Honors 9th Literature: Artifact Research “To-Do”
Next week you will be writing your family artifact article, so you will need to spend some time with family this
weekend, talking about objects you possess that might be historically or culturally significant. Please complete
the following items below to prepare for researching and writing the article.
1. Review “A 19th-Century Ghost Awakens to Redefine 'Soul'” by Molly O’Neill; consider the questions
from the assignment sheet that we answered in class as well as the structure of the article. Since you will
model your article after this one, it will help to know what type of information you need.
2. Decide what your artifact will be. Talk with your parents/family.
3. After you have decided, find the answers to the following questions:
a. Type of object
b. Date of origin; date of use
c. Place of origin; place(s) of use
d. Material
e. Past ownership
f. Object’s use(s)
g. Further description of object, purpose, user and/or significance to family’s cultural history
4. Now, dig deeper and start considering how you can find information to write an article about your
artifact. Consider the questions below. Answer them by discussing with family and researching online
(see the back for tips for research). When you ask your family questions, write their answers down so
you can incorporate those quotes into your article.
a. Why is the artifact considered a great find?
b. Why did the artifact inspire you to research it?
c. In what way does the artifact symbolize something larger than itself?
d. What resources will you need to consult in your search for more information about the artifact?
e. What obstacles may you face in your search?
f. What clues can prompt your research?
g. Why might the artifact offer an interesting view of a culture’s history?
Researching for your Family Artifact Article:
Interviews
Interviewing family members is one way to find information about a family artifact. From your list of
questions, select a few that can be best answered by the people who have owned the object or people who are
close to those who have owned it. Be sure to write down especially emotional, moving, or interesting quotes.
Physical Research
While looking closely at the artifact, note any markings or unusual factors that might lead you to information
about the manufacturer, time period, materials, or country of origin. You might take several pictures of the
artifact (picture may be included in final article).
Online Research
Check to be sure your source is reliable.
Unreliable:
 trying to sell something
 heavy on pretty pictures and light on substance
 biased (emotional or persuasive words)
 links to advertisements, pop ups
Reliable:
 backed by scholarly research or published material
 has a qualified author
 grammatically sound
 documents sources
 scholarly links
Search for information related to:
 the markings found on the object
 similar items (ie. If your object is a quilt, you will find information on quilting or similar quilt patterns)
 historical or cultural context of the object (time period, regional significance, etc.)
Some Websites to Get You Started…
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/expertslibrary.html
http://antiques.about.com/od/researchingantiques/u/Researching.htm
http://antiques.about.com/
Don’t Forget Cobb Digital Library…
https://cobb.mackinvia.com/