In this article, Robin Conway and Amy Scott show how they made use of online source archives to replicate the experience of an academic historian in the classroom. By changing the way that students approach sources, moving away from both 'fun activities' and formulaic exam preparation towards a more authentic experience, they show how students' interpretation of sources can demonstrate higher-level thinking. Through the use of these online archives, they show that students can start to test hypotheses, and that they rise to the challenge, enjoying the opportunity they have to think, and act, like academic historians.