primary sources

primary sources

Curated Collections of Primary Sources

Curated Collections of Primary Sources

, Jesse Whitton, Library Resources
The IU East Campus Library subscribes to a variety of the Adam Matthew (AM) digital archives, ranging in topics from gender studies, history, and literature, to politics, advertising, and world culture. “Like” us on the IU East Campus Library Facebook page for weekly features of unique resources available via our A-Z Index, such as these highlights. View works by some of Europe’s earliest film pioneers and innovators, such as Alice Guy- Blaché, the first female filmmaker while glimpsing into the lives of late Victorians and Edwardians captured on film through the Victorians on Film database. During Europe’s Edwardian era, the United States experienced the Gilded Age, and the Gilded Age was just that, Gilded. NOT Golden. From afar, all appeared golden with … Continued
Types of Research Sources

Types of Research Sources

, , , Research
Research projects may require a variety of specific sources, such as a peer reviewed article, a research study that uses quantitative methods, or a specific publication (for example, the New York Times). Library search tools can be used to hone in on special types of research material. Primary source Primary sources are created by someone who personally participated in the events described.  This typically means something slightly different in the humanities compared to in the sciences, so the ideal search strategy will depend on the nature of the class.  For humanities, primary sources include formats like letters, diaries, autobiographies, oral histories, and interviews.  Fortunately, the library offers many whole databases that specialize in this type of material.  African-American History Online, … Continued
Primary Science

Primary Science

, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth, Research
The use of primary sources is a staple of academic research – these are sources created by someone involved in the matter being described.  In the humanities, these typically take the form of letters, diaries, or the like – for the historian, a diary is usually valued more than a book written by someone who wasn’t involved.  This isn’t to say that secondary sources have no worth, as those can often take a longer or more nuanced view than that of a person in the thick of things – but the value of a direct witness cannot be understated.  Numerous databases are built around these types of materials, like American Civil War: Letters and Diaries, Gale Primary Sources, or The … Continued
Beginning … again: Academic resources for a successful Spring semester

Beginning … again: Academic resources for a successful Spring semester

, , Frances Yates, Website
With 2020 behind us (whew!) it’s time to look forward to a new year and new opportunities. A new semester is a fresh start, and we want to share useful and reliable resources, culled from past Campus Library blogs, that can benefit your academic work. Just a few clicks and you’re on your way to a successful semester! Navigating the library website IUEREF for Academic Success provides a handy overview for how to find what you need at the Campus Library website. Our campus has almost 300,000 electronic books in our collection and more than 600 databases.  Our librarians and professional staff are committed to assisting you with knowledgeable and timely reference and research that will help achieve your academic … Continued
History with the Eyewitnesses

History with the Eyewitnesses

, , Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
244 years ago, on Christmas Day of 1776, General George Washington led a force across the Delaware River to attack a Hessian outpost in Trenton.  His army, which up until then had lost battle after battle, was near the point of dissolution – the enlistments for most of the men would expire at the end of the year, extinguishing the American ability to field an army. The Battle of Trenton was one of the most unexpected, as well as complete, victories American forces had achieved, and it reinvigorated the flagging army at the point when the fragile nation was closest to disintegration.  Soldiers reenlisted, and observers both foreign and domestic realized that American troops could, in fact, stand up to … Continued