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History 300: A Guide to Research: Secondary Sources

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Secondary Sources in the Library

Secondary sources are written by historians, researchers, and other scholars who are removed from the actual event. These sources analyze, interpret, or offer new insights into primary sources and often engage with other secondary sources or research on the same topic/historical event.

Databases

Use them to search a lot of different journals, books, newspapers, etc. all at once! Search them with keywords to find articles and other sources that discuss your topic.


Full-Text Finder!

Use the Full-Text Finder to search individual journals (journals related to your topic specifically or historical journals in general). Search journals with keywords related to your topic or look up specific articles that you already know exist.

Find Books & Ebooks

Print Books & Resources

Visit the Welcome Desk to take a look at the books on Reserve! You can check these books out and use them in the library for up to 2 hours. To find Reserves books and more, search the catalog below using keywords that relate to your topic. Try a very short phrase or a single word.

   Oliver Wendell Holmes Library Catalog

          


E-Book Databases

**In Noodleools, answer the questions like this for the correct citation form:  "Where is it?" > Database; "What is it?" > Book

E-Book/Digitized Book Websites

**In Noodleools, answer the questions like this for the correct citation form:  "Where is it?" > Website; "What is it?" > Book

Search Tip!

When you find a book, article, or other publication that is relevant to your topic, ALWAYS check the bibliography for citations to more useful sources and then ask a librarian for help locating them.

Evaluating Secondary Sources

The ACT-UP: Evaluating Resources for Social Justice method of evaluating sources was developed by librarian Dawn Stahura, now at Salem State University. 

ACT-UP asks you to consider important questions about your research.

Author: Who is the author and why did they present this information? Where did you find it? On a reputable website?

Currency: When was it published and does this fit the time period of your project?

Truth: Is the information correct? Does the author use sensationalizing words to evoke an emotional response? Are there typos?

Unbias: What point of view is the information showcasing? Is it trying to get you to think a certain way? Bias is present in all resources, so knowing what type of bias (even if it includes missing information), is important!

Privilege: Does the author of your information come from the dominant culture, or do they come from a marginalized group? Particularly if the author is writing about a community they do not belong to, make sure to include other sources that do represent that community.

Important Note!

No source is inherently primary or secondary. How you classify a source (a newspaper article for example) entirely depends on whether it provides you with analysis or direct evidence of an historical event, time period, or issue. YOU are the context that matters. If you are unsure about whether a source is primary or secondary (especially if you need a certain number of each for your assignment), check with a librarian or your instructor.