Doing the Decades:
Group Investigations in Twentieth Century U. S. History

Series of Letters or Correspondence Requirements

In addition to General Project Requirements, a series of letters or correspondence should conform to the following criteria.

Content:

1. Answer all investigative questions about group themes in the final presentation.

2. Use a minimum of 10 secondary and 15 primary sources in each individual's research. The 15 primary sources must be represented in the final presentation, along with documentation of a sampling of the secondary sources.

3. Use a minimum of 10 American Memory primary sources in the final presentation.

4. Hand in a complete works cited list for each individual's section of the presentation on the day of the final presentation.

5. Sources gathered from electronic media (Internet, CD-ROMs, online databases, computer software, videotape, audiotape).  For Internet sources (photos, maps, audio recordings, documents, movies), use How To Cite Electronic Sources, Learning Page, Library of Congress.

6. Content must represent accurate information from the time period of your investigation.

7. Use a minimum of four letters (two from you as the author, and two in response) for each person in the group. The letters might comprise a collection from a family archive, from one famous person's collected correspondence, from the private correspondence of a business or institution (i. e., a university or government), or another collection of your choice that is accurate for the time period.

8. Photos should accompany letters. They can be part of a letter if scanned into a software publishing program.  Scanned photos need to be cited with the source shown on the page where it appears, and the full citation on the works cited page.

9. The group must have samples of its letters to share with the class, and respond to questions after the class has read the letters.  A concise summary of the key findings in the letters is also required from group members.

Design:

1. Use friendly letter and/or business letter styles when you construct the letters.

2. Look at historical examples in American Memory or other historic documents.

3. Envelopes and stamps add to the accuracy and authenticity of the project.