LibGuides: HIST 344: Historiography and Research Methodology: Secondary Source Searching

Databases

Searching EBSCO Databases:

After clicking on Academic Search Complete, all recommended EBSCO databases* (so marked) can be searched simultaneously by clicking "Choose Databases," checking the box next to the database name and clicking OK.

Academic Search Complete* This link opens in a new window
This multi-disciplinary, full-text database provides full-text journal coverage for nearly all academic areas of study as well as nearly 4,000 full-text scholarly publications.
Films on Demand - History Collection This link opens in a new window
A collection of documentaries, educational videos, interviews, speeches, and newsreels covering history topics from the ancient world to the present day.
Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Google Scholar is a specialized Google search allowing users to narrow results to scholarly literature including articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions. Some resources are directly accessible on the internet, while others are available through library databases and interlibrary loan.
Humanities Full Text* This link opens in a new window
NOTE: EBSCO databases use the traditional classification of history as part of the humanities rather than the social sciences.
Full text, abstracts and bibliographic indexing of the most noted scholarly sources in the humanities, as well as specialized magazines.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Full text of hundreds of scholarly journals in all disciplines dating back to the 1700s. Now includes former Artstor cross-disciplinary collection of over 2 million images.
Project Muse This link opens in a new window
Full text access to a comprehensive selection of prestigious humanities and social sciences journals.

Search Strategies

Find subject headings in the online catalog:

Use keywords to find a good resource
Click on the title
Look at Contents and Summary for additional keywords
Use Subjects to focus your search

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Find subject headings in EBSCO databases:

Use keywords to find a good article
Click on the title
Click Detailed Record icon on the left side of the screen
Look at Author Supplied Keywords and the abstract for additional keywords
Use Subject Terms to focus your search

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Use advanced search:

Combine subject terms to focus your search even further
If available, use a drop down box to search by subject
Use quotation marks to search a subject phrase

Scholarly vs. Popular Articles

Boolean Searching

Using Boolean operators (AND, OR, and NOT) with your keywords will help you narrow or expand your results.

The highlighted middle section represents the use of AND. Searching for poverty AND addiction will give you results with both words present. Therefore, your results are fewer.

Using OR between similar keywords will give you results that include both words. Therefore, your results are greater. A search for teenagers OR adolescents will retrieve either or both terms.

The NOT operator gives you results from only one of your words. Therefore, your results are fewer. Searching for addiction NOT alcohol will eliminate alcohol from the results.

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Evaluating Resources

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click once with magnifying glass to enlarge.

For more information, see our
Evaluating Resources guide.