The purpose of this course research guide is to acquaint you with some of the resources in the University Library and on the World Wide Web that are useful for doing biographical and historical research for your assignment. Should you have questions, stop by the Reference Desk on the first floor. You may also call the Reference Desk at (334) 229-4110 during the hours the Library is open.

Biographical Information

Reference Sources

Sources in the Library's Reference collection and similar sources online are an excellent starting point for research on your author. Check the online sources listed below. If you don't find what you need, ask at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor for assistance with finding reference books that provide information on your author.

• Literature Resource Center (ASU)
• Scribner Writers Series (ASU)

Magazine & Journal Articles

The best method for finding articles is to use one of the Library's online article databases. Let's take a look at databases for finding articles on a variety of topics.

• Academic Search Premier (ASU)
• InfoTrac OneFile (ASU)

Some articles in Academic Search Premier and InfoTrac are not full text. To find the article, check for the magazine or journal title in:

• Serials Solutions (ASU) - Is it available in another database?
• HORNetCat - Is it available in the Serials Department on the Library's third floor?

You may also order articles not available in the Library or via a full-text database through Interlibrary Loan.

Books

Because of their length, books provide a more in-depth look at topics than articles do.

• HORNetCat - for books in the University Library
• Twayne Authors Series (ASU) - full-text books
• netLibrary (ASU) - full-text books

World Wide Web

The World Wide Web is an outstanding but often bewildering source of information. Not everything you find will be authoritative, accurate, and valid. Try searching one of these databases to find more reliable Web sites.

• INFOMINE Scholarly Internet Resource Collections
• Librarians' Index to the Internet

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Historical Information

You can explore many of the same sources you used for finding biographical information on your author to find historical information. We've listed additional books related to history under Reference Sources.

Reference Sources

• Literature Resource Center (ASU) - search the Literary-Historical Timeline and the Encyclopedia of Literature
• The Chronology of World History
  Main Reference: D 11 .C48 1995
• Chronicle of the World
  Main Reference: D 11 .C56 1996
• Chronology of Culture: A Chronology of Literature, Dramatic Arts, Music, Architecture, Three-Dimensional Art, and Visual Arts from 3000 B.C. to the Present
  Main Reference: NX 447.5 .P38 1984
• Encyclopedia of World History
  Main Reference: D 21 .E53 2000
• Encyclopedia of World History
  Main Reference: D 21 .E53 1998

A copy of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is available at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor of the Library.

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Please take a few minutes to let us know what you think about this guide. Has it helped with your research? Do you have any suggestions for improving the guide? You may e-mail Marsha V. Taylor
(mvtaylor@alasu.edu) or call her at (334) 229-6839 with your comments and suggestions.

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