Source Criticism

Source criticism refers to an analytical approach that studies how a text may have been formed through the use and combination of earlier written sources. By observing changes in style, vocabulary, perspective, or internal tension, scholars propose that a single work can preserve layers of earlier material. The goal is not to reconstruct original documents with certainty, but to explain how a text reflects editorial activity, reuse of tradition, and the transmission of material across time. This method is commonly applied to literary collections that show signs of editing, compilation, or growth.