Teaching with Special Collections

These activities are designed to introduce students to basic skills needed for the study of history. The exercises address recommendations outlined in the "Information Literacy Guidelines and Competencies for Undergraduate History Students" created in 2013 by the History Section of the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association. Those guidelines state that students should be able to:

• Understand the structure of historical information and the historical research process.
• Identify and locate historical research sources through appropriate methods, techniques, and tools.
• Critically evaluate and interpret the body of historical research uncovered.
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose and to develop a historical argument.
• Understand and respect the ethical conventions of the historical discipline.

Additional exercises are currently being developed. Feel free to contact a Special Collections staff member to discuss your particular needs or for advice on tailoring an exercise to your curriculum.

Please select an activity listed at left to continue.