Archival Methd: Rights to Info

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Course Title: Archival Methods: Rights to Information *Fulfills Core Methods Requirement. Archives are collections of information or records. The discovery and interpretation of archival material is at the heart of many forms of research from a range of academic disciplines to professionals practicing journalism, history, law, and public policy. Understanding what information can be found, where it is, and how to get your hands on it is what we cover in this course. Finding records is only half the battle, however. Once located, archival materials must be interpreted within the context of other secondary sources and used in a way that meets certain disciplinary or professional standards. This course takes full advantage of the incredible history and archives located in Washington, D.C. The course is broken down into four parts, each tackling a different aspect of archival methods. The first is requesting information from public entities (like law enforcement or public transportation agencies and libraries or schools). Students will not only learn the history and rights associated with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) but will, in groups, submit FOIA requests for information. We cover FOIA requests first in the hopes of actually receiving responses before the end of the semester. Second, we will get comfortable in the archives, which can be incredibly intimidating. We will discuss the realities of digital archives as we attempt to use them to understand computing and internet history. We will then visit two technology-related archives here in D.C.. Third, we will travel to three of the most important buildings in America: the Law Library of Congress (where students will get researcher/library cards), the Library of Congress, and the National Archives. Finally, after a visit to the Lemelson Center to look at inventor and technology business collections, we will discuss how to track down information about people, businesses, and organizations like arrest, tax, voting, and ownership records. Each visit and class will include readings of research products from the collections to better understand how resources can be successfully utilized and assignments to develop skills, comfort, and confidence. A final short research proposal (3-5 pages) on a topic of the student’s choice will be due at the end of the course, that includes specific, detailed sources from each of the four portions of the course. Please note that many of the class sessions in this course do not take place on campus but prompt attendance is expected. Required books: Michael Schudson, The Rise of the Right to Know (2015). Wm. David Sloan and Michael Stamm, Historical Methods in Communication, 3rd ed. (2017). Michael Sankey and Cynthia Hetherington, The Manual to Online Public Records (2016).