Archives and archival collections are unique constellations of unpublished records made in the course of normal activities. Archives are comprised of primary sources, but not all primary sources are archival.
Archival research is the practice of performing primary research to extract information from archival records.
Different archives (college/university, government, historical society, corporate archives, government archives, religious archives etc.) collect different materials. For broader description of the types of materials various archives collect, see the Society of American Archivists’ Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research, Types of Archives. *Note* The Society of American Archivists’ list is not inclusive of community archives which are collections, typically not found in institutional repositories, that are created and maintained by the community that produces said collections.
Archival materials are organized into collections, typically based on who created them.
This is the WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY part. Gather names, topics, places, time periods, etc.
What types of materials will help answer your questions? Will you need to see primary sources? What are they, and how will you find them?
How to Initiate Research
There are many questions to ask when beginning research in an archive. First, do the ground work by developing questions and doing preliminary research.Then ask yourself who may have created the collection why, where and when was the collection created. Second, keep in mind how the manuscripts, correspondence, diaries, photographs, audio-visual materials, computer files, scrapbooks and meeting minutes, etc. might help your research.