The Library of Congress
Image of covered wagon PROSPECTING IN AMERICAN MEMORY

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Overview | Facilitator's Framework | Exercise

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American Memory Practice Worksheet

According to The Random House Collegiate Dictionary, revised edition, research is "systematic inquiry into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, etc." Skillful researchers plan how they will approach their topic by reading background texts and journal articles, viewing videos and films, and searching the Internet in hopes of finding authoritative information to support their theories.

Steps to successful research include brainstorming the topic, planning search strategies, getting an overview of a topic by browsing in the subject area, fine tuning the topic with focused searches, and finding information in a variety of formats.

I. Brainstorming Your Topic

Topic ___________________________________

Begin by using the texts assigned for background reading for this project and look for keywords that describe your topic. Think of related words, variations on words, phrases, or synonyms.

 

II. Searching

A. Cross Collection Searching

Do two cross-collection searches, each partner using different keywords identified from the brainstorming activity. List new keywords or phrases found in returns that you want to try. Write down the most frequently returned collection names.

Keywords found in returns:

 

Collection names most frequently returned:

 

B. Collection Finder: Original Format

Use keywords or phrases that were successful from cross-collection searching, your brainstorming list, or keywords found in titles of returns. What do you find:

 

Written Materials

 

Maps

 

Motion Pictures

 

Photos & Prints

 

Sound Recordings

 

C. Learning Page Pathfinders (Events, People, Places, Time, or Topics)

 

D. Collection-Level Searching

Select one of the collections that repeatedly showed up in the keyword searches. Search the collection, noting search options and successful results.

 

Title of collection:

 

Content: What would you expect to find in this collection? What types of searches are available?

 

Describe your results: Did you find what you expected? Any surprises? Any limitations (time range, region of the country, etc.)

 

What strategies would you need to consider in giving assignments to students to search this collection?

 

If you have time, click on Collection Finder, click on List All Collections, and then click on Show Titles and Descriptions. From reading the descriptions, what collections do you want to try searching next?

 

 

 
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Last updated 01/06/2003