fns 1020: introduction to first nations studies dan sich, first nations studies librarian
TRANSCRIPT
FNS 1020: INTRODUCTION TO FIRST NATIONS STUDIESDan Sich, First Nations Studies Librarian
Overview
Primary and secondary sources Finding journal articles (hands-on) Search tips Evaluating sources
Primary vs. secondary sources
Primary vs. secondary sourcesGenerally speaking… Primary = created at time of event Secondary = created later, looking back
on event
Primary or secondary?
Primary Secondary
Someone’s diary entries about their experiences as a soldier
A journal (diary) from 1942
A soldier’s letters to his parents
Letters from 1942
An article about WWII
A newspaper article from 1942
A history book about WWII, written in 1990
A book about WWII
A 2004 journal article framing the debate between Jesuit priests and Indigenous chiefs as a debate between Western and Indigenous ideas and knowledge.
A journal article…
The transcripts of the Ojibwa-Jesuit debate at Walpole Island, 1844
Transcripts…
A 1994 journal article discussing, and reproducing the transcripts of, The Ojibwa-Jesuit debate at Walpole Island, 1844
Journal article with transcripts…
An interview (recorded today), about a battle in WWII, with a veteran who was involved
Interview…
Primary sources are strong ‘evidence’Secondary sources provide interpretationYou can use bothKnow what you’re using, and why
Why does it matter?
Where are the journal articles?
Databases and journal articlesAll of these are linked from the course
library guide: Google Scholar Summon iPortal (Indigenous Studies Portal) Bibliography of Native North Americans
Points for hands-on and live demos1. Demonstrate a search2. What types of things are you finding?3. Does the database have a subject focus?4. Are there descriptions/abstracts of search
results?5. Can you see links to full text?6. Do you think the results are relevant?7. What do you like about this search engine?8. What don’t you like about this search engine?9. Would you use it for your own research?
(blind date example)
Searching
Ideas for a topic
Traditional ecological knowledge Indigenous knowledge Colonization Indigenous environmental thought Native speeches
Research topic & question
General research topic: traditional indigenous ecological knowledge
Specific research question: How is traditional indigenous ecological knowledge transmitted?
Specific search strategy
Tradition*AND
(indigenous OR native OR indian OR aboriginal)AND
(ecolog* OR environment*)AND
(knowledge OR thought)AND
(transmi* OR teach* OR learn*)
How do you know?
Is this article any good?
Evaluating sources: the CRAAP test* Currency: Is it up-to-date? Relevance [after next slide] Authority: Who wrote it? [next slide] Accuracy: Can you verify it? Purpose: Why was it written? Bias?
*see link to video tutorial on library course page
Authority (for this particular topic) Deborah
McGregor Gregory Cajete Vine Deloria Leroy Little Bear Jim Dumont Winona LaDuke Joe Couture
Marlete Brant Castellano
Marie Battiste James Sa’ke’j
Youngblood Henderson
Linda Smith Graham Smith
Relevance
Where (i.e. in what journal) was it published?
(How) Does it relate to your topic? Read book table of contents Read article abstract/description Skim the article
How to read/skim an article
1. Abstract (menu)2. Intro3. Conclusion4. Middle
image source: http://www.drivinganddining.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/0_61_hamburger1.jpg
Summary
Primary and secondary sources Finding journal articles: hands-on Searching tips Evaluating sources
