1. The History Fair Research Journey

2. Doing History Fair is like being a detective
Untangling a mystery (History Fair historical question and thesis) through research
Finding evidence
Building a case
DN , Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago Historical Society

3. Each stage of the research journey calls for different sources that move from the general to the specific, from secondary sources to primary sources.
STAGE 1: General
Secondary Sources
Encyclopedia
Textbook
General history books
One or two primary sources
STAGE 2: ON TOPIC
Secondary Sources
Chicago History books and magazine articles, general history books on topic
Primary Sources
Found in books, magazines, digitized special collections or online databases and portals
Make History Here!
STAGE 3: IN DEPTH
Secondary Sources
Specialized, narrow-focused books and journals by experts, historians
Primary Sources
Actual papers and records in archives and special collections, more online digitized primary sources, interviews with participants, witnesses
Looking at the tier from another angle, students go from broad searches to narrow searches.

4. Stage 1– Basic Knowledge
TYPES OF SOURCES
General and Specialized Encyclopedia (includes Wikipedia)
Textbook
General history books
One or two primary sources
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
Who are the key people?
What are the key events?
Where does it fit on a larger timeline?
What information sparks my curiosity and helps me narrow my topic?

5. Stage 2 – Narrowed Topic TYPES OF QUESTIONS TYPES OF SOURCES
What is the context?
Why and how did these events happen?
What are the causes and effects?
What were the various motivations, perspectives, and concerns of the people involved?
How does this story fit into the big picture?
TYPES OF SOURCES
Secondary Sources
Chicago and Illinois history books and magazine articles
General history books on topic
Popular history magazines and periodicals
Documentaries
Museum exhibits
Primary Sources
Available from books, magazines, digitized special collections or online databases and portals

6. Stage 3 – In-depth TYPES OF SOURCES TYPES OF QUESTIONS
Secondary Sources
Specialized, narrow-focused books and journals by experts, historians
Interviews with experts and historians
Primary Sources
Special collections and archives, more online collections
Interviews with participants, witnesses
TYPES OF QUESTIONS
What key arguments do historians make?
What do you think matters about this topic? What story are you going to tell?
What are the core issues?
Why does this topic matter--what is the big picture?
What is the long-term historical significance of this topic?

7. Key Sources for Research
Internet
Online databases
Primary sources
AVOID websites as secondary sources unless credible authors
Libraries
Secondary & Primary Sources from books, journal and magazine articles, and special collections
Historical collections at libraries and archives
Interviews
Witnesses, participants = primary
Experts, scholars, second-hand = secondary

8. PORTALS & INVISIBLE INTERNET
ON-LINE DATABASES
“The Internet”
PORTALS & INVISIBLE INTERNET
WEBSITES

9. Online Databases
Secondary sources for basic information, background, and overview.
Some will contain primary source materials
Some will give citations—then need to see to get the journal (often on microfiche)
Some will have full-text, scanned versions of articles
Examples of databases:
History Database
EBSCO
J-Stor
Gale Virtual Knowledge
First Search

10. Portals lead to the websites that contain primary sources…

11. History Helpers covers every aspect of doing research and completing a final project. Students will find everything from analysis sheets to recommended websites.

12. Google, Yahoo are NOT sources – they are Search Engines (It might help to think of them as library card catalogs… that get you to the sources you need.)

13. Deciphering a URL .edu = .com= .org= .gov= .net=
--which can be trusted (credible)???
Who wrote the piece and why is she/he an expert? When was the site updated? Who “owns” the site?

14. Are you working for Google or is Google working for you?
Getting 2,000,000 hits on your query?
Pulling up sites that give you the same old same old over and over again?
Not sure of the website’s credibility?

15. When you use Google: Command Google….
Group words together: “Juvenile Court History”
Use 2 commands together: “Juvenile Court History” + Chicago
Specify type of website: “juvenile court history”:gov or “juvenile court history”:edu \
ALSO:
Use the “Advanced Search” options.
Use metacrawlers and directories….
Googlebooks and Google Scholar…..

16. WHAT’S UP WITH Wikipedia?
It’s a beginning reference -- just like a general encyclopedia which means its only background information – not a valid History Fair secondary source. The citations, however, can be useful in finding real books and articles.

17. Secondary Sources are First!*
*but you will find primary sources along the way, too!

18. A Superior Detective will…
Keep track of your leads: What keywords, terms, or tags you used and star those especially helpful.
Keep organized and use active notetaking! Use your own words and ask questions as your take notes.
Get all bibliographic information at the same time. You may think you’ll remember….
Info or quotes
Questions & ideas
CITATION

19. Always start your History Fair research:
Key, basic information
Timeline for context: social, political, cultural, economic factors
Themes to help understand bigger picture: for example, Americanization, racism, contested space, political cultural
References to quality secondary sources
Primary sources, maps, graphs
Available as a book at every public library or

20. Links to other entries
Primary source
Author
Important secondary sources recommended by author

21. Chicago Public Library Harold Washington Library, Local & Regional Branches, & Online
Books, magazines, journals, newspapers
Online databases with secondary & some primary sources
Online primary sources
Special collections with one-of-a-kind or rare materials for primary sources—Harsh Collection at Woodson & Sulzer regionals & downtown at the HWLC.

22. Strategies to get the most out of CPL online
Research the catalog at home or school computer so when you go to the library you can go right to the books or journals you need
Save your selections in “My Shelves” so that you can go directly to the books
Many online databases are available at HOME with a valid CPL Library card (or e-card) or at neighborhood branches.

23. 1. Chicago History 2. For Teens  History Fair
CPL has two “pathfinders” to support History Fair research:
1. Chicago History 2. For Teens  History Fair

24. If not at your local branch, place a “hold” on book and it will be delivered to your local library
Shows the library, location, and call # -- an efficient way to find similar topics
Books are categorized a number of ways. Use subjects to find related titles

25. Another way to use the CPL catalog The “topics,“ “tags,” and other groups that appear on the side can lead more materials on the topic – choose what seems most relevant for your needs

26. Some material at CPL will qualify as primary sources.

27. BIG TIP “Follow the Footnotes” THE BEST SECONDAY SOURCES CAN LEAD TO:
OTHER KEY SECONDARY SOURCES
WHERE TO FIND PRIMARY SOURCES Such as special collections or newspaper and magazine dates…
AND WILL OFTEN CONTAIN PRIMARY SOURCES STUDENTS CAN USE!

28. SECONDARY SOURCES: Journal and newspaper articles, books, & dissertations
PRIMARY SOURCES:
A person’s “PAPERS” in Special Collections or newspaper articles written at that time

29. Why use history journals?
Gain background information
Learn other historians’ interpretations – this is called “joining the conversation”
Get the gist of the historian’s work without reading the full book
Use the primary sources that are often included as evidence in the article
“Follow the footnotes” that can lead to more secondary and primary sources

30. History journals such as Chicago History or the Journal of American History contain both secondary & primary sources
These kinds of journals are INDEXED in “America: History & Life” and J-Stor.

31. Now available at all CPL branches (but not from home)!
J-STOR offers FULL TEXT quality secondary source articles by historians and other scholars dating from as far back as 1899 until the 1990s.
J-Store or History Cooperative will be available at college libraries or Newberry Library. The CPL or America: History and Life will take students to scholarly articles, AHL doesn’t begin til 1954.
Now available at all CPL branches (but not from home)!

33. History Fair Bibliographies at www.chicagohistory.org
Use CHM bibliographies to find as many sources as possible through CPL, so when you go to the resource center at CHM, you are looking at sources you can’t get elsewhere!

35. Amazon.com can help find recent books that may be important for your research. Many new books will show Table of Contents or Index so you can figure out if you need to look at it. Also, “other books bought” and tags can take you to more sources to look for at the library.
Do you think CPL will have this book?

36. Primary Sources Material made at the time are the real “voices from the past.” Depending on the topic, you can search online, at libraries, archives, or special collections, organizations and businesses, and perhaps your even your own home,

37. Primary sources are the “stuff of history” that make history come alive and are the evidence for your argument.

38. Portals lead to the websites that contain primary sources…
For example…

39. The Library of Congress

41. Library Congress contains more than photographs!

42. The best websites are composed mostly of primary sources
The best websites are composed mostly of primary sources. In some cases, they are subject-based and organized.
Websites that are based on actual primary sources and contain essays by historians are highly recommended.

44. Chicago History Museum sources that contain both primary and secondary sources.
Ask to see the printed materials, and Special Collections—but only after you’ve done your background research!

45. J-STOR: available online AT any Chicago Library branch
Why is this article a primary source? What might you gain from reading it?
Students can also find PRIMARY SOURCES through journal articles. Look at citation and ask students to discuss why this article might be considered a primary source.

47. Students in Special Collections?

48. YES!

49. Where to Find Special Collections
History Fair website

50. Websites often list what RECORDS & PAPERS they hold offer a description of what a research may find. The librarians and archivists know their collections best, so call to talk about research before going.
Many Special Collections will list the collections available. At UIC, they even organize it for History Fair students by topic! Other places, students will need to look at the list and see if anything sounds right, or call the archives and describe their topic.

51. Some websites even have “finding aids” so you can see exactly what is in the collection!
Sample of a Finding Aid. Using the “real stuff” can take your students’ projects—and enthusiasm—to new heights!

52. Chicago Historical Museum Research Center Students must make an appointment to use research center.
The real treasures are in the Manuscripts & Papers, printed catalog, and photo archives. Check out “Archie” to begin your search into the special collections. A CHM librarian’s support is crucial.

53. Government Documents
Municipal (city) Reference Library & Government Documents at CPL has city documents such as city council proceedings, laws, reports from city agencies, and proposals. Government Documents has laws, executive orders, congressional hearings, and other material from the state and U.S. government.
National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) has one of its six branches in Chicago & YOU can use any of the material such as court documents, immigration papers, reports and photos from local agencies, military records, and patents.

54. A word about INTERVIEWS
Primary source = a witness or participant
Secondary source = an expert or scholar or someone telling you what someone else told them…
ALWAYS DO BASIC RESEARCH BEFORE YOU INTERVIEW!

55. Visit Historic Sites & Museums
Going to the places where history happened or taking a close look at the "real stuff" in museums helps students visualize the history that they've been researching and is an exciting part of doing History Fair.
The guides at historic sites and museums can offer many insights – still, they are secondary sources.

56. Write down the information for your source as you go along
Write down the information for your source as you go along. The Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is composed of the citation and a brief description of each article or book listed and how it was used. The description helps the reader evaluate the content and usefulness of each item to his/her research—and shows the judges the students’ historical journey.
(Attach to the Summary Statement Form.)

57. Primary and Secondary Sources should be separated.
The annotation summarizes the source and explains how it was used in project.
This is not an example of the best annotated bibliography. How could it be improved? Check out the bibliographies in our “Gallery.”
Bibliographic Information maybe either MLA or Turabian (CMS) style.

58. There are 3 parts to an annotated bibliography
The Citation
“Battle for the World’s Fair Site.” Chicago Daily Tribune 23 September 1889, 4.
In this article, the Chicago Tribune stated that Chicago would only have to worry about New York getting the World’s Fair, which I used to prove that because Washington did not have enough money, and St. Louis entered the competition late, they were not big competitors.
Summary of the information used
Explanation of how it was used for evidence

59. Tips for Citations If you have access to the internet, use Easybib.com
Citationmaker.com
Noodle Tools
(available from nhd.org)
Best style for projects is “CMS” which means “Chicago Manual of Style” otherwise known as “Turabian.”
MLA is acceptable.
(Remember to save on your own disk in a Word file!)

60. When does the History Fair research journey end?