Our archives enhance teaching and learning at UEA. Students at all levels, from visiting school students to those studying for a PhD are invited to handle original archive material relating to their subject of study.
"The letters were fascinating. I will definitely use them in my essay. They gave rich insight into the writer and the times in which they were living. Such a rich experience."
We welcome groups of up to twenty students for tailored sessions and can provide support to tutors in identifying and presenting material that links either directly or tangentially to a module.
"Thank you so much for allowing me to see this writer's drafts. It was such an exciting experience."
In our experience, students from a wide range of academic subjects greatly value the opportunity to work with our archives as primary research materials. Creative writers are able to trace the process of creation and publication in order to deepen their understanding of the craft of writing. Students of literature, gender studies, and cultural media engage with a wide range of materials, which enables them to examine and understand the evolving literary text as well as the social and cultural context in which a writer produces their work. Students of other humanities subjects, such as history, politics and cultural heritage, develop skills and experience in handling and assessing primary source material.
"It was a privilege to look behind the scenes of the writing process and learn more about this writer and the process of developing a draft into a finished book."
Please email the Archives archives@uea.ac.uk for an initial discussion.