Contemporary Research
Contemporary sources are those which have information close to the source, either timewise or location (paperwork generated from the research itself). Primary sources are those that are directly related or involved with an event, and it is highly desirable that you find and use them. Most researchers are going to find their contemporary information in journal, magazine, and newspaper articles. In addition, this information can be found on the Internet. Contemporary sources remain "contemporary" even after the passage of time. Thus, a newspaper article from 1864 about the American Civil War is a contemporary source even though it was written over a century ago. To identify articles, you will need to use an index. Generally speaking (this does not always apply any more), the index just lets you know that an article has been published. You then need to check SAGE to find out if Colorado State University owns the journal that the article is in. See How to Determine if Colorado State Owns a Journal for details. Morgan Library has literally hundreds of different indexes to choose from. (Some of the electronic indexes are available to students, faculty, and staff from remote sites.) If you don't know which index to select, do not hesitate to ask at the Information Desk for assistance. See How to Find Articles in Journals and Magazines for additional information. Go over How to Evaluate an Article for each article you find to assess its validity and usefulness. A final question to ask yourself is, "Is this useful for MY research?" Be sure to read through How to Evaluate a Web Page for guidelines in evaluating this source of information. Go to next step.