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The CCRA blog is authored by Columbia undergraduate researchers, who are invited to reflect on all aspects of the research process and their own undergraduate research experiences, beginning (but not ending) with the Core.
Category Archives: Archives
They Didn’t Understand Rage: Columbia 1968 and Community Roundtables
“They were just so far from an understanding of rage. They didn’t understand the feeling,” says David Schiller, a Fayerweather Hall occupier during the 1968 protest at Columbia. Schiller captured what lay at the core of the divide between the … Continue reading
Posted in Historic Sites, New York City, Uncategorized
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Oh the Movies You’ll See: Columbia’s Video Streaming Resources
When visited in person or even online, the Columbia libraries are huge, dense, and endlessly intimidating. Interesting books populate every shelf of Butler and CLIO search, and while you’d love to read them all—and incorporate them into your latest research … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Columbia Libraries
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In Search of an Original Contribution
When I began the senior thesis process, my seminar instructors made it clear that my project should address a “gap in the scholarship” in order to make an “original contribution.” This terrified me. I had serious doubts that I, at … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Faculty Mentors, Libraries, Senior Thesis, Uncategorized
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Hunting for the Right Archives
In my last blog post, I wrote about the preparation that goes into preparing to write a senior thesis, especially in Columbia’s history department. Since then, I’ve received a few questions on archives: how to locate them; how to plan … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Coursework, Historic Sites, Interviews, Libraries, major research, Senior Thesis
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Researching in Small Archives: Sample Emails
In my previous blog post, I wrote about researching in small archives. This week I am sharing tips for making contact with small archives. While the art of the cold e-mail may differ somewhat depending on who you write, think … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Faculty Mentors, Historic Sites, Libraries, major research, New York City, Summer Research, The Humanities
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Preparing to Prepare to Write a Senior Thesis in History
Officially, the preparation for writing a thesis in the history department begins in the spring prior to the yearlong process of writing a thesis. Every March or so, the department will reach out to declared history majors and call for … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Faculty Mentors, major research, Senior Thesis, The Humanities
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Researching in Small Archives: Tips and Advice
Today I’m here to talk about my experiences with small archives, which have been not only invaluable to my research but also some of my fondest research memories. I will first introduce these archives, explain some aspects of how they … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Historic Sites, Libraries, major research, New York City, Senior Thesis, The Humanities, Uncategorized
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FLI @ Columbia: Losing Your Mind In Seminar? Some Tips & Tricks
As the sixth week of the fall semester wraps up, I return to a feeling of frustration with my History seminars I know all too well. Despite enrolling in at least one History seminar every semester since my sophomore spring, … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, courses, Faculty Mentors, major research, postgraduation plans, Senior Thesis, Uncategorized
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A Beginner’s Guide to Grant Proposals
A grant can provide the foundational financial support needed to launch a new initiative or revitalize an existing one. Grants range in terms of funding packages large and small and stem from a variety of sources, including state governments, city … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Funding, major research, STEM research, Summer Research, The Humanities
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Exploring Paris through Its Archives
Archival research is already demanding enough as is, so the challenge can only mount when researching in a foreign language in a foreign archive. If you find yourself in this situation, however, fret not! In the blog post that follows, I … Continue reading
Posted in Archives, Faculty Mentors, Funding, Libraries, major research, Summer Research, The Humanities
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