Building an Archive

Introduction

Organizing and storing your information in a logical and easily accessible manner is very important. You can build up an archive during your research by organising the sources of your information in a specific format that is user-friendly and releases needed information easily.

In this section of how to conduct and present historical research, we look at how you source information from books, images and graphics, and interviews.

Books

If you used a large number of books you must compile a bibliography containing the following information:

author
date of publication
title
place of publication
publisher

You may not be able to keep the book in your library at home, but a bibliography will enable you to easily access the data at a later date.

Images and graphics

Sources of information like graphics, paintings, drawings, maps and photographs should also be stored. You may not be able to keep originals of the images, but copies can be used.

Arrange the pictures in alphabetical order and keep the different images in groups.

If you do have original photographs you must remember to store them out of the sun to prevent fading.

Tips: You could also laminate the documents for better preservation.

Interviews

Copies of interviews should be kept in written and tape form. Mark the tapes and documents clearly and file them alphabetically. You can also enter all your written data into computer and store it on disk. This will take up less space and is easy to manage, copy and distribute.

Remember that the storage of your sources like pamphlets, letters and other documents is very important. You should make photocopies of the originals in order to ensure that nothing gets lost. Your notes are also important and should be stored in your archive with the rest of your research information.

Handle the contents of your archive with care in order to prolong its life span. You can store your documents in a filing cabinet, or even in boxes. Keep in mind that rodents, insects and damp should be kept away from your archive in order to protect its contents.

Next page: An easy format for you to follow

Previous page: Writing and presenting your findings

References

How to use the internet as a research tool

Oral history - an educational tool for educators and learners

Source: Unpublished material from 3 Provincial History Conferences, December 2002, supplied by Claire Dyer, SA History Project, National Dept. of Education.

Conducting & Presentation