When primary sources are
required in the assignment, the Archivist can give a session that provides
students with many examples of documents they might incorporate in their
research paper. This session was designed with just that task in mind, while
teaching the students how to question evidence.
Audience: Undergraduate
students in an introductory level course in History
Objectives:
- To learn how to extract information from a primary source.
- To find primary sources that align with the course assignment.
- To be introduced to the Archives.
Ingredients:
- Five primary documents, each document relates to one of the five research paper topics [In this case: letter from the front (WWI), photograph of an immigrant family, scrapbook of a female student, war bond poster, scrapbook from a hospital]
- Set of questions
Method
Preparation time: 20 mins
Exercise time: 20-30 mins
1.One source and a
set of questions are placed at each table. Students randomly choose at which
table they would like to sit.2. Students are encouraged to examine the source and discuss the following questions at their table:
a.
What type of
document is this? (primary or secondary)
b.
Who or what is
the story or information about?
c.
Why was this
document written?
d.
Does anything
about the evidence surprise you?
e.
What do I wonder
about this document?
f.
How does this
source fit with the theme of the course?
g.
How might you use
this resource with your chosen essay topic?
3. Near the end of
their allotted time, students are forewarned that someone from the group will
be asked to speak with the class about the source on the table.
Exercise time: 10 mins
4. Archivist leads
an open discussion with the entire class, asking each group in turn:
a.
What records did
you look at?
b.
What surprised
you about these records?
c.
What was really
cool about these records?
5.
If time permits,
allow the students time to roam among the other tables and look at the
documents.
