| Once you have a research topic, what is your next step? Search for books and start reading! 1. Using your initial questions as a guide, search for secondary sources (books, articles, and websites) that discuss your topic. Find out what other people have written about your subject of interest. When you have a good understanding of the people, places, and events, the easier it is to ask questions and narrow down your research plan. Books • Start with a card catalog search at your public library or local history library • Do a search on the main theme of your topic • If the results are limited, try a more specific search or think of different descriptive words. Sometimes you need to adapt your search to the keywords used in the library’s catalog. • If a library does not have the book you need, most have interlibrary loans, a system of sharing books with other institutions. Check with your local library to find out their policies. Articles • Articles can be found in scholarly journals, trade journals, magazines and newspapers. • Larger libraries house a variety of current journals, magazines and newspaper, along with older periodicals on microfilm that are searchable on-site. • Most libraries also have links to online journal sources. Usually you can only gain access to the online journals at the library. Find out if you are able to log on to the journal databases remotely using the library website and your library card. • Go to an online tutorial at Northeastern Library’s for more about Finding Articles Websites • Entering your research topic into an online search engine is an excellent way to quickly get broad information about your topic. But there are some things to consider when using web-based sources for historical research. • A high percentage of websites with historical topics are not written by professional historians. That does not mean these sites are not useful, you just need to use them wisely. • Websites maintained by enthusiasts are often full of information and a great way to understand your subject, but you must always be cautious and look for what sources were used. • See How to Identify Reputable Sources for more information about how to identify reliable websites. • See State Links to find a list of major institutional and academic online sources in your state. If possible, do your research online at home rather than at the library. Often it can give you the time you need to organized your research plan, and having a good plan will make you much more productive at the library. |
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