By Laura Hechtlinger, class of 2012.
In history 304 we recently completed a research project where we had to find documents from different collections (i.e. from a manuscript collection, in microfilm, etc) relating to a specific topic. Below are a few lessons I learned while doing research for this project.
The first thing that really stuck with me after doing research for this project was the concept of figuring out all the figures involved in the topic. I focussed my research on Daniel Kauffman and his involvement in a fugitive slave case. Had I not learned about the judges involved in the trial, I never would have found any reference to this case when performing my initial search in microfilm. Neither Kaufman’s name nor the names of the others directly involved in the case were mentioned in the Carlisle Herald during the time period in which I was searching. However, I managed to find reference to the trial when one of the judges’ names was mentioned in a brief excerpt.
Another key point I would bring up is looking at available material even if you don’t think it relates directly to what you’re searching for at first glance. For example, I came across an interesting manuscript collection. The collection related to the topic of slavery, though at first glance did not have any direct connections to the Kaufman trial. It looked interesting though, and so I decided to look through it. Though this was probably good luck more than anything, the Kaufman case happened to be written about in this collection. I guess this could be summed up by just saying to be thorough in your research and looking at articles pertaining to the general theme of what you’re researching even if it doesn’t directly pertain to your specific topic– you may find something you would never have come across otherwise.
My final point would fall under my previous point- again the idea of being thorough. Checking spelling (searching for things spelled differently) was something which enabled me to broaden search results on multiple accounts. Though throughout this post I have referred to Kaufman with the spelling K-a-u-f-m-a-n, his name in the recording of the trial was spelled Cauffman, and in other records the spelling of his name ranged from everything and anything in between.