BACK to HIST 246 Syllabus

The purpose of this assignment is introduce you to the basics of finding and assessing primary sources. Environmental history depends on primary source research, so this is a useful skill for would-be historians. It is also useful for anyone who might need to know how to interpret past data, such as human ecologies, activists, and policy makers.

Important Date:

28 SEPTEMBER: Completed Analysis Due

Choose a Primary Source:

You must find and select a primary source that deals in some way with the environmental history of Minnesota. It can be of any size or complexity, but keep the overall length and depth of this assignment in mind when you make your choice. I encourage you to select a source on a topic of interest to you. The source should be at least 10 years old. The ability to obtain a copy to attach to your paper should be taken into consideration.

If you are not sure where to begin looking for appropriate and interesting primary sources, please see me, a reference librarian, or one of the campus archivists. We are all willing to help!

Describe and Summarize It and Place It in Context:

What is this source? Is it a book/film/letter/journal? What does it look like? What is it about? Where did it come from? (“The library” is only a partial answer to this.) Who produced it? Is it a government document? A private publication? Why was it produced, if you know? In short, tell your readers as much about this source as you can. The goal is to give your readers a good sense of what this thing IS or WAS.

Explain What It Can (or Cannot) Tell Us:

This will require some careful thought on your part. I recommend beginning by looking what it obviously tells us -- most sources are produced to convey information of some sort, so ask, “why was it made?” Tables of contents, introductions, prefaces and mission statements are all good places to start with text-based sources; you may have to be more creative with other types.

The next stage is somewhat trickier; here, you want to figure out what it can tell us besides what it was meant to say or do. For example, if you look at an old photo album, you might note that there are no color pictures. So you can infer several things: that color photography was not invented, or was too expensive, or the owner of the album preferred black and white -- the best guess will, of course, depend on other clues. Another example: looking at the pictures might reveal things about the subjects not mentioned in the captions.

The third stage is trickier still -- now you ask how the source can’t help you. In the album example, for instance, the album can’t tell you if color photography existed -- all the evidence is negative. Some limits relate to the producer of the document; nobody knows everything, and all people have agendas that encourage them to distort what they do know or say. Some relate to the physical form or content of the object itself -- maybe it is missing parts or can’t be easily accessed with modern technology.

You might also want to draw on the course readings for assistance. Cronon, for example, offers several cautions about using colonial sources to do environmental history. Looking at their bibliographies and their indexes can also give clues as to the kinds of sources that might be out there.

Include a Copy:

Attach a copy to your completed paper. This requires you to pay attention to the form and fragility of your source. Some sources can’t be copied -- find out first! Others, like film or music, are tricky to attach. If you have questions, see me.

Personal Reaction (optional):

You may, if you wish, include a paragraph giving your personal reaction to this source. This section will not be graded, and does not count toward the page total.

Practical Considerations:
First, finished work must be neat, organized and thoughtful. This includes supporting materials.

Second, finished work will be assessed on its effectiveness and thoughtfulness rather than the effort required to complete it. Writing and revising a draft version or two is recommended. I am happy to read drafts, given a week’s advance notice.

Third, keep the limits of technology in mind. If you have supporting materials that require sophisticated equipment to render them intelligible, check first to ensure that they are compatible with my equipment. Similarly, expect printers to break, computers to crash, and discs to land in mud puddles, and take the necessary steps to prevent disaster.

If you have any questions or specific concerns, please talk with me about them as soon as they arise. In any case, I’m happy to talk with you about your ideas and your work -- no problems required!