Assignment

Recognizing Primary Sources in the Library

Submitted by Alexander Justice on June 2nd, 2019
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Short Description: 

In this activity, students learn how to locate and select appropriate primary sources for their assignment using library guides (libguides) and the library databases list. Students then analyze an example primary source to improve their primary sources literacy.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Recognizing Primary Sources in the Library.pdfdisplayed 944 times24.19 KB
Activity 1 Task Cards Locate Databases.pdfdisplayed 508 times59.71 KB
List of databases activity 1 should generate.pdfdisplayed 409 times34.6 KB
Activity 2 Questions Handout.pdfdisplayed 437 times19.64 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

After completing the library instruction session, students will be able to:
• Locate, identify, and select relevant online primary source collections (databases)
• Given a facsimile primary source, identify the location of the original, and the format of the facsimile
• Identify metadata provided with the source
• Locate books and articles that will support analysis and research involving the source

Discipline: 
History

Individual or Group:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

We created this activity for a course that is flagged for information literacy in our core curriculum. These courses in our History department tend to have annotated bibliography assignments as well as primary source assignments. First year courses introduce annotated bibliographies and how to produce them, so the information literacy flag here has to address more advanced literacy, in this case primary source literacy.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
Justice, Alexander. "Recognizing Primary Sources in the Library." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2019. https://projectcora.org/assignment/recognizing-primary-sources-library.