United States (HIST310)
From PhillipsWiki
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Get Organized
Begin by making a list of broad non-history topics that interest you. These could be such things as architecture, sports, fashion, film, music, literature, law, religion, science, etc. Think about how one or two of these areas can be linked to an event in US history.
Examples:
Fashion - How the fashions of the roaring 20’s reflected social change
Film - The Western and its depiction of Native Americans
Music - The roots and birth of jazz
Literature - The Beat Generation and its stand against conformity and the establishment of the 1950’s
Once you find a broad research area you are interested in, it is time to read an overview so that you can narrow your topic and develop a thesis statement.
Begin with Reference Sources
Reference sources give you an overview of your topic. They help you identify key words that will aid you in searching the online catalog and various electronic databases. Also, reference sources often include bibliographies that give suggestions for further reading, which can include books, articles or websites. All of the reference sources listed below can be found in the Garver Room (silent study room).
Ref 940.54 EN32 Encyclopedia of World War II : a political, social, and military history
Ref 973.03 D56 Dictionary of American History
Ref 973.03 EN192 Encyclopedia of American History
Ref 973.04 EN19 Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History
Ref 973.5 EN19 Encyclopedia of the United States in the 19th Century
Ref 973.7 EN19 Encyclopedia of the American Civil War
Ref 973.8 EN23 Encyclopedia of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era
REF 973.91 AM34 American decades : 1900-1999
Ref 973.91 Am35r American Decades Primary Sources
This list is by no means comprehensive! Search the online catalog for other reference sources or ask a librarian for help!
Delve Deeper with Books
After getting an overview with reference sources, it is time to start searching the online catalog for books that focus more specifically on the topic you have chosen. Click on the links below to access Phillips Academy's library catalog, and to search for books in other libraries.
OWH Library Catalog
NOBLE System Catalog
Desk Reserves for Mr. Henningsen's class
WorldCat Use this database to search library catalogs all over the country. If you find a book that you want, please talk to a librarian about ordering it!
Primary Sources
Tips for finding primary sources
Articles from electronic databases can help you fill in holes in areas of your research where book information is not sufficient. Often times, articles will give very specific information rather than a general overview. You can access these databases both on campus and off. If you're off campus, you may be prompted for your "library card number". This is simply your PA ID number, which is on your ID card. The chart below includes databases that will be particularly useful when doing research on your topic. To see a chart of all the databases the OWHL subscribes to, visit the Databases A-Z Page.
Recommended Databases for Finding Overview Articles, Biographies, etc.
| African American Studies Center | This database is the most comprehensive collection of scholarship available online to focus on the lives and events which have shaped African American and African history and culture. It includes biographies, encyclopedia entries, primary sources, images, maps, etc. LEARN MORE |
| American Decades | This is the full text online version of the print source American Decades, which is located in the Garver Room. Each volume covers a decade in the twentieth century (1900-1999). |
| American History Online | Facts on File American History Online includes 15 "Learning Centers", which cover significant events in history from 1776 through the present day. Find biographies, primary sources, images, maps, timelines and videos in this database. LEARN MORE |
| American National Biography Online | The American National Biography offers portraits of more than 17,400 men and women from all eras and walks of life whose lives have shaped the nation. LEARN MORE |
Recommended Databases for Finding Scholarly Journal Articles
| JSTOR | A full text collection of scholarly journals, many going back to the first issue. LEARN MORE |
| Project Muse | The Project MUSE® complete collection offers a comprehensive selection of prestigious humanities and social sciences journals to support a core liberal arts curriculum at any academic institution. Every journal is heavily indexed and peer-reviewed, with critically acclaimed articles by the most respected scholars in their fields. LEARN MORE |
Recommended Databases for finding Primary Sources (Newspaper Articles, Documents, etc.)
| African American Studies Center | This database includes many letters, documents, speeches, etc. After typing in your search, click on the primary sources tab to see what is available.LEARN MORE |
| American History Online | This database includes many letters, documents, speeches, etc. After typing in your search, click on the primary sources tab to see what is available.LEARN MORE |
| American Periodicals Series Online | APS Online features over 1,100 periodicals spanning nearly 200 years from colonial times to the early 1900’s. Titles range from religious and historical journals such as The Dial and Southern Review to popular magazines like Vanity Fair and Ladies' Home Journal. |
| Christian Science Monitor Archive | Get the full-text of this newspaper from 1908-1993 |
| Historical Newspapers | Searches 4 newspapers; Christian Science Monitor (1908-1991), New York Times (1851-2001), Wall Street Journal (1889-1987), and the Washington Post (1877-1988). |
| LexisNexis | Click on "Legal Research" if you're project involves a Supreme Court case. You will be able to read the full-text of the case you're interested in. |
| New York Times Archive | Read the full-text of every single NYT article all the way back to the very first issue in 1851. |
| Wall Street Journal Archive | Get the full-text of this newspaper from 1889-1990. |
| Washington Post Archive | Get the full-text of this newspaper from 1877-1991. |
Internet Sources
American Memory "provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning."
The American Presidency Project
Ad*Access "funded by the Duke Endowment "Library 2000" Fund, presents images and database information for over 7,000 advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955. Ad*Access concentrates on five main subject areas: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II, providing a coherent view of a number of major campaigns and companies through images preserved in one particular advertising collection available at Duke University."
CIA FOIA Electronic Reading Room
Findlaw Use this site to read the full text of supreme court cases. You must sign up for a free account in order to access the site.
Oyez contains media files and short summaries from supreme court cases.
Digitized Primary American History Sources, created by the librarians at the University of Northern Iowa, is a portal page to American History primary sources on the web.
Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse Washington University in St. Louis has created a new database of materials related to civil rights courts cases, including settlements, court orders, opinions, and case study research. The cases are divided into categories including child welfare, immigration, election/voting rights, public housing, and school desegregation.
In the First Person is a free, high quality, professionally published, in-depth index of more than 3,350 collections of personal narratives in English from around the world.
Landmark Supreme Court Cases This site includes a full range of resources and activities to support the learning of landmark Supreme Court cases, helping students explore the key issues of each case. The "Resources" section features basic building blocks such as background summaries and excerpts of opinions that can be used in multiple ways.
Presidents of the United States: Resource Guides The digital collections of the Library of Congress contain a large selection of primary source materials associated with the presidents of the United States, including manuscripts, letters, broadsides, government documents, prints, photographs, sheet music, sound recordings, and films.
Opinion Archives Contains citation and abstract information for many of the leading opinion journals. For full text access, check with a librarian or use the Journal finding tool.
Citation and Plagiarism
Citation Machine is an interactive web tool that allows you to plug in the elements of your source to create a citation. Click on the Turabian link on the left hand side.
RefWworks is a a program that allow you to import and create citations into a database, which then can be exported into hundreds of different citation formats. Create an individual account to begin. For help with RefWorks, see a librarian!
Contact Info
Email me at sciaburri@andover.edu to ask a question or set up a meeting. You can also call me at x4227 or simply stop by!
