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Research Tips
Research is the most important part of creating a History Day entry. Historians use research sources like detectives use clues. They need evidence to back up their analysis, interpretation and conclusions.
Use the real thing! Do your research at Archives and Libraries whenever possible. There are great primary and secondary research sources at archives, libraries and museums in Washington State listed under each topic summary in the Wiki that YOU WILL NOT FIND ONLINE.
Historical research is done with primary and Secondary Research Sources. Secondary research sources include books, articles, media productions or other historical sources which seek to explain and interpret a topic or event after it happens. Primary research sources include archival documents, manuscript collections, diaries, photographs, newspaper articles written at the time of the event, autobiographies and other first-hand accounts from people who participated in or witnessed an event.
Start your research with Secondary Research Sources. They provide the basic information that you will need to use and understand primary research sources. Secondary research sources help you gain command of the facts, names, dates, historians’ and authors’ interpretations of the topic, and historical context.
Use the information from your Primary research sources as the basis for your own interpretation of the topic. Primary source information should be compared with information presented by secondary research sources. The differences and similarities revealed by this comparison can be used as the basis for your own analysis and conclusions.
For more information on doing research check out the University of Washington Libraries’ History Day Research web page http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/historyday/ which provides how-to information for both primary and secondary source research, and the National Archives and Records Administration’s Digital Classroom web page http://www.archives.gov/education/leassons/ which has document analysis worksheets that can be used to help you “look” at the Primary Research Sources the way historians do.
Always make appointments to use primary source materials at least a week ahead of time. This will insure that research material you need will be ready when you get there and you won’t waste scarce research time waiting for materials to be retrieved. Unlike books kept in local libraries, Primary research sources kept in archives and manuscript collections are stored in a way that insures preservation but limits access. In order to access these materials, you will need to contact archivists and special collections librarians ahead of time and provide them with information about your project and the sources that you'ree looking for.
Use the real thing! Do your research at Archives and Libraries whenever possible. There are great primary and secondary research sources at archives, libraries and museums in Washington State listed under each topic summary in the Wiki that YOU WILL NOT FIND ONLINE.
Historical research is done with primary and Secondary Research Sources. Secondary research sources include books, articles, media productions or other historical sources which seek to explain and interpret a topic or event after it happens. Primary research sources include archival documents, manuscript collections, diaries, photographs, newspaper articles written at the time of the event, autobiographies and other first-hand accounts from people who participated in or witnessed an event.
Start your research with Secondary Research Sources. They provide the basic information that you will need to use and understand primary research sources. Secondary research sources help you gain command of the facts, names, dates, historians’ and authors’ interpretations of the topic, and historical context.
Use the information from your Primary research sources as the basis for your own interpretation of the topic. Primary source information should be compared with information presented by secondary research sources. The differences and similarities revealed by this comparison can be used as the basis for your own analysis and conclusions.
For more information on doing research check out the University of Washington Libraries’ History Day Research web page http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/historyday/ which provides how-to information for both primary and secondary source research, and the National Archives and Records Administration’s Digital Classroom web page http://www.archives.gov/education/leassons/ which has document analysis worksheets that can be used to help you “look” at the Primary Research Sources the way historians do.
Always make appointments to use primary source materials at least a week ahead of time. This will insure that research material you need will be ready when you get there and you won’t waste scarce research time waiting for materials to be retrieved. Unlike books kept in local libraries, Primary research sources kept in archives and manuscript collections are stored in a way that insures preservation but limits access. In order to access these materials, you will need to contact archivists and special collections librarians ahead of time and provide them with information about your project and the sources that you'ree looking for.
MaryWSL |
Latest page update: made by MaryWSL
, Sep 11 2008, 11:40 AM EDT
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Moved from: Washington History Day Topic Guide
- MaryWSL
No content added or deleted. - complete history) |
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