Whether you are using archival materials here in Special Collections or are traveling to distant archives, locating and using manuscript materials is quite different from searching for published sources. Below are some links with advice for organizing your research and planning your work in an archive.
Searching for manuscript collections by topic can be tricky. Many collections of family or business papers might have fascinating information about social or economic history, historic events or periods, or past practices and beliefs. However, the collection-level records that describe the collection may not go onto that level of detail.
Try to think about your research topic by the kinds of records that might illuminate the subject. For example, if you are interested in women in the south, there may not be a collection with that exact subject description. But we have many collections of records from women's social and extension clubs that could provide very rich source material for that topic.
When reading secondary sources - articles and books - on your topic, browse the footnotes to consider the kinds of sources the author consulted. You may find similar materials here or at other libraries.