ERA Tutorial

Try this quick and easy introduction to ERA.The tutorial can be used in two ways:

• Print this page and have it in front of you while you do the tutorial. Then Check your answers once you have completed the questions.

• Keep this web page open and use another window to access ERA.Then swap between browser windows to see this page and the ERA pages. This way you can check your answers as you go.
  

Start with Parts 1, 2 and 3 and test your knowledge as you go. Parts 4, 5 and 6 are optional and take you beyond the basics. Allow about 20 minutes to complete the tutorial.

Part 1: Understanding ERA - Browsing creators

Part 2: Searching for and viewing documents

Part 3: Searching for and viewing photographs

Part 4: Advanced searching

Part 5: Searching for and listening to sound recordings

Part 6: Viewing records on other institutions' web sites

Part 1. Understanding ERA - Browsing creators

Material is arranged in ERA in a hierarchical structure. By tracing the hierarchy, you can see where a record fits in and which creator is responsible for its creation.

Creators can be individuals such as Frederick McLaughlin, private secretary to PM John Curtin, or agencies, such as Australia Post. A creator may have produced the records or simply been responsible for bringing them together as a collection.

The hierarchical structure has either three or four levels, depending on the degree of detail needed to adequately describe the records. The levels are:

   Creator
   Series
   File
   Item

Select Browse and with the Browse Index set to Creator, enter Curtin, John in the Browse Creator or ID box.

Click on Curtin, John in the alphabetical list of creators to go to the creator level information for this creator. The Full View provides a descriptive finding aid for the Records of John Curtin, including information about John Curtin and about the records themselves.

Notice that there are six series for this creator.

Click on the series Personal possessions of John Curtin and look at the Full View for this series.

Notice that this series has 15 files and that each file has an arrow icon indicating that one or more digital objects are attached.

Click on the title of a file to access its Full View and click on the arrow icon to Go to digital objects. Digital objects, where available, are only attached to files or items. Creator and series contain descriptive information (metadata) only.

Look at the descriptive finding aids and images for John Curtin's pocket watch and his badges and then answer questions 1 and 2 below.

Question 1

John Curtin was presented with a gold pocket watch just before he went overseas in 1924. What is the inscription on the back of the watch?

Question 2

One of Curtin's lapel badges reflects his connection to the Cottesloe area. Which badge is it and what colours does it include?

Check answers

Part 2. Searching for and viewing documents

Return to the Basic Search page by clicking on Search and read the Search hints under the Basic search box.

Enter a word or words to search for the eulogy given at John Curtin's funeral service (eg enter the words eulogy funeral) then click on the Search button or just press Enter on your keyboard.

Look for the eulogy in the Brief List and click on the title to see more detail in the Full View. (If your search only gave one result, then the one result will show in the Full view automatically.) Notice that your search word or words are shown in bold.

Follow the arrow link to Go to digital objects. Look at the text and images and then answer questions 3 and 4 below.

Question 3

Who gave the eulogy for John Curtin? What was the opening sentence of the eulogy?

Question 4

The original typed pages reveal some handwritten changes to the eulogy. On page three you can see that three extra words were added to the second paragraph on the page. What are these three words?

Check answers

Part 3. Searching for and viewing photographs

Use a Basic Search to find photographs of John Curtin's home in Cottesloe, a beachside suburb in Perth, Western Australia. (eg enter the words photographs cottesloe house or photo% cottesloe house). Look at some of the likely titles and images in the Brief List, the Full View and by using the Go to digital objects arrows where available, then answer questions 5 and 6 below.

Question 5

What is the name of the street in Cottesloe where John Curtin lived?

Question 6

What do the photographs reveal about Curtin's home? Describe the house in a few words. (For example, is it a brick or timber house, does it have a veranda, is the roof corrugated iron or tile, what type of fence does it have, is it a grand house?)

Check answers

Part 4. Advanced Searching

Select the Advanced Search option and look at the different choices available. Note that you have options to phrase search, search only particular fields such as Title or Full text, and that you can limit your search to specific categories such as Oral history.

In late December 1941, John Curtin's New Year message to the people of Australia included the words 'Without any inhibitions of any kind'.

Search for Curtin's message by typing the words without any inhibitions of any kind in the search box and choosing to search only within the full text of attached text files by selecting Full text in the Field to search drop down list. Look for the message in the Brief list.

Hint: The Brief list is initially sorted by Creator so you can find Curtin's message by looking for his name (Curtin, J) in the Creator column.

Once you have found the full text document containing Curtin's historic and controversial message, answer the question below.

Question 7

Complete the sentence in Curtin's message that begins 'Without any inhibitions of any kind'.

Check answer

Part 5. Searching for and listening to sound recordings

Use a suitable Search (either Basic or Advanced) to find a sound recording of a broadcast made by John Curtin to Great Britain.

eg 1.Basic search - enter the words broadcast great britain sound recordings.

eg 2. Advanced search - enter the words broadcast great britain, and select All fields (except full text) in the Fields to search drop down list and limit your search fields by selecting Sound recordings in the Category drop down list. Remember to leave the Search as phrase option set at No.

Listen to the broadcast and read the transcript to answer the following question.

Question 8

Where did John Curtin tell the people of Britain that the backbone of the Australian nation was found?

Check answer

Part 6. Viewing records on other institutions website

Use a suitable search to find the record entitled 'Legislative and administrative record of the Curtin and Chifley Governments' which is held by the National Archives of Australia.

Question 9

When did the Women's Employment Act come into force?

Check answer

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