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HIST 100 Stuff: Objects and Their (Hi)Stories (Spring 2023)

How do we know which source is Best?

Consider:

  • Is your object discussed in the abstract?
  • Is it a subject heading?
  • Are America or United States subjects?
  • Are culture or social aspects in the abstract or subject headings?

For each search, there will be a lot of results, but only one or two results exactly about the social aspects of your assigned item in US culture & History

Encyclopedia & Reference

These are general starting points to give me ideas on where I may want to branch off on my topic.

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Books (Secondary Sources)

Remember to limit to books & ebooks.

When picking books to use, consider:

  • When was it written
  • It is Really about your topic?
    • look at the subject headings!

 

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Book Reviews

Remember to limit to reviews.

 

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Articles

To make this easier, let's stick with Academic Search Complete.

  • Limit to peer review
  • Pay attention to publication date
  • is your object merely mentioned in the article, or is it the Subject of the article?
  • Is it specifically about your object in the context of US culture?

 

 

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Newspapers (Secondary OR Primary Sources, depending on publication date and use)

We have TONS of newspaper databases, about 150. Below are some highlights

NOTE

This is a harder one.

Let's limit to 1940-1950.
In the advanced search, JUST search your object as a subject. No other keywords

In Primary source databases, the fewer terms the better.

 

 

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Magazines

Use advanced search to find materials between 1940-1960.

Use the title search to narrow the results.

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Media

Use the AP database to find a Video about your topic.

It MUST be in a US cultural context.

 

STOP! CALL RICK OVER TO APPROVE YOUR FINDINGS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT SECTION.

Other Primary Sources

Use the library catalog, or HathiTrust, or any of the other databases you like to find a primary source about you topic published 1910-1920.

There is no one correct answer for this one, but you must be able to explain the cultural and social impact.

 

NOTE: The team with the most interesting & creative primary source in this part win a special prize.

Creativity can be in the document itself, or in the team's explanation of why it is a good source.

 

YOU'RE DONE!

CONGRATS!