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FW: Newspapers as Primary Sources



     This reminds me of a  bibliographic instruction/user education/library
instruction/whatever  session I had many years ago - before the advent of
WilsonWeb Omnifile.
     A Journalism Professor wanted the class to learn about searching for
articles in the periodical indexes, but, under no circumstances was I to
advocate the use of "Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature."  That was not
something to be used for college-level work.  The topic was - Treatment of
the Falkland Islands War in the Popular Press!
     So I led started the class by showing them Social Sciences Index,
Humanities Index, General Science Index and several other sources not
published by Wilson, as an introduction to the concept of periodical
indexes. Then I eliminated the ones which would not contribute to the
assignment and, finally help up Reader's Guide and repeated the teacher's
admonition that this should not be used. I flung it on the floor off to one
side and went on to show them how to search for information on the subject.
     Then I told them these were, of course, all secondary sources of
information.  They might want to use primary sources.  Where would you find
those indexed?  I glanced at the floor and continued to talk about the
actual samples of the popular press covering the war.
     Finally, I reached down, picked up Reader's Guide, and told them that,
in this case but in few others, the "primary sources" would be the magazine
articles which they could find through Reader's Guide.
(I also suggested the "New York Times Index" for an example of newspaper
coverage.
     And I told them that the tools to use, and what were or weren't primary
sources, depended on the subject of the research.  The teacher accepted it
graciously and we are still friends all these years later.
     Incidentally, I mentioned Omnifile because Reader's Guide is part of
it, but no one seems to question it anymore, perhaps because they don't
know. It's just another electronic search tool, and we all know what we find
electronically has to be valuable. Right?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sally Gibson [SMTP:sgibson0@CITY.TORONTO.ON.CA]
> Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2001 9:53 AM
> To:   ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Newspapers as Primary Sources
>
> Every primary source has to be subjected to the same range of questions
> about "truth" (whatever that might be) that Dean DeBolt mentions.....  And
> the much maligned National Enquirer would provide wonderful primary source
> information about public taste, popular culture, etc., etc. ... even if
> its gossip or weird events are not "true."
>

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