The Lesson all of you should have gotten from the Black Dahlia Tour

You are all going to be writing an archival research paper - starting in just a few weeks. Archival Research means you will be relying on primary research over secondary research whenever possible.

Primary sources are original, uninterpreted information.
Unedited, firsthand access to words, images, or objects created by persons directly involved in an activity or event. This is information before it has been analyzed, interpreted, commented upon, spun, or repackaged. Depending upon the context, these may include correspondence, diaries, industry memos and records, sales receipts, and others.

>> Think of studio inter-department memos, the original press kits, fan magazines of the time (for purposes of talking about how fan magazines talked -- not for the truth of the reporting), etc.

Secondary sources interpret, analyze or summarize.
Commentary upon, or analysis of, events, ideas, or primary sources. Because they are often written significantly after events by parties not directly involved but who have special expertise, they may provide historical context or critical perspectives.
Or not.

>> Think of biographies, autobiographies, textbooks and academic pieces.

Here's the thing. Secondary sources are essential. You will need them for context, you will need them for information, and you will need them for historical perspective.

But, always remember -- All of the Black Dahlia books (the non-fiction ones at least) would be considered secondary resources. Most of them used at least some primary resources, but for the sake of their arguments, each author picked the primary sources that supported his or her theory. Some of the books are considered completely discredited by other experts, i.e. the one by the girl who thinks her father did it, who thinks she used to have to swim in the pool with Dahlia body parts, etc. There is no consensus in any of those books about anything -- not the Dahlia's level of promiscuity, not the Dahlia's condition (ranging from unable to have sex at all --baby body parts, to pregnant with Chandler's baby)and obviously not about the killer!

It's a drastic example, but on a more subtle level you will be experiencing the same thing while working on your research paper. Anything that is not a primary source should be verified by a consensus of secondary sources, and by checking the most current writings on the subject to see that new materials have been uncovered exposing something as simply a studio publicity story. You have to understand that Hollywood in the 30s, 40s and 50s was filled with constructed stories, i.e. lies -- not like the gold standard of candor and honesty that it is today!

So when you're writing your big archival paper, and you're quoting the History of Horror, by scary horror fanboy, remember the Black Dahlia and check deeper -- don't rely on suppressed memories. Try to Remember "The Truth is out there." But also remember that the X-Files was fiction.