Course Description
Examination of methodological approaches to archival research using Special Collections Libraries in Georgia and beyond. Students will explore the Special Collections at the University of Georgia and review how collections are developed and organized. Students will learn how to locate source material and develop research topics using archival materials.
Athena Title
Archival Research Methods
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in QUAL 8150E
Prerequisite
QUAL 8400 or QUAL 8400E
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will be able to • Articulate the purpose of each of the Special Collections libraries at UGA • Demonstrate understanding of how collections are collected, organized, maintained, and shared • Effectively conduct and manage searches for archival materials • Consider the contexts in which interviews are conducted and archived and locate other forms of data which have archival bonds with interview collections • Critically examine the contents of collections and consider what is included and excluded • Identify archival collections relevant to research interests • Develop research questions pertaining to specific collections • Design and conduct a research study using selected collections • Articulate ethical issues relevant to the conduct of archival research and presentation of findings • Present findings from archival research • Demonstrate reflexivity in the research process • Accurately cite archival material in written reports
Topical Outline
1. Introduction to special collections 2. Assembling, maintaining, and organizing records 3. Searching and locating documentary sources 4. Examining archival bonds: special collections as constellations 5. Examining multiple media: from documents to digitized data 6. Examining the making and representation of oral history 7. Identifying collections of interest for research purposes 8. Developing research questions focusing on special collections 9. Exploring archival bonds 10. Exemplars 11. Data management and data analysis 12. Writing up findings of archival research 13. Reflexivity and ethics in the conduct of archival research 14. Presenting findings from archival research
Syllabus
Public CV