Heading into a collection of primary sources with a fixed idea is a recipe for disappointment. You will hear your students say things like:
- "There isn't any information about how LGBT Mexicans felt during repatriation."
- "I can't find any letters that talk about 'homesickness'."
- "I can't find any sources that talk about worker's rights."
In the above cases, students are heading into a collection with a rigid idea. Instead, students need to be flexible and curious.
Encourage students to:
- Explore alternate keywords or search strategies: the term 'homesick' is very specific and may not be used in a document. Maybe think about to whom one would express homesickness, or what they might miss about home.
- Allow the artifacts to lead them. Use the artifact analysis sheet to structure inquiry (see Evaluating...page at left).
- Were terms like repatriation, LGBT and worker's rights used during the time period being analyzed?
- Acknowledge gaps and silences in the archival record. What do we choose to save as a nation? Who is saving, collecting and providing access to primary sources? Some voices and perspectives are lost because of power dynamics in our collecting practices.
*see evaluating primary sources page at left for more guidance
