Reference
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The purpose of this course research guide is to acquaint you with some of the University Library's resources and others on the World Wide Web useful for researching your topic. This is not a comprehensive list of resources but rather a starting point. Should you have questions, stop by the Reference Desk on the 1st floor. You may also call the Reference Desk at (334) 229-4110 during the hours the Library is open.
Reference books available on the 1st floor in both Reference and Special Collections are an excellent place to start your research. Often they can help you explore topics before choosing one or to narrow or broaden a topic you're considering. They provide names of people and places, dates, events, definitions, citations for works on your topic, and much more. This information can later be used to search for articles and books. Subject Encyclopedias These works focus on a subject area like history. Some are broader in perspective covering history in general. Others concentrate more specifically on, perhaps, time periods, cultures, social movements, race/ethnicity, or countries. Some examples of subject encyclopedias are listed below.
Much of the scholarly literature in history is published in journals. The best method for finding journal articles is to use one of the Library's online article databases. For additional information on the databases listed below and for others, explore our list of databases. These databases are easily accessible off campus by clicking on the database name and typing in the information requested. If you need additional assistance with accessing the databases, contact Cedric Davis (334 229-6998) or Randy Curtis (334 229-5604). History Databases
Additional Databases
Not all of our databases provide access to the entire text of articles. If the text of an article is not available in a database, consult the following sources:
Because of their length, books provide an in-depth look at topics. Once you have located a book in the Library, explore other books in the same area.
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 to find more reliable Web sites.
A copy of A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian) is available at the Main Reference Desk on the first floor of the Library. 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 Barbara Hightower (bhightower@alasu.edu) or call her at (334) 229-6839 with your comments and suggestions. |
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