Class

Double-Session Class: Internet Research for Nonfiction Writers, Memoirists, Biographers and Family Historians

This research-methods class will prepare nonfiction writers, family historians, genealogists, and biographers exploring the past (whether the 1890s or 1990s) to dig into a variety of resources available via the internet, going far beyond what's accessible via search engines.

It’s often the small details that make a narrative vivid and alive, that help us know what people were fascinated by in what we’re writing. How do you gather these details when you’re writing about the past, especially the long-over past?

We will discuss excerpts from Laurel Thatcher Ullrich's A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, based on her Diary, Saidiya Hartmans' Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, Mikal Gilmore's Shot in the Heart, and Hallie Rubenhold’s The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women killed by Jack the Ripper.

The first class will be information dense, with time to reflect and write. The second class will be looser, discussion based, and designed to integrate research practices.

At the end of this two-Saturday course, you’ll feel confident designing a research question and a research plan, you’ll know many of the kinds of records you can access online, and how to log your work and organize your notes, all while preparing to write.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.