Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2013

Keywords

Special Collections, Archival sources, Scholarly writing

Abstract

Research Question(s): How can archival research be effectively implemented in undergraduate scholarly writing? This project investigated effective strategies for teaching students how to implement archival sources, in this case nineteenth- and twentieth-century periodicals, in scholarly writing. We considered how archival research can enrich students’ understanding of a historical period and its literature, and we worked to generate strategies that might help students understand the value and methodologies of archival research.

Method(s): An ENG 423 Major Authors (Oscar Wilde) course was designed to include a strong focus on archival sources. Several classes were spent visiting Special Collections so as to familiarize students with primary sources from the fin-de-siècle. Students were required to present an archival artifact to the class and explain its connection to Oscar Wilde as well as its broader historical significance. They were additionally encouraged to incorporate primary sources into their final papers.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Archival resources; Library research; Research methodology; Academic writing

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Western Washington University. Libraries. Special Collections

Geographic Coverage

Bellingham (Wash.)

Genre/Form

reports

Type

Text

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

COinS