The Research Process

The National Archives and Records AdministrationPacific Alaska Region

Seattle, Washington & Anchorage, Alaska

9/1/2009

Archival Research Basics with the National Archives

Lesson # 1

Setting goals

Carefully define your goalsCarefully define your goals

What are you trying to accomplish?

• Fill in a gap in your lesson plans?

• Find a way to engage and interest students?

• Study and write a historical book about a topic that interests you?

• Write a historical paper that includes the use of primary sources?

Write your goal down and

put it where you can see it throughout the

research process

(like your notebook or

the worksheet provided with this lesson!! )

Determining Focus

Figure out what your focus will be.

A local community focus that echoes elements of global importance?

Looking at individual people and their contributions to a greater whole?

Examining a fascinating document that raises many questions that beg to be answered?

Examining a social movement or cause?

Lack of focus often leads to confusing information and doing a lot more research than necessary!

Soldiers of an Inf. haul their 37mm gun up a Mt. pass through the snow and over the rough terrain. Alaska., ca. 1942

ARC Identifier 196202 (www.archives.gov/research/arc/ ) Item from Collection FDR-PHOCO: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Public Domain Photographs, 1882 – 1962

If you were using this document as a starting place you could (for instance) be

• Looking at the history of this particular military campaign, OR …

• Investigating the individuals in the photograph and their personal histories relative to this event, OR …

• Using the photograph to illustrate the general hardships of war, OR …

• Including it in a historical overview of the development of war photography

Be prepared for changes in direction

Determine how thorough you plan to beDetermine how thorough you plan to be

Secondary sources are sometimes incorrect. Do Secondary sources are sometimes incorrect. Do you plan to check each one for accuracy?you plan to check each one for accuracy?

Are you prepared to dive into previously unused Are you prepared to dive into previously unused primary sources to examine the validity of a new primary sources to examine the validity of a new idea?idea?

Are you prepared to change directions if the Are you prepared to change directions if the evidence supports your doing that?evidence supports your doing that?

How important is the accuracy of small details to How important is the accuracy of small details to the question at hand?the question at hand?

For instance …. The following For instance …. The following document might take you down a document might take you down a

different road than you had different road than you had previously planned … do you have previously planned … do you have

enough time to follow it?enough time to follow it?

(Pribilof Island Logbook, St. George Island, 12/1884 - 12/1884 ARC Identifier 297033 (www.archives.gov/research/arc/ ) Item from Record Group 22: Records of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1868 - 2005

388 December 1884

1. Visited Starie Ateel returning by the way of North rookery. Saw no seals at either place. Gunning[?] privileges extended to all parts of the island. A cold, blustery day, ther. [thermometer?] 26 above, a violent wind, snow squalls every few hours.

2. Tuesday – Issued 2300 pounds of coal. Coldest day yet, ther.[thermometer?] 23.

Visited Little East and East rookeries. Saw no seals. The natives report no seals at either rookery since Nov. 29

3. Wednesday – Church holiday. No school.

4. Thursday – Walked to South side and Garden Cove. Saw no sea-lions. Saw

plenty fox tracks but no foxes. The fox catch this year is coming on very slow. Only about 350 have been brought in so far.

Nov. 13 believing the law in regard to issuing sugar was not being abused, the Treas. Agent asked Dr Sutz what persons were receiving sugar and how much and how often. His reply was Vasilisa Merculiff, Stephanida Malarmoky, and Esia Merculliff 1 lb. per week each and Saraphina Resanoff 2 lbs per wk. this statement was only a part of the truth. That evening Dr Sutz came to the Gov house much excited and told the [?] Agent he had to right to that information. The reply was this Gov office not only had a right, but it was his duty to keep a vigilant watch of that matter. Nov 28. Dr Sutz and Mr Webster A.C.Co’s agent were called to Gov. house and the law concerning the issuing of sugar read to them and they were told that that matter was under the supervisor of the Gov officer and subject to his regulations and restrictions, and that Seraphina Resanyoff (sick premy + 3 years of age, who was receiving 2 lbs per week) was receiving four times the quantity allowed by law, twice as much as an adult and twice what Dr Noyes gave, and that no physician had a right to issue an unlimited supply of sugar, or a sufficient quantity to a sick person to supply a whole family. [Another handwriting] That is proper. You are right.

5. Friday – Visited Starie Ateel and North rookeries. Saw no seals.

[The transcription of this single page of the St George Island Logbooks, was done specifically to illustrate the kinds of details and changes in direction that might be found in one primary source document. This transcription was not checked against other documents for accuracy or spelling.]

Realizing limitations

Important questions ….Important questions …. How much time do you have for research? How much time How much time do you have for research? How much time

will actually be allowed for this subject in the classroom? will actually be allowed for this subject in the classroom? Be Be realistic.realistic.

How much money can you spend? Again, realism really helps How much money can you spend? Again, realism really helps here. Research trips to far-away archives can be costly.here. Research trips to far-away archives can be costly.

If there is a lot of information readily available on your subject, what part If there is a lot of information readily available on your subject, what part it will you focus on in order to keep it manageable? it will you focus on in order to keep it manageable?

Is one element more important than another? How important is it? (Does Is one element more important than another? How important is it? (Does anybody care?)anybody care?)

Have certain portions (or all) of your topic already been covered by Have certain portions (or all) of your topic already been covered by others adequately?others adequately?

Why do I need to do all of this Why do I need to do all of this preliminarypreliminary thinking?thinking?

1. Documented proof with primary sources is necessary for any well-crafted historical project.

2. There are billions of documents in the National Archives alone. And there are hundreds of thousands of libraries, archives, museums, historical societies, and other heritage organizations that may have original records on your topic and there are countless “facts” and documents online.

3. Bottom line: to save valuable time in research while still doing the most thorough examination that is possible. (Or to convince you to choose a different, more realistic topic.)

Organizing your research

Notebooks or files or electronic Notebooks or files or electronic copies or ….. ?copies or ….. ?

Use whatever system you feel most comfortable with.

Just use one!It is VERY important to be able to find your

material later.

Slow and

steady wins the

race.

Research LogsResearch Logs(see sample Research Log listed in class outline)

– Keep at least one research log for every project. These are very important and prevent your looking many times for the same document or piece of information in the same place over and over again. The log should contain the following at the very least:

What were you looking for?

In what facility/website/location did you look?

What have you found and where exactly did you find it?

What have you NOT found? – This is actually a key element in log-keeping and the one most often

overlooked. You need to have a record of what was NOT in a particular research facility or online location, so you don’t inadvertently look for there again for the same item.

A record of your citationsA record of your citations

Do not forget to make a list of citations as you goDo not forget to make a list of citations as you go– This is particularly important with primary This is particularly important with primary

sources (but also important with others).sources (but also important with others).– Remember that a citation is designed to get a Remember that a citation is designed to get a

reader reader BACK TO THE ORIGINAL document, , if at all possible. [If you found it online, try to if at all possible. [If you found it online, try to figure out where the original is as well … figure out where the original is as well … online web pages tend to DISAPPEAR over online web pages tend to DISAPPEAR over time.]time.]

The Research CycleThe Research Cycle

Do this VERY CAREFULLY

1. Set a goal

2. Decide which source to use

What documents were created at

the time?

3. Locate the source

4. Search the source

5. Copy the information

6. Evaluate the information

7. Use the results

8. Organize and reorganize

See Lesson 2 – “Knowing where to

look”

Now, let’s think for a

minute about finding the documents

themselves.This is just a quick thought process at this point.

This subject will be covered in more detail in Lesson #2

Journals or Diaries Oral histories Interviews Moving images Newspapers Scholarly Journals

What What typestypes of documents do you of documents do you need or want to use?need or want to use?

Books Papers Photographs Maps Electronic records

Where might these documents be?Where might these documents be?

Libraries Libraries primarilyprimarily hold published materials such as books, hold published materials such as books, maps, government reports …maps, government reports …

Archives and special collections Archives and special collections primarilyprimarily hold unpublished hold unpublished materials such as letters, other correspondence, reports, materials such as letters, other correspondence, reports, lists, censuses, maps, photos, moving pictures, sound lists, censuses, maps, photos, moving pictures, sound recordings, architectural drawings …recordings, architectural drawings …

Museums Museums primarilyprimarily hold artifacts, art, and objects ... hold artifacts, art, and objects ...

Societies (Historical, Genealogical, Fraternal, etc.) might Societies (Historical, Genealogical, Fraternal, etc.) might hold any of the above.hold any of the above.

ASSIGNMENT 1

How has the ethnic composition of YOUR community changed over time?

1. Think about the question above and then keep a careful research log (included with this lesson) while you

Do an internet search on the topicLocate books and articles at your local college or public library about your subject

2. Complete a project analysis sheet (included with this lesson) and think seriously about how you could narrow this topic enough to complete a project in just a few days, with limited resources, while still including

Accurate informationAt least three PRIMARY sources

3. Please send a copy of the completed analysis sheet and research log to carol.buswell@nara.gov or Carol Buswell, 6125 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115 for review. If you are taking this course for credit, this is a GRADED assignment.

The National ArchivesThe National ArchivesIs always willing to help you with your research

questions (one at a time, please)

Facilities in the Pacific-Alaska Region

The National Archives at Anchorage

654 West Third Avenue

Anchorage, AK 99501

907-261-7800

alaska.archives@nara.gov

The National Archives at Seattle

6125 Sand Point Way NE

Seattle, WA 98115

206-336-5115

seattle.archives@nara.gov