Select your topic:

Try the following questions to help you zero in on your topic:
 

• Does my topic fit the National History Day theme?
• Do I find my topic interesting?
• Can I find quality resources relating to my topic?
• Can my topic be effectively presented in the category of my choice?
• Can I relate my topic to other important historical events?
• Can I show the impact of my topic in history?
• What events led up to my topics occurrence?
• Why did my topic happen?
• What did my topic do?
• Who, What, or Where was impacted by my topic?
• Did my topic reach closure, or is it still happening?
• How did my topic change history?

The research:

What are sources?  Documents, people, recordings, or any other provider of information used to intrepret a topic are sources.  It is your job to select the most valuable and important sources for your research.  Use your sources to interpret how and why events occurred.

Primary Sources:

Archival documents, manuscript collections, diaries, personal collections, and photographs are all primary sources.  So are newspaper, magazine, or journal articles of the era if they are first-hand accounts written or taken at the time of the event.  The writer must be an eyewitness or a participant in the event.

Secondary Sources:

Books, articles, interviews, media productins or any other historical source that seeks to explain and interpret an event after the fact are all secondary sources.  The writer is not an eyewitness to, or a participant in the event.

Where to look:

Research is like detective work.  Good detectives are always looking for clues to help them answer questions. Your History Day topic is like a mystery to be solved.  As a historical detective, you will need to gather information and ask questions in order to draw conclusions.  You may be surprised where you find your best information.  The key is to keep looking and finding new sources of information on your topic.

Primary sources may be found in local, county and state archives, museums, historical societies, on microfiche and microfilm in major libraries, in government offices, corporations and businesses, interviews.

Compiling a bibliography:

Keep a record of all your sources in a notebook or on index cards. You should keep the following information from each source:

• Eitle of book, magazine, newspaper or document
• Author(s) complete name(s), as listed on the source
• Copyright date or date written
• Date published for newspaper, magazine
• Publisher
• City where published
• List of page(s) you actually used
• Name of person(s) interviewed
• Date and place of interview

• What type of reference is it?
• Does it discuss just one person or just one part of the topic?
• How did you use this source in preparing your entry?
• How did this source help you understand your topic?

Citations and bibliographic references must follow the principles in the most recent edition of one of the following reference style guides:

• Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (University of Chicago Press).
• The style guide of the Modern Language Association of America (MLA)

Process Paper, including Title Page, Research Description, and Bibliography

Each entry in the Project, Media and Performance categories must be accompanied by three copies of this report for the judges.  Paper entries are not required to have a "description of research," but must have a title page, footnotes (or endnotes) and the annotated bibliography.

TITLE PAGE

This should include only the following:

• Title of entry
• Student (s) name (s)
• Category
• Division (Junior or Senior)
• Grade

This is a one to two page description (no more than 500 words) of the ways in which you researched and developed your project.  Here is an outline with some questions that may help you write this report:

Introduction

• What is your entry about? (present your thesis statement)
• How did you get the idea for your topic and how does it relate to the History Day theme?
• How did you end up participating in History Day?

• Where did you find research sources?
• What were your most valuable sources?
• How did your ideas about your topic change as you did your research?
• What choices did you make about what information to include in your entry?
• How did you put your entry together?
• What were some problems you overcame?

• Why is it important to study your topic?
• How does it relate to changes in history?
• What conclusions have you drawn from your research?
• How has this been a valuable learning experience for you?

Put "Annotated Bibliography" at the top.  Separate your sources into "Primary" and "Secondary" and list them alphabetically under these headings.  Briefly describe how you used your sources underneath each entry.  Be sure to write in full sentences.  List picture or illustration credits on a separate page.

Some more hints:

• Write on only one side of the page.
• Type, word-process, or print the document with double spacing.
• Use only black or blue ink on the document.
• Staple document in the upper left-hand corner.
• Don't use binders or any other cover.

The presentation:

Once you have completed your research and decided on the category for your presentation, the following checklists should help you develop a schedule to complete your entry on time.  Set a timetable for the completion of each item on the checklist.

Historical papers must be typed, double-spaced, and between 1500 and 2500 words.  Notes, annotated bibliography, illustration captions, and supplemental appendix material do not count in that total.  The paper must be footnoted (or endoted) in the proper citation style.

Items to be completed:

• Notecards from primary and secondary sources completed
• Develop outline
• Rough draft of paper completed
• Final draft of paper completed
• Rough draft of bibliography completed
• Final draft of bibliography completed
• Paper checked for proper margins and rules compliance
• Paper and bibliography proofread and corrected
• Four copies of paper and bibliography mailed to the University of Memphis

Projects include the visual display, the 500-word summary of the research process and the bibliography.  Overall size of the project must be no larger than 40 inches wide, 30 inches deep, and six feet high.

Projects should have the title clearly displayed, with sections labeled and in a sequence that is easy to understand.  Use captions under all pictures or visuals, not to exceed 500 student-composed words.  Captions with quotes must be footnoted and artifacts identified.  It's a very good idea to make a detailed drawing of the project before beginning construction.

Items to be completed:

• Rough drawing of the project
• Selection of the construction materials
• Cut out or buy lettering
• If using photographs, take pictures and have developed early
• Mount pictures/visuals
• Write captions for pictures/visuals
• Type final draft of captions
• Mount visuals on project.
• Four copies of paper and bibliography for History Day judges
• Prepare emergency kit for History Day, include scissors, tape, pens, glue, extra copies of paper, etc.
• Prepare a cover for the project to protect it while transporting to History Day

Media entries include videotape presentations, slide shows, and computer programs.  VCRs/monitors, and projection screens are available at the History Day event.  Students must supply all other equipment.  Media presentations may last up to ten minutes, with five minutes allowed to set up and remove the equipment.

Items to be completed:

• Write tentative script, outline, or storyboard for presentation
• Decide on location shots, interviews, still pictures from books, magazines, etc.
• Buy slide film or video tape
• Take pictures or videotape
• Write script to go with each visual scene
• Record script (may include music and sound effects)
• Synchronize script with music and visuals
• Check entry for compliance with all History Day rules
• Four copies of paper and bibliography for History Day judges
• Prepare emergency kit for History Day, include extra copy of paper, extra carousel for slides, spare video tape, spare sound tape, extension cords, or any other materials that may break or not work

Performances are dramas depicting an event, person, or place.  These dramas are written, directed, and acted by the individual performer or group members.   They may be up to ten minutes long, with five minutes allowed to set up and tear down.  Scenery may be used, with lighting or sound effects, but all extra equipment mut be run by the students in the group.

Items to be completed:

• Write tentative script, or outline of the presentation. Include characters, times, location, thesis statement, supporting ideas and conclusion
• Prepare costumes to reflect the time, mood, theme and place
• Prepare setting/scenery
• Write dialogue using story outline
• Block performance to go with setting and script
• Write final draft of script
• Videotape performance to critique entry
• Four copies of paper and bibliography for History Day judges
• Prepare an emergency kit for History Day, include spare script, items that may be needed to repair the set, extension cords, safety pins for ripped costumes, needle and thread, and any other breakable items.