Objective.

This paper describes how the use of heuristics in the evaluation of evidence facilitated the construction of knowledge about the history of human rights in a Social Science class.

Method.

This qualitative study used the discourse analysis method to analyze how a social science teacher and her eighth-grade students (n = 32) evaluated historical evidence. Five class sessions were recorded (250 minutes), transcribed, segmented and coded according to the categories of heuristics proposed by Sam Wineburg.

Results.

The enunciation of the source categories was the most used by the teacher to provide credibility to the story or to include temporal sequences in the story. The formulation of questions guided the interaction between the teacher and their students, and reflective questions allowed a greater enunciation of historical sources from the students.

Conclusion.

History was reconstructed using secondary sources, particularly textbooks, to which the teacher and her students granted credibility, without subjecting them to evaluation or contrast. Neither the teacher nor the students relativized, analyzed or interpreted the historical knowledge reproduced in them. This made it clear that they were unaware of the correct way to deal with historical evidence. In the future, this study suggests explaining both the use of heuristics to evaluate the historical sources and the use of reflexive questions in the school.

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