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Using primary sources in research
Brainstorming ideas
- What kinds of sources might contain the information you are interested in?
- Public sources like notices, newspaper articles, cartoons, advertisements, pamphlets
- Private sources like diaries, journals, letters
- Does your area of interest involve a legal component? If so, learn the name of relevant Constitutional amendments, court cases, or statutes
Analyzing sources
- Whose perspective is it from?
- Women who were for the movement/in favor of the event? Women who were against the movement/opposed to the event?
- Men? African-Americans? Native Americans?
- What is the context of this source?
- What circumstances or events influenced the creator(s)?
- Why was the source made?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information/creator(s) reliable and accurate?
Drawing conclusions
- How did this source shape your understanding of the movement or event?
- How did this source reveal the complexity of the past?
- What evidence of the period or event is left out?
- How has this source supported and informed your conclusion?
