FYS101 Research Exercises - 2022/23

Welcome to FYS Research Exercise Two!

Outcomes

When you finish this research exercise, you will be able to:

• identify some essential differences between primary, secondary and tertiary sources
• Be able to identify and describe some characteristics of a primary source
• Review the nine FYS Primary Source Collections and select five Collections you find most interesting

How to do Research Exercise 2

To complete Research Exercise 2, you will:

• Click on the link below to download the Research Exercise #2 document and save it to your device with the file name: Your Name - Research Exercise 2
• Watch the video below, read the definition of a Primary Source, and view the 9 Collection Cards
• Check off the five Collections you find most interesting on the Research Exercise #2 document
• Save it after you have completed it
• Click on this link to be taken to Brightspace This link opens in a new window in a new tab
  • Search for your FYS101 course
  • Click on Assignments in the drop-down under Course Menu
  • Click on Research Exercise 2 in the Assignments List
  • Upload your Research Exercise #2 document to the Research Exercise 2 assignment

Types of Information Sources

Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources

Watch this video which explains generally what PRIMARY, SECONDARY, and TERTIARY sources are, and provides some examples of each type. These are not comprehensive, but designed to give you an idea about these three general types of sources. 

What are Primary Sources?

Primary sources are original records created at the time historical events occurred or well after events in the form of memoirs and oral histories. Primary sources may include letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, documents produced by government agencies such as Congress or the Office of the President, audio recordings, moving pictures or video recordings, research data, and objects or artifacts such as works of art or ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons.

Taken from the American Library Association / Reference and User Services Association http://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/history/resources/pubs/usingprimarysources

How will we use Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources in FYS?

In First Year Seminar (FYS101) you will be researching PRIMARY SOURCES for your final project. These are original documents (photos, documents, artifacts, letters, etc.) created at the time of an event. You will use SECONDARY and TERTIARY sources written since then to understand your PRIMARY SOURCE better and to connect it to the present day.

FYS101 Primary Source Collections

For your Final Project in FYS101, you and a team of your peers will select one of the nine  "Primary Source Collections" below to research. As an individual, you will research one of the four primary sources in the Collection. Together, your team will bring together your research on all four of the primary sources in your Collection and present your knowledge to the class at the end of the semester.

Scroll through the Collections below, paying attention to each Collection's theme and description. Notice which Collection themes and/or primary sources capture your attention and interest most. You don't need to research any of these Collections now. At this point, you just want to assess which Collections most spark your interest.

Choose five Collections you find the most interesting and check them off on the Research Exercise #2 assignment, and then follow the directions above to save and upload the assignment to Brightspace.This link opens in a new window

For Spring 2023, do not use Collection 5 (below). It is the example.

FYS101 Final Team Project Description

• Each FYS class will divide into groups of four students called "teams" 
• Each team of four students will select one Primary Source Collection to research.
• Each student will research independently ONE primary source from their team's Collection through the SIX research exercises culminating in an Individual Summary of Findings at the end of Research Exercise #6.
• Each team will then craft a "Team Summary of Findings" to prepare for their EXPERT PANEL PRESENTATION.

Expert Panel Presentation

What is an Expert Panel?

A panel consists of a small group of people who are chosen for their knowledge or experience to discuss a topic before an audience. In this last step of your journey together as a team, you are invited to share your knowledge with your classmates by presenting as an Expert Panel on the subject of your Primary Source Collection.  

How will the Panel Presentations be Structured?

A Q/A period will kick-off the Expert Panel presentation… 

• The Expert Panel will take seats at the front of the room, where their Primary Source Collection will be projected. 
• The audience will convene in their teams & use Question Formulation Technique to generate, prioritize, & select ONE question about the Expert Panel’s Primary Source Collection. 
• Each audience team will ask their question to the Panel. 
• The Panel will respond (& record any questions they can’t answer).  *From the formulation to the asking of questions, the Q/A period will take no more than 10-15 minutes.
• The Expert Panel will then give a 5-minute presentation.

What is required in an Expert Panel Presentation?

After Q/A, your team will have 5 minutes to summarize highlights from your Team Summary of Findings, as follow:

• Collection theme
• “Hard history” findings
• Efforts at repair (historical & / or contemporary)
• Present-day implications
• Any remaining questions that your team did not answer

How will our Presentation be Evaluated?  Here are some tips:

• Listen & Respond – listen & respond to your audience’s questions & interests
• Engage Equally – give everyone in your team a solid role in the Q/A period as well as the Expert Panel presentation.
• Be Concise – deliver your Expert Panel presentation in a well-organized, summary form
• Speak.  Don’t Read – speak in an engaging way; use bullet points on a notecard; DON’T read verbatim from a script
• Use Visuals – as you present, point to the projected Primary Sources in your Collection.  *If you wish to add more visuals to your presentation, go ahead but keep it simple—no more than one extra visual for any Primary Source

Why does our Team have to be an Audience?

This assignment invites not only your knowledge as an Expert Panel, but also your engagement with other teams’ findings as an audience. If you perform your roles both as a Panel of Experts & as an engaged audience team, our class will learn (& enjoy) so much more.

What Skills will we gain from this Assignment? You will…

• Formulate, consider & respond to questions
• Collaborate as a team to deliver a brief, effective presentation of your research findings
• Share & invite the ideas and questions of others

Due Dates & Grading

The Expert Panel is STEP 8 in your Final Project. See your syllabus for due dates.