How to research
Student research guide
Editorial status: Awaiting verificationDrafted from the cited sources; not yet fully reviewed by the editors.
Contents (8)
This guide is for pupils and students writing about the Kosovo War. It does not tell you what to think, but how to work with sources honestly and carefully.
How to assess a source
Before using a source, ask: who wrote it, when, for whom and for what purpose? A report written during the war by an international mission, a book published by a scholar a decade later and a participant's memoir offer different kinds of knowledge.
Check whether the source shows its own sources, whether it separates facts from assessments and whether it acknowledges uncertainty. In this archive's source registry, every title has notes on its type, evidential function, perspective and limitations — use them as a starting point, not a final verdict.
Primary and secondary sources
A primary source is a document created at the time of the event or by a participant: a Security Council resolution, a verification mission report, a court transcript, an oral-history interview. A secondary source is later analysis that interprets such documents, such as a monograph or a journal article.
You need both. Primary sources bring you close to the event but are often partial; secondary sources provide context but contain the author's interpretation. In good work, an important claim rests, where possible, on both kinds. Resolution 1244 is a primary source[1], while Noel Malcolm's history of Kosovo is a secondary source.[2]
How to read a court decision
An indictment contains the prosecution's charges, not the court's findings. A first-instance judgment contains the trial chamber's findings but can be changed on appeal. Only a final judgment settles the question of guilt.
When citing a decision, note the court, case number, date and whether the decision is final. Distinguish findings about events — for example, that a crime occurred — from findings about the responsibility of the accused. An acquittal means that the person's guilt was not proven beyond reasonable doubt, not necessarily that the event did not happen. The case tracker on the “Justice” page sets out these distinctions for every defendant.
Testimony and memory
Oral testimony preserves what official documents often do not record: fear, loss, solidarity and everyday life. It is a valuable source, but memory is shaped by time, trauma and later retellings.
When you use testimony, note when and by whom it was recorded, compare factual details with other sources and respect the publication terms of the source archive. Do not present a single testimony as conclusive proof of a contested claim, and do not quote words you cannot find in the published transcript. The Oral History Kosovo archive is a good place to start listening to full accounts.[3]
Figures and definitions
Before citing a figure, ask: what exactly does it count, for what period, and according to whom? “Killed”, “killed or missing”, “civilians”, “refugees” and “internally displaced persons” are different categories.
For example, the Kosovo Memory Book data cover 1998–2000 and include civilians and combatants of all sides, while figures for the refugees of 1999 vary with the date of the count and the institution counting. When sources give different figures, report the range and the sources, not just the figure you find most convincing.[4]
Disputed topics and collective blame
The history of the war in Kosovo includes questions on which serious scholars disagree: the origins of the KLA, the weight of NATO's intervention, the meaning of the Rambouillet talks. In your work, set out the main positions and their arguments before giving your own assessment.
Be careful with language. When writing about crimes, name the responsible structure, unit or person as the sources do, not an entire people. A court decision concerning individuals is not a decision against a people, a war or every member of an organization. This rule applies equally to all sides.
How to cite
The archive's pages have a “Cite” button that generates a full citation and exports it in BibTeX or RIS format for reference-management software. When you use a source linked from the archive, cite the original source, not only the archive page.
Always record the date on which you consulted an online source, because web pages change. For court decisions add the case number and the stage — first instance or appeal; for UN documents add the official symbol, for example S/RES/1244 (1999).
Researching with care for yourself and others
Material about the war can be distressing, especially for those whose families were affected by it. Take breaks, do not view graphic material until you are ready, and talk to a teacher or someone you trust if something troubles you.
If you interview relatives or witnesses for an assignment, ask for their consent, explain where the interview will be used and do not publish personal details without their permission. Respect for people is part of historical method, not an addition to it.
Notes
- [1]Këshilli i Sigurimit i OKB-së. Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999). 1999-06-10. S/RES/1244 (1999). https://docs.un.org/en/S/RES/1244(1999). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- [2]Noel Malcolm. Kosovo: A Short History. HarperPerennial, New York (botim i përditësuar); botimi i parë: Macmillan, Londër, 1998, 1999. https://archive.org/details/kosovoshorthisto0000malc. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- [3]Oral History Kosovo (Kosovo Oral History Initiative), Prishtinë. Oral History Kosovo. https://oralhistorykosovo.org/about-us/. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- [4]Jule Krüger, Patrick Ball. Evaluation of the Database of the Kosovo Memory Book. 2014-12-10. https://hrdag.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Evaluation_of_the_Database_KMB-2014.pdf. Accessed 2026-09-16.
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