Fluent Essays

Its for short answers, got caught up doing a project for another class (that Im still working on) that I forgot about this assignment until I was checking to see if I completed all simple tasks.2-2 Choosing a Topic1.html Finding Primary Sources Primary sources are key to historians’ research. Due to age, composition, and exceptionality, primary sources are sometimes quite valuable and often require special attention. Repositories at the national, state, and local levels, as well as at the public and the private levels, preserve primary sources. National repositories such as the National Archives and the Library of Congress safeguard materials that are deemed to be of national importance. Universities also have archives that preserve primary sources related to the institution, to notable alumni or donors, or to the research interests of their faculty. Museums and libraries at all levels have archives attached to their missions, and historical societies often preserve primary sources that are of local or niche interest to researchers. Traditionally, historians visit such repositories and, with the assistance of archivists and finding guides, explore files of material pertinent to their research. The arrival of the Digital Age, however, resulted in many repositories scanning, digitizing, and posting their collections online. Online finding guides and search tools make looking for specific primary sources easier than it once was. In order to make the most of finding primary sources online, you will need to be able to develop strong search terms to deploy in your search for primary sources. Generally, you will need to supply the name of the person or historical event you are researching. Usually, it is also helpful to identify a particular type of primary source document that you have in mind. Examples include: Letter Speech Interview Diary Oral history Journal Photograph A historian who is researching primary sources on President Franklin Roosevelt’s interactions with American military leaders during World War II, for example, might start off by searching the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum’s online repository with the following search term: letter. (Note: Since this is Roosevelt’s own library, the historian has chosen to omit Roosevelt’s name from the search.) A search like this will produce a lot of results, though. The historian in this example might add in the name of someone who he or she already knows is a major figure in the American military to narrow the search, such as Chief of Staff of the Army General Douglas MacArthur, the commander; the search then becomes: letter Douglas MacArthur. This search produces a letter from Roosevelt to MacArthur that reveals some dynamics of their relationship. While a wholly digital approach to research is not yet possible due to sheer volume and funding, the ability to both explore caches of digitized primary sources and to view online finding aids for non-digitized primary sources is a great boon to today’s historians. Historical Questions One of the most important early steps in a research project is the formulation of a question to answer. In the previous module, you tho2-1 Finding Primary Sources1.html Learning Objectives Evaluate a repository of historical primary sources Identify a topic for historical research Identify useful research questions related to the chosen topic Identify types of primary and secondary sources for studying a chosen topic Module at a Glance This is the recommended plan for completing the reading assignments and activities within the module. Additional information can be found in the module Reading and Resources section and in the task list. Review the module resources. Respond to the short response assignment on primary source hunt. Complete the quiz on prioritizing primary sources. Submit the Project 1: Topic Exploration Worksheet. Reading and Resources Digital Repositories: The links below contain resources relating to the drop of the atomic bomb. They will be referenced in the short response activity due this week. Truman Library Collections Voices of the Manhattan Project Atomic Heritage Foundation Article: How to Frame a Researchable Question Developing a research question is an important part of topic selection. All history starts with asking good research questions. This resource written by history graduate students guides you through the thought process of framing a successful research question in support of selecting a topic. Interactive: Fix the Research Question In this supplemental activity, you will be presented with problematic research questions. You will identify the problem and propose replacement questions. This will provide practice for the research question portion of Project 1. A text only version is available: Module Two Fix the Research Question Text Only Transcript Word Document Resource: HIS 100 Research Guide Skim through the SNHU Shapiro Library History Research Guide, which includes information about the research tools that are available to you via the Shapiro Library. Course Documents/HIS 100 Fix the Research Question Text Only Transcript.docx HIS 100 Fix the Research Question Text Only Transcript Fix the Research Question (text of interactive activity) In this activity, you will evaluate a series of research questions, selecting the best historical research question for the identified topic. Topic 1: The Invasion of Iraq Select the question that is more effective for historical research: Was the American military invasion of Iraq in 2003 the right thing to do? How did the American government justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003? Correct answer: How did the American government justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003? This question can be answered through research on the invasion. Topic 2: Causes of War Select the question that is more effective for historical research: Which wars have been fought in Africa over access to resources? Why do wars happen? Correct answer: Which wars have been fought in Africa over access to resources? This question is specific and narrow enough that it can be answered in a reasonable time. Topic 3: Health 1 HIS 100 Primary Source Hunt Short Response Guidelines and Rubric Activity: Open these three links to digital repositories containing resources related to the dropping of the atomic bomb. Browse through each repository (Truman Library Collections, Voices of the Manhattan Project, and National Security Archive), and think about how useful these repositories would be to you if you were a historian seeking to write a biography on the scientist Leo Szilard (pronounced SIL-lard) who helped develop the atomic bomb and also campaigned against its use. 1. Truman Library Collections 2. Voices of the Manhattan Project 3. Atomic Heritage Foundation As you explore each repository, try to locate the following primary sources that you might consult to write a chapter about Szilard’s campaign against dropping the atomic bomb. Each primary source is located in only one of the above repositories. Try your best to locate each source, but it is OK if you are not able to locate all three. If you are successful in your search, try skimming through the sources you find. 1. The transcription of the oral history interview with Tom Evans, a close friend of President Truman’s, discussing scientists’ opposition to the use of the atomic bomb 2. A petition against the use of the atomic bomb circulated by Szilard directed toward President Truman 3. An interview with Lilli Hornig, a scientist who signed Szilard’s petition against the use of the atomic bomb To do this, develop search terms similar to the examples shown in the Module Two Module Overview. Only use these three online repositories to locate these sources—do not consult Google or any other search engine. Take notes on the search terms that are successful and keep the links to the sources you find. Prompt: In two to three sentences, respond to each question. To develop your responses, combine your experience using search terms to locate the three primary sources in this module with your own reflections on the questions posed. Regardless of whether or not you were able to find all three primary sources, complete all question prompts before you submit your responses. If you were not able to find the primary sources, let your instructor know what search terms you did use so he or she can provide you with feedback on how to develop effective search terms. 1. Describe your overall experience locating these primary sources. Was it challenging or straightforward? Do you learn anything interesting along the way? 2. Were you able to locate an interview with Tom Evans, a close friend of President Truman’s, who interacted with scientists who were trying to reach Truman with their campaign against the use of the atomic bomb? Share your search terms and a link to the primary source. 3. Were you able to locate a petition against the use of the atomic bomb circulated by Leo Szilard directed toward President Truman? Share your search terms and a link to the primary source.