SO I HAVE SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION... NOW WHAT ?
Now that you have some basic knowledge about your topic, you have probably formulated some new questions. At this point you can start digging into more interesting sources with the hopes of discovering some original documents to evaluate for your specific needs. Choose a portion of your topic and again ask who, what, where, when, why, and how. You might not be able to answer all of these questions all the time, but they are the perfect guides to keep you on track. Different records can give you different types of information, and they can verify what you already know. About the Sources will give you an overview of the many types of original (primary) sources you might want to use in your research. Keep in mind the questions you want to answer as you look through the primary source list. Some records will be better at answering certain questions than others. FOR EXAMPLE: You want to know which house your grandfather lived in around 1900. To get the best results, you might choose to look at: • 1900 census records • City directories • Deeds • Photographs of the house or block • Plat maps • Fire insurance maps You might find the answer right away by looking at the census record, but do not exclude the other sources. You might discover some interesting information about the house itself which could then tell you more about your grandfather. The more examples you have to verify your answers the more confident you will be in your research. See How to “Read” Primary Sources for more information. As you explore a variety of records you will gain a better understanding of how valuable primary sources can be in your historical research.
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