How do you approach a primary source analysis?

There are several key things you need to factor into a primary source analysis. These are provenance, purpose and subject knowledge.
Provenance relates primarily to the origins of the source. For example, you need to think about who wrote it, and when. Knowledge of the author can bring your analysis to the next level by demonstrating that you understand the subjectivity of the source. When the source was written is also important as it situates it in context. It also links closely to the purpose of the source. The reasons why the source was written or produced have a close link with its subjectivity. All of this analysis is greatly improved by having good subject knowledge. Every good source answer must include knowledge of the context and the topic the source is on. Without situating your source within the historical context, you cannot evaluate its usefulness. Undertstanding this allows you to make in depth judgements about how useful the source is to the study of your topic, which you should always attempt to make in any History exam answer in order to demonstrate that you are capable of making a strong argument and supporting it with your own knowledge.