List only those sources that you used to develop your entry. Sources of visual materials and oral interviews, if used, must also be included. You should also use the annotation to explain why you categorized a particular source as primary or secondary. The annotations for each source must explain how the source was used and how it helped you understand your topic. For help with questions of citations, you can check out Turabian or MLA guides from your local library.Īn annotated bibliography is required for all categories. It does not matter which of these two styles you use, but it is important to be consistent. Historians use Turabian but we know that many classes in middle school and high school teach the MLA style. To record the information the two acceptable styles of writing for NHD projects are Turabian and MLA. Another researcher might consult these same primary sources and reach a different conclusion. The primary and secondary sources McPherson used are listed in the bibliography. Understanding the context of your topic will help you make sense of the primary sources that you find. They are a great starting point in helping you see the big picture. The purpose of a secondary source is to help build the story of your research from multiple perspectives and to give your research historical context.Īn example of a secondary source is Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. Secondary sources are usually written decades, if not centuries, after the event occurred by people who did not live through or participate in the event or issue. Secondary sources are usually created by historians, but based on the historian's reading of primary sources. Primary sources help you to interpret what happened and why it happened.Įxamples of primary sources include documents, artifacts, historic sites, songs, or other written and tangible items created during the historical period you are studying.Ī secondary source is a source that was not created first-hand by someone who participated in the historical era. The purpose of primary sources is to capture the words, the thoughts and the intentions of the past. While you are researching a topic for an NHD project, you will read different types of sources: tertiary sources, secondary sources, and primary sources.Ī primary source is a piece of information about a historical event or period in which the creator of the source was an actual participant in or a contemporary of a historical moment. To understand the connections between your topic and the time period, begin reading about the time period and as you read ask yourself questions: why did my topic happen at this particular time and in this particular place? What were the events or the influences that came before my topic? How was my topic influenced by and how did it influence the economic, social, political, and cultural climate of the time period? All of these questions will help you to build the story of your topic and grasp the historical significance. This makes it much easier than trying to find your source back, cite it, and then try to come up with a unique, descriptive annotation. If you use this source in your work you may use your notes to do the annotation. Immediately!!! Start citing every source that you find and take notes. What do I do next? Build historical context by reading different types of sources. I have my topic and I know how it is connected to the NHD theme. Selecting a National History Day topic is a process of gradually narrowing down the area of history (period or event) that interests you to a manageable subject.īuilding Historical Context and Conducting Research I have an idea for a topic, now what? Narrow down the topic and connect it to the theme. Keep your list because you might need it again. From the ideas that you circled, select one to begin your research. Now go back through the list and circle the ideas that connect with the theme. Keep thinking, reading and talking to people until you have many ideas that are interesting. Talk with relatives, neighbors, or people you know who have lived through a particular time in history that interests you and add more ideas. Read books, newspapers or other sources of information and add to your list. Topics for research are everywhere! Think about a time in history or individuals or events that are interesting to you. How do I choose a topic? Think, read, talk.

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