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WRPR 182: The American Family in Historical Perspective (HC)

Writing Program 182: The American Family in Historical Perspective (Lapsansky) Spring 2023

Doing Research

This guide contains research tools and materials for your class projects.  Use the tabs on the left to navigate through the guide.  Resources with  *** will be the most helpful.  Use them to explore research connected to your family story by answering these questions.

 

    Carol M. Highsmith, Family Day at the Alabama River Pulp Company, 2010 (Source: Wikimedia Commons, public domain)

 

Introduction

The resources here will provide you with academic material for your essay.  When you select and read articles, be aware of the following issues:

 

    • Expertise - What is the author's training?  Has he or she published other material in this subject area?

 

    • Audience - Who are the intended readers?  Is it for the general public or for college students and researchers?

 

    • Discipline Focus - What subject approach does the author take?  Historical, religious, literary?  If literary, is there a special interest in a particular kind of interpretation, such as linguistic, psychoanalytic or gendered?

 

    • Documentation - Is there a bibliography for further reading?  Are there titles there that are new to you?

 

    • Date - If the article or book was published more than 10 years ago, can you find a more recent point-of-view?