As a primary source can be almost anything that serves as a direct witness to history, the difficult part of this assignment will be to narrow down and choose the most appropriate primary sources for your research.
Things to consider:
- Is there a public official or category of person (for example, student, professor, bus driver) who would likely have useful information?
- Do you need to know local history that might be recorded in the University Archives, the Student Life and Culture Archives, or the archives of a town library or civic institution?
- Would everyday objects in your surroundings help you answer your question? A poster in the hallway, the menu in the dining hall, the 'don't walk' sign at the intersection of Green & Wright could all be relevant, depending on the information you need.
You might find it helpful to start with one primary source, and have the questions it raises lead to the next primary source for more information.
In your paper, you must include or answer all of these components
1. Your argument. This is the basis and frame for your entire paper.
a. What is your initial research question? What do you feel to be the answer to this question, and why?
b. What is the local issue that your argument and research address? Why is it important (exigence)?
c. How does your research support your argument?
d. How does your research complicate your argument?
e. Name at least one counter-argument, and respond to it by conceding to the point and/or refuting it (use a source if possible).
2. Information on your primary sources.
a. Give precise details/descriptions of your primary sources.
b. What do these primary sources tell you that you did not already know?
c. Why are these primary sources significant? How did you choose them?
d. How do your primary sources inform each other?
e. What are the limitations of your primary sources?
3. Conclusions.
a. Describe the provisional conclusions that you have made from your research. Be sure to show a clear progression from your research to your conclusions.
b. Overall, how does your research prove or disprove your argument? Do you feel that your research has adequately and accurately supplemented your argument? Why or why not?
c. What are some new questions that have arisen from your research? How could you pursue answers to these questions?
4. A complete works cited page, in proper MLA format.
5. An appendix. Include your interview transcripts, photocopies, and other records of research here. Each primary source must have an entry in this appendix and be marked accordingly (Appendix A, B, C, &c.).