Researching History Margaret Fast, Librarian for History Western Washington University Library
Contents
USING THE LIBRARY CATALOG
Library of Congress Call Number Classifications for History C History--Auxiliary Sciences DC France DL 1-81 Scandinavia. CA Philosophy of History DD Germany 101-296 Denmark CB History of Civilization DE Classical Antiquity 301-398 Iceland CC Antiquities. General DF Greece 401-595 Norway CD Archives. Diplomatic. DG Italy 601-996 Sweden CE Chronology DH-DJ Netherlands DP Spain and Portugal CJ Numismatics DH 401-811 Belgium DQ Switzerland CN Epigraphy. Inscriptions. 901-925 Luxembourg DR Turkey & the Balkan States CR Heraldry DS Asia CS Genealogy DJ Holland DT Africa CT Biography DK Russia DU Australia & Oceania D History and Topography 100-400 Russia DX Gypsies D General History 401-438 Poland E-F America DA Great Britain 451-470 Finland E America & U. S. General DB Austria-Hungary 751-999 Russia in Asia F United States Suggested Library of Congress Subject Headings: May subdivide by time period or geographical location. History--Bibliography History--Modern 17th, 18th, 19th, or 20th Century History--Dictionaries East Asia--Bibliography History--Periodicals Latin America--Biography Historiography Mexico--Encyclopedias History--Ancient United States--Historiography SEARCH TIPS: Search using KEYWORDS when you are unsure of the specific Library of Congress subject heading term(s). From within a record, review the subject headings listed, these are the Library of Congress subject headings used for your specific topic. You may click on the subject heading, which will take you to a SUBJECT SEARCH listing for that term. Additional narrower terms for each broad topic will be displayed. You may also click on the Call Number to BROWSE the shelf for related titles. SEARCH EXAMPLES: Search by KEYWORD: Mexican Revolution Search by SUBJECT: Mexico--History--20th Century Search by KEYWORD: China Cultural Revolution Search by SUBJECT: China--History--Cultural Revolution --1966-1976 Search by KEYWORD: United States Civil War Search by SUBJECT: United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 Additional narrower terms, examples: United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Afro Americans United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Bibliography United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Biography United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Causes
Library of Congress Call Number Classifications for History
SEARCH TIPS: Search using KEYWORDS when you are unsure of the specific Library of Congress subject heading term(s). From within a record, review the subject headings listed, these are the Library of Congress subject headings used for your specific topic. You may click on the subject heading, which will take you to a SUBJECT SEARCH listing for that term. Additional narrower terms for each broad topic will be displayed. You may also click on the Call Number to BROWSE the shelf for related titles.
SEARCH EXAMPLES: Search by KEYWORD: Mexican Revolution Search by SUBJECT: Mexico--History--20th Century Search by KEYWORD: China Cultural Revolution Search by SUBJECT: China--History--Cultural Revolution --1966-1976 Search by KEYWORD: United States Civil War Search by SUBJECT: United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Additional narrower terms, examples: United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Afro Americans United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Bibliography United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Biography United States--History--Civil War--1861 1865--Causes
Citation & Style Guides
Citation Guides & Style Manuals links to "Quick Guides" for MLA, The Chicago Manual of Style, & Turabian, as well as to online citation & style guides.
Chicago Manual of Style
Locating Biographical Information
There are several methods you can use to locate biographical information. 1. Search the Library Catalog
2. Use Biographical Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
3. Biographical Indexes
4. Biographical Anthologies These are often indexed by biographical indexes such as the BGMI, or through the Library Catalog, and include brief paragraphs or short essays on many personalities, usually arranged alphabetically by name, by time period, or by career.
Some examples of titles include:
Ancient and Medieval Series / Ref. CT113.G74 1988 British and Commonwealth Series / Ref. CT774.G74 1987 Renaissance to 1900 Series / Ref. CT104.G74 1989 Twentieth Century Series / Ref. CT120.G69 1990 American Series / Ref. CT214.G74 1987 American Women Series / Ref. HQ1412.G74 1995
5. Web Resources
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Locate Articles in Journals & Newspapers
Indexes & Databases
Locating Primary Source Materials
The two guides listed below focus on how to access primary source material at WWU's Wilson Library. Each provides annotated lists of primary source materials--newspapers, journals, collections. Includes cited reference works and databases to assist in locating other collections and primary documents. Both also include links to key digital collections of primary source materials located on the Internet.
Primary Source Research: A Guide to Locating Materials in at the Western Washington University Library [History 103/104]
Early North American Newspapers Before 1900: Microform Collections at the WWU Library
North American Newspapers after 1900
Guides to Newspaper Collections and Specialized Bibliographies of the American Press
Primary Sources: American & British Magazines & Newspapers from the 1800's to the Early 1900's. A guide to locating materials in Wilson Library, this site provides a list of early newspapers, journals and other source materials, as well as cites web sites of interest.
Full-Text Primary Source Materials on the Web
Digital Librarian: a librarian's choice of the best of the Web
Internet History Sourcebooks Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University. Includes full-text sources & links for Ancient, Medieval, and Modern history. "How to Cite"
Internet Library of Electronic Journals
IP Online Texts Collection Internet Public Library, "contains over 10,000 titles that can be browsed by author, by title, or by Dewey Subject Classification.
"The Library of Congress - AMERICAN MEMORY: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library"
LSU Electronic Text Archives
The Making of America (MOA) at the University of Michigan. MOA is a fully searchable digital library of primary sources in American social history from the Antebellum period through Reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. The collection currently contains approximately 1,600 books and 50,000 journal articles with 19th Century Imprints. The selection process at Michigan has focused on monographs in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, science and technology, and religion.
The Making of America at Cornell MOA is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the Antebellum period through Reconstruction. The Cornell selections focus on the major serials of the period, ranging from general interest publications to those with more targeted audiences (such as agriculture).
Medieval Sourcesonline Contains hundreds of original medieval history documents.
Oxford Nineteenth Century Archives "A gopher menu using the Alex archives, which is an organized set of links to nineteenth-century texts. Browse Alex by author, date, language, subject or title."
Project Gutenberg
Repositories of Primary Sources A listing of over 3300 websites describing holdings of manuscripts, archives, rare books, historical photographs, and other primary sources for the research scholar.
Rutgers History - American and British: Full-text Documents by Period
Selected Repositories of Digitized Texts Includes links to repository contents, as well as full text web accessible collections.
Scholars' Guide to the WWW compiled by Richard Jensen Professor Emeritus of History, U of Illinois-Chicago.
World History Archives - Compiled by Hartford Web Publishing, this site links to a variety of full-text documents, journal and newspaper articles, listservs, etc.: arranged by continent, and by topic.
World-Wide Web Virtual Library's History Index
Overview Sources An excellent place to begin your research - each of the following sources will provide overview essays, a chronology, discussion of important movements, and include bibliographies to assist in refining your topic.
The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature / Ref. D20.A44 1995 This annotated bibliography of books and articles provides background and critical overview essays for all fields of historical scholarship, and includes a survey of the literature. Chronology of World History /Ref. D11.M39 1999 Companion to Historiography / Ref. D13.C66 1997 Doing Oral History / D16.14.R57 1995 Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing / Ref. D14.E53 1999 2 vols. "A guide to influential historians and historical debates. Includes 1) essays on individual historians which assess their achievements and discusses them within the context of historical developments and debates, provides a brief biographical sketch, and include further readings; 2) essays which focus on nations or geographical regions, and include extensive bibliographies; and 3) topical essays which focus on historical sub-disciplines and traces their emergence and distinctive features, essays that examine methods that shape historical writing, and essays discussing the most studied historical debates. All entries are arranged alphabetically, and include bibliographies and further reading." Encyclopedia of Historical Treaties and Alliances / Ref. KZ1160.P48 2001 2 vols. Encyclopedia of Nationalism / Ref. JC311.E53 2001 2 vols. Encyclopedia of Prehistory / Ref. GN710.E53 2001 Encyclopedia of Social History / Ref. HN28.E53 1994 Encyclopedia of the Atomic Age / Ref. QC773.E49 2001 Encyclopedia of World Cultures / Ref. GN550.E53 1991 Encyclopedia of World History / Ref. D21 .E577 2000 Encyclopedia of World Political Systems / Ref. JF51.D465 2000 Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook/ Ref. GN325.L46 1998 Foreign Relations of the United States (State Department) 1863-1958 The FRUS contains the official correspondence between the State Department and its embassies and other governments. We also have the set in paper from 1933-1976, call number JX233.A3. A Global Encyclopedia of Historical Writing / Ref. D13.G47 1998 Discusses historiography, or the practice of writing about the past, as well as the "state of debate on issues and topics" and historical inquiry. Articles include biographical entries of historians, discussion of specific works or genres, longer surveys of national or regional historiography, and topical articles on concepts, disciplines, themes or approaches in writing about history. Global Geopolitical Flashpoints: An Atlas of Conflict / Ref. JC319.A52 2000 Great Events from History / Click here for individual titles. Each volume in this series has its own call number, and covers a different time period or specific topic. Discusses and summarizes major events and their causes and effects, with overview essays, chronologies of key facts & prominent people. Each volume includes a bibliography. Hammond Atlas of the 20th Century / Ref. G1021.H2662 1999 Hammond Atlas of World History / Ref. G1030.H34 1999 The Harvard Guide to American History /Ref. E178.H27 1974 2 vols. Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia / Ref. DS70.82.L45 2003 History of Humanity / Ref. CB69.H59 1994 History on the Web / Ref. D16.117.M38 2005 Internet Resources on Genocide and Mass Killings Movements in European History / D102.L38 1989 Oral History Index: An International Directory of Oral History Interviews / Ref. D16.14.O74 1990 Oxford Atlas of World History / Ref. G1030.P57 1999b Oxford Companion to Military History / Ref. D25.A2 094 Routledge Companion to Historical Studies / Ref. D13.M86 2000 World Bibliographical Series. Several volumes, click here for title list. Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life / Ref. GN333.W67 1998 4 vols. Worldmark Yearbook / Ref. G1.W655 2000. 3 vols.
Resources by Country (Region)
Europe:
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook / Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University Includes full-text sources, and key links to other metasites containing full-text sources, maps, etc. "The Ancient History Sourcebook includes links to visual and aural material, since art and archeology are far more important for the periods in question than for later history." "How to Cite" Cambridge Ancient History / D57.C25 (Multi-volume set - general stacks) The Cambridge Illustrated History of Ancient Greece / Ref. DF77.C32 1998 Chronology of the Ancient World / D54.5.B5 1980 general stacks Civilization of the Ancient Mediterranean / Ref. DE59.C55 1988 Civilizations of the Ancient Near East / Ref. DS57.C55 1995 4 vols. Great Events From History: Ancient and Medieval Series / Ref. D59.M26 Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece / Ref. DF77.A35 1997 Late Antiquity; A Guide to the Postclassical World / Ref. DE5.L29 1999 The Oxford Classical Dictionary / Ref. DE5.09 1996 The Oxford Companion to Classical Civilization / Ref. DE5.092 1998 The Oxford History of Byzantium / Ref. DF552.O94 2002 The Oxford History of the Biblical World / Ref. BS635.2.O94 1998 The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt / Ref. DT83.O95 2000 The Oxford Illustrated Prehistory of Europe / GN803.094 1994 general stacks The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Greece / Ref. G2001.S1 M6 1996 The Penguin Historical Atlas of Ancient Rome / Ref. G1033 .S28 1995
Medieval Cambridge Medieval History / D117.C32 general stacks 8 vols. The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives / Ref. D157.H655 1999 Dictionary of the Middle Ages / Ref. D114 .D5 1982 13 vols. Provides scholarly essays written by experts in the field, covering the time period 500 to 1500 A.D.. Arranged alphabetically in encyclopedic format, essays range in length from a brief paragraph to several pages and includes bibliographical references to major works on each topic. Use the Index to retrieve all discussion of a topic which may be included throughout the 13 volumes. Great Events From History: Ancient and Medieval Series / Ref. D59.M26 A Guide to the Study of Medieval History / Ref. D118.P33 Handbook of European History, 1400-1600: Late Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation / Ref. D203.H36 1994 2 vols. Internet Medieval Sourcebook / Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University for Medieval Studies - -Includes full-text sources. "How to Cite" The Late Medieval Age of Crisis and Renewal, 1300-1500; A Biographical Dictionary / Ref. CB353.L38 2001 Literature of Medieval history, 1930-1975: A Supplement to A Guide to the Study of Medieval History / Ref. D117.B6 5 vols. Medieval France: An Encyclopedia / Ref. DC33.2 .M44 1995 Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia / Ref. DL30.M43 1993 Trade, Travel, and Exploration in the Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia / Ref. HF1001.T7 2000 Renaissance The Enlightenment / Ref. JA83.E66 1999 Encyclopedia of the Renaissance / Ref. CB361.E52 1999 6 vols. Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and the Reformation / Ref. CB359.B47 2004 Historical Dictionary of the Elizabethan World / Ref. DA357.W34 1999
Cambridge Medieval History / D117.C32 general stacks 8 vols. The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives / Ref. D157.H655 1999 Dictionary of the Middle Ages / Ref. D114 .D5 1982 13 vols. Provides scholarly essays written by experts in the field, covering the time period 500 to 1500 A.D.. Arranged alphabetically in encyclopedic format, essays range in length from a brief paragraph to several pages and includes bibliographical references to major works on each topic. Use the Index to retrieve all discussion of a topic which may be included throughout the 13 volumes. Great Events From History: Ancient and Medieval Series / Ref. D59.M26 A Guide to the Study of Medieval History / Ref. D118.P33 Handbook of European History, 1400-1600: Late Middle Ages, Renaissance, and Reformation / Ref. D203.H36 1994 2 vols. Internet Medieval Sourcebook / Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University for Medieval Studies - -Includes full-text sources. "How to Cite" The Late Medieval Age of Crisis and Renewal, 1300-1500; A Biographical Dictionary / Ref. CB353.L38 2001 Literature of Medieval history, 1930-1975: A Supplement to A Guide to the Study of Medieval History / Ref. D117.B6 5 vols. Medieval France: An Encyclopedia / Ref. DC33.2 .M44 1995 Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia / Ref. DL30.M43 1993 Trade, Travel, and Exploration in the Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia / Ref. HF1001.T7 2000
Renaissance The Enlightenment / Ref. JA83.E66 1999 Encyclopedia of the Renaissance / Ref. CB361.E52 1999 6 vols. Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and the Reformation / Ref. CB359.B47 2004 Historical Dictionary of the Elizabethan World / Ref. DA357.W34 1999
Country Studies/Area Handbook Program Internet Modern History Sourcebook / Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University Full-text sources & links. "How to Cite" Atlas of Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century / Ref. G2080.C7 1996 Cambridge Companion to Modern Russian Culture / Ref. DK32.C33 1998 Cambridge Companion to Modern Spanish Culture / Ref. DP48.C233 1999 Chronology of the Modern World / Ref. D209.W59 1994b Chronology of 20th Century Eastern European History / Ref. DJK30.C47 1994 Cambridge History of the British Empire / DS30.C3 The Columbia Companion to British History / Ref. DA34.H64 A Concise History of Poland / Ref. DK4140.L85 2001 Critical Companion to the Russian Revolution, 1914-1921 / Ref. DK265.C68 1997 Dictionary of 18th Century World History / Ref. D286.O53 Dictionary of 19th Century World History / Ref. D356.D53 1994 Dictionary of 20th Century History: 1914-1990 / Ref. D419.T44 1992 Encyclopedia of Conflicts Since World War II / Ref. D843.E46 1999 Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe: From the Congress of Vienna to the Fall of Communism /Ref. DJK.E53 2000 Encyclopedia of the Holocaust / Ref. D804.3.E53 1990 4 vols. Europe 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World / Ref. D209.E97 2004 6 vols. Europe: A Concise Encyclopedia of the European Union From Aachen to Zollverein / Ref. JN30.L55 2000 European Political Facts of the Twentieth Century / Ref. JN12.C643 2001 French Culture, 1900-1975 / Ref. DC33.7.F726 1995 Great Events From History: Modern European Series / Ref. D209.M29 3 vols. Great Events From History: Worldwide Twentieth Century Series / Ref. D421.G63 3 vols. Modern Germany: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism / Ref. DD114.M64 1998 2 vols. Modern Encyclopedia of Russian & Soviet History / Ref. DK14.M6 61 vols. Movements in European History / D102.L38 1989 general stacks The New Eurasia: A Guide to the Republics of the Former Soviet Union / Ref. DK293.T85 1993 Northern Ireland: A Chronology of the Troubles, 1968-1999 / Ref. DA990.U46 B3593 1999 The Oxford Companion to British History / Ref. DA34.093 1997 The Oxford Companion to the Romantic Age: British Culture, 1776-1832 / Ref. PR447.094 1999 The Oxford Companion to the Second World War / Ref. D740.O94 1995b The Oxford History of the Twentieth Century / Ref. D421.095 1998 Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States / Ref. DK1.5 R876
Internet Modern History Sourcebook / Created by Paul Halsall, Fordham University Full-text sources & links. "How to Cite"
Africa
Africa and the West: A Documentary History From the Slave Trade to Independence / Ref. DT353.5.E9 A34 2001 Africa Since 1935 / DT20.G45 v.8 general stacks Africa to 1875; A Modern History / DT20.H3 general stacks Africans: the History of a Continent / DT20.I45 1995 general stacks The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Africa / Ref. DT3.C35 1981 The Cambridge History of Africa / DT 20.C28 general stacks 8 vols. Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara / Ref. DT351.E53 1997 Encyclopedia of African History / Ref. DT20.E53 2005 3 vols. Encyclopedia of Pre-colonial Africa: Archaeology, History, Languages, Cultures, and Environments /Ref. DT2.E53 1997 Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa / Ref. DS43.E53 2004 4 vols. Historical Atlas of Africa / Ref. G2446.S1 K3 1998 Historical Dictionary of Equatorial Guinea / Ref. DT620.15.L57 2000 Historical Dictionary of Liberia / Ref. DT631.D95 2001 Historical Dictionary of Swaziland / Ref. DT2714.B66 2000 Unesco General History of Africa / SEARCH IN THE TITLE INDEX: General history of Africa, or CALL NUMBER: DT20. G45.
Australia:
The Australian Encyclopedia / Ref. DU90.A84 Australians / Ref. DU110.A97 1987 10 vols. A Dictionary of Australian History / Ref. DU90.B37
East Asia:
Resources for East Asian Studies -- A bibliography compiled at the WWU Library. Korean Bibliography - "Search a bibliography of approximately 4,800 records of books about Korea in English up to 1995 held by the Library of Congress." Cambridge History of Ancient China: From the Origins of Civilization to 221 BC / DS741.5.C35 1999 general stacks Cambridge History of China / DS735.C3145 15 vols. general stacks Cambridge History of India / DS4336.C22 general stacks Cambridge History of Japan / DS835.C36 1988 6 vols. general stacks Cambridge History of Southeast Asia / DS525.T37 1992 2 vols. general stacks Cambridge Illustrated History of China / Ref. DS706.E37 1999 The Columbia Guide to Modern Japanese History / Ref. DS881.9.A75 1999 Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Japan / Ref. JQ1605.S86 2003 East Asia and the U.S.: An Encyclopedia of Relations Since 1784 / Ref. DS518.8 .E22 2002 2 vols. Encyclopedia of Asian Civilizations / Ref. DS4.L68 11 vols. Encyclopedia of Asian History / Ref. DS31.E53 1988 Encyclopedia of China: The Essential Ref. to China, Its History and Culture / Ref. DS705.P47 1999 Encyclopaedia of Indian Culture / Ref. DS423.S218 1981 5 vols. Historical Dictionary of Laos / Ref. DS555.5 S78 2001 Historical Dictionary of Revolutionary China, 1839-1976 / Ref. DS740.2.H57 1992 The History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia / DK40.C49 1998 vol. 1 general stacks Japan Encyclopedia / Ref. DS805.D355 1995 Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan / Ref. DS805.K633 Modern China: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism / Ref. DS755.2.M63 1998 Modern Japan: A History in Documents / Ref. DS881.H85 2004 Modern Japan: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism / Ref. DS805.M63 1998 Sources of Japanaese Tradition / Ref. DS821.S68 2001
Middle East:
UCLA Library Collections and Internet Resources in Middle Eastern, Armenian and Central Asian Studies Biographical Dictionary of the Middle East / Ref. DS62.4.S53 1991 Cambridge History of Egypt / Ref. DT94.C36 1998 2 vols. Cambridge History of Islam / DS35.6.C3 general stacks The Cambridge History of Judaism / BM155.2 .C35 1984 Civilizations of the Ancient Near East / Ref. DS57.C55 1995 4 vols Dictionary of the Ancient Near East / Ref. DS56.D5 2000 Encyclopaedia Judaica / Ref. DS102.8.E5 16 vols. Encyclopaedia of Islam / Ref. DS37.E523 9 vols. with supplements Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East/ Ref. DS43.E53 1996 4 vols. Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa / Ref. DS43.E53 2004 4 vols. Encyclopaedia of the World Muslims: Tribes, Castes and Communities / Ref. BP173.25 .E53 2001 4 vols. Historical Dictionary of Islamic Fundamentalist Movements in the Arab world, Iran, and Turkey / Ref. BP 60.M36 1999 Historical Dictionary of the Kurds / Ref. DS59.K86 2004 A History of Islamic Societies / DS35.63.L37 1988 general stacks The Middle East / Ref. DS63.1.M484 2000 A Middle East Studies Handbook / Ref. DS61.B3 1984 A Near East Studies Handbook, 570-1974 / Oversize DS61.B3 general stacks The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World / Ref. DS35.53.095 1995 4 vols. The Oxford History of Islam / Ref. BP50.095 1999 The Oxford History of the Biblical World / Ref. BS635.2.O94 1998 The Roman Near East, 31 B.C.- A.D. 337 / DS62.25 .M53 1993 general stacks
The Americas:
Canada:
Comparative History of the Canadian Prairies and the American Northern Great Plains - Resources at the WWU Library The Canadian Encyclopedia / Ref. F1006.C36 Canadian History: A Reader's Guide / Ref. F1026.C28 1994 2 vols. Canadian Ref. Sources: An Annotated Bibliography: General Ref. Works, History, Humanities / Ref. F1008.B57 1996 The Collins Dictionary of Canadian History: 1867 to the Present / Ref. F1033.B488 1988 Documenting Canada: A History of Modern Canada in Documents / F1033.D63 1992 general stacks Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples / Ref. F1035.A1 E53 1999 The History of Canada: An Annotated Bibliography / Ref. F1026.H5 1983 Historical papers / the Canadian Historical Association / F1001.C26 1968-1989 became: Journal of the Canadian Historical Association / F1001.C26 (book - general stacks) Reappraisals in Canadian History, Pre-confederation / F1026.R43 1999 general stacks
Latin America: