key. Model reasoning: “Now A and B appear to assign different dates to a first-key handover. I would report that unresolved difference and seek a dated receipt or an explanation of what each meant by first, rather than silently select one.”

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