Portrait of Copernicus
Department of the History of Science
History of Science, Medicine, and Technology

Archival Research Trips: A Few Rules of Thumb
by Helen Tilley, UW Visiting Professor

Provisos of Thesis and Dissertation Research:

  1. “Small keys open big doors” – Your dissertation needs to be narrow enough – topically, temporally, geographically – for you to get to rock-bottom with your evidence.
  2. While the secondary literature structures the kinds of conversations you have with other scholars, your primary sources provide the point of departure for your arguments.
  3. Your dissertation ought to move debates in your field(s); you do this by foregrounding what’s at stake in choosing between different kinds of interpretations or arguments.
  4. Don’t be afraid to have a healthy skepticism of theoretical approaches and underlying assumptions in the secondary literature: let your evidence guide what you embrace and what you question in other people’s work.
  5. Original research rests on an iceberg of evidence. What ultimately goes in your study reflects the visible tip, but what makes your work rigorous is the invisible mountain below.

Preparatory Work for Archival Research outside the US/UK:

  1. Know what exists in the US/UK, including archival and primary published sources.
    • The more thorough your preparatory research beforehand, the more effective you will be when you begin to review sources in the archives. There are numerous bibliographic and archival finding aids that are very useful in determining what kinds of primary sources exist in this country and the UK. Three web sites that are essential for general searches are:

      Archive Finder: http://archives.chadwyck.com
      The National Archives UK: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
      National Register of Archives (UK): www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra

      The last site allows you to search for the collections of particular individuals or specific institutions. It is not always comprehensive,
      but it provides a good start.

  2. Know what exists – to the extent possible – in the countries you will visit.
    • Often there are people at your university and elsewhere who have done research in the same countries you are visiting. Talk with or e-mail them. Get a sense of the order and logic of the archives, the accuracy or inaccuracy of finding aids, and even the names of individuals who might be able to help once you are there. A relatively recent web source that is increasingly useful with respect to African archives (for instance) is Africa Research: www.africaresearch.org.
    • History discussion lists (i.e. H-net with its many regional and topical specialties) are also very helpful for putting out general inquiries about how to track down sources, individuals, and collections.
    • Bibliographies of other scholars invariably point to key collections; don’t feel the need to remake the wheel if others have done similar work before you. This will also help you know what has not been done.
    • Explore compilations of primary sources (not to be confused with finding aids) and biographical/institutional histories.
  3. Prepare a bibliography of sources, evidence, and files beforehand for reference.

Working in the Archive(s):

  1. Use the first day (or few days) to familiarize yourself with the finding aids and full collections. Lateral searches often turn up unexpected sources and evidence.
  2. Speak to any and all archivists familiar with the collections.
    • Invariably there will be people there who actually know a lot about what is in storage and might be able to offer good tips. Sometimes they even offer direct access.
  3. Don’t be afraid to spend some of your time looking through published sources you may have access to back in the US/UK. Alternating between the archives and published evidence helps paint a fuller picture while you’re doing research and often reminds you of particular leads you need to follow-up in the archives themselves.
    • As an example, while doing research on the Amani East African Agricultural Research Station in the Kenya archives, I took a few days to look through the East African Agricultural Journal, which I had never systematically examined. This yielded several extremely important articles the histories of which I was then able to examine in the archives. Had I waited until my return to the UK, I would never have uncovered these links.
  4. Be consistent and thorough with your note-taking!!!
    • Computers and cameras are incredibly useful, but sometimes risky (i.e. theft or loss). Regardless of your note-taking method, make sure to record all the salient data concerning each file and document examined. Dates, authors, locations, professional affiliations, etc, etc, are critical. Things that seem unforgettable at the moment quickly fade from memory in just a few days or weeks.
  5. Read as much as you can while on site and jot down ideas as they occur to you.
    • Taking pictures or making photocopies ensures you have the material for the future, but it is no substitute for absorbing and analyzing what you’re examining in the moment. It may seem to slow you down, but the intellectual payoff tends to be high since it allows you to explore other topics and jot down ideas and hunches that are often the kernels of over-arching arguments.
  6. Give yourself enough time on your trips to pursue leads that take you away from the archives themselves.
    • A few days in local libraries or research institutes can sometimes provide phenomenal new evidence. This also allows you to interact with other people who may know something about the subjects you’re investigating. You may locate material in these places that you would like to photocopy or photograph. This is sometimes difficult or prohibited, so be prepared to take extra measures if you wish to copy something. (The benefit of your preparatory work comes into play here; often most printed documents will exist somewhere in the US. If you have done thorough preparatory research you will know if what you’re looking at is available “back home” or if you need to make sure you copy it.)
  7. Upon your return, collate material, consolidate your notes, and write-up anything you can while it is still fresh in your mind. Your motto: write early, write often!
  8. And always back-up your notes and materials: research trips can be expensive and time-consuming and there is nothing worse – nothing! – than losing your notes for whatever reason.
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