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FYS-101 (Campus) Information Literacy Lessons 2023-24

This guide contains the information literacy lessons for the SNHU First Year Seminar FYS-101 course offered on campus for the 2023-24 academic year.

FYS101 Primary Source Collections

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... 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 https://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/history/resources/primarysources

Primary Source Examples

Newspaper Ad for reward for return of Oney Judge, escaped slave
A newspaper ad
Facebook post by Antiracist Activist & Author Ibram X. Kendi
A tweet
George Washington's dentures
An artifact
;Ona Judge historical street sign
An historical marker

How will we use Primary Sources in FYS?

In First Year Seminar (FYS101) you will be presented with Collections of primary sources that reflect topics connected by a common theme.

See the following Example Primary Source Collection:

Example Collection: Doing Time and 5 primary sources related to the history of the US criminal justice system and its injustices to Black lives and liberty as described below.

The topics and primary sources for each topic for this Example Collection are:

Primary sources are original documents (photos, documents, artifacts, letters, artworks, etc.) usually created at the time of an event. 

Final Project

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

Choose a Collection

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. (To see a larger version of any individual source on a collection card, click on the card below, and open the folder and select the source you would like to see larger.)

Choose five Collections you find the most interesting and check them off on the Primary Source Collection Selection Form (at the bottom of the Collection images below) and upload to the assignment in Brightspace.

Personal Property

Primary Source Collection: Personal Property with 5 topics and corresponding primary sources as listed below.

Maid in America

Primary Source Collection: Maid in America with 5 topics and corresponding primary sources listed below.

America's Game

Primary Source Collection: America's Game with 5 football related topics and corresponding primary sources as listed below.

Skin Deep

Primary Source Collection: Skin Deep with 5 colorism related topics and corresponding primary sources as listed below.

Common Knowledge

Primary Source Collection: Common Knowledge with 5 schooling related topics and corresponding primary sources as listed below.

Malpractice

Primary Source Collection: Malpractice and 5 primary sources relating to medical racism as listed below.

Equity & Exclusion

Primary Source Collection: Equity & Excludion and 5 primary sources relating to segregation & housing discrimination as listed below.

White Lies

Primary Source Collection: White lies and 5 primary sources relating to whitewashing in our history & culture as listed below.

Debts of Service

Primary Source Collection: Debts of Service and 5 primary sources relating to hope & burden of military service for Black people as listed below.

Right of Passage

Primary Source Collection: Right of Passage and 5 primary sources relating to historical efforts to limit and control the mobility of Black people as listed below.

Purchasing Power

Primary Source Collection: Purchasing Power and 5 primary sources relating to business savvy and resilience of Black-owned businesses serving Black communities as listed below.

Once you have closely viewed the Collections above, download the Primary Source Collection Selection Form below and select the five Collections that most interest you and submit to Brightspace.

Spring 24 Primary Source Collections

Scan this QR code or go directly to the Collection Cards slidesThis link opens in a new window. Topics and/or Primary Sources have embedded links to leading to an overview source that explains each topic/primary source.

QR code for FYS Collections