1. Getting Started

First Things First - Assignment Requirements

Before you begin work on any research project, examine the assignment closely for any requirements.

Q. How long is the paper?

Check the word number or page requirements.

Q. How many sources?

Check how many sources you will need for this assignment.

Q. What kind of sources?

You will need to use a mix of primary and secondary sources for your essay.

Primary sources are from the time period, first person perspectives on what happened. Newspapers, diaries, letters, political cartoons, etc.

Secondary sources are from later that reflect on the event or time period. History books, historical journals, newspaper articles written months or years later fall into this category. Usually, they are trying to make an argument or tell a story.

Q. How do you cite sources?

Use MLA format for your citations. You may want to remind yourself what information you need to create the MLA Works Cited page and in-text citations.

Q. What is due?

What do you have to turn in? Do you need to complete an annotated bibliography? Or is it just the paper? Are there other pieces like a rough draft, outline, summary, reading response, a tutorial, etc.? Make note of all the parts of the assignment and create a checklist to make sure you don't leave anything out.

Q. When is it due?

How long do you have to work on this project? Is there one due date for everything or are there multiple due dates for different parts of the assignment? Plan out your time, so you don't get stuck doing all the work at the last minute. Plan extra time in case you have problems or get stuck.

Q. What other requirements should you make note of?

Are there requirements to include a certain number of quotes or paraphrases? Do you need to have a certain number of paragraphs? Do you need visuals/images? current statistics? Make note of any other requirements on the assignment sheet, and ask your instructor for clarification on any parts you're not sure about.

Selecting a Topic

The first thing you need to do before you begin a research project is to select a topic that you're going to write about.

Your topic should be inspired by the themes in North of Main: community identity, cultural preservation, place and belonging, historical memory, etc. Think about how the community you choose created, maintained, or adapted their identity over time.

Some possible communities to consider for the assignment include:

How immigrant communities created identity and belonging in new places.
- Examples: Italian-Americans in NYC, Irish communities in Boston, Chinese immigrants and exclusion, German settlement communities
How work and place shaped community identity and culture
- Examples: Lowell textile workers, Appalachian coal mining towns, Detroit auto workers, company towns
How faith communities preserved and adapted cultural traditions
- Examples: Mormon migration and settlement, Amish community practices, Jewish immigrant communities, Protestant denominational movements, evangelical communities and social reform, Native American missions
How education shaped community development and cultural preservation
- Examples: One-room schoolhouses and rural communities, GI Bill impact on families, desegregation and community change
How women built communities and preserved cultural knowledge
- Examples: Women's club movement, settlement house networks, professional women's associations, domestic advice culture