EN 2211: Elements of Writing Course Research Guide

M. Nugent

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Primary Source Materials - Web Sites

There are numerous options and the web is a great place for inspiration for your narrative or video. Many collections of oral histories, letters, and other types of primary documents are being digitized.

In the First Person
Library of Congress - American Memory
History Matters
Making of America - 19th c.
For more tools & search tips, see our Primary Resource Research Guide

Keywords: Web Searching

Try a web search using keywords such as:
("oral history" OR "oral histories" OR interview OR narratives OR "first person" OR "oral tradition" OR letters OR memoirs) AND ("native residential schools" OR "white schools" OR "white-run OR "indian bureau") AND "Native Americans"

(voices OR story OR stories OR "oral history" OR memory OR memories) AND ("atomic bomb survivors" OR Hiroshima OR Nagasaki)

chronology OR timeline OR map

This could lead you to online primary materials such as:

Books

Search the Library Catalog for items @ WPI

Possible subjects:

See Yale's Library of Congress Subject Headings - to Identify Primary Source Materials for more

Search WorldCat for Books Beyond WPI

Browse WorldCat to find another book, that is not available at WPI. What library is it available at? Try Advanced Search to limit to ARC Academic Research Collaborative for library materials at Worcester area college libraries. Within WorldCat, use the ILL icon to request the item from another library (average turnaround is 7 days).

Search Google Books for Early Works

Google Books: use the Advanced Search to limit by dates. Items before 1923 are in public domain therefore many are fulltext. Also useful to see previews of more current books.

Find Articles about Your Topic

All databases listed are WPI subscriptions.

Readers' Guide Index to Periodical Literature: References to popular magazine articles on all topics 1890 - 1982.
American History & Life: References to academic articles on historic topics.
Gale Powersearch: Articles on all topics. Contains articles back to the 1980s but good coverage of historical topics.
JSTOR: Complete full text of important scholarly journals in a variety of academic fields. Coverage: Varies by publication but many back to late 1800s.
New York Times Historical: Complete full text. Coverage: 1851-2006.
For more: All Databases and Electronic Resources

If only an abstract is found, first try the FullTextFinder or use the library's Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list or place an Interlibrary Loan request if you'd like us to get a copy of the article for you from another library.

Only Finding a Citation? Getting the Full Text

Is the journal online or here in the library? Use FullTextFinder to link to full articles or retrieval options within database results or search our Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list
Visit another library: Search WorldCat to find one
Request delivery from another library: Interlibrary Loan.

Reference Materials: Print & Online

Biography Resource Center - check dates/facts on people
Gale encyclopedia of multicultural America online or Reference E184 A1 G14 1995 v.1-2
Oxford Reference - History (online books) - check facts/dates, look at timelines for historical context, also quotations search

Questions?

Stop by the reference desk or set up a research consultation.

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Last modified: Sep 14, 2009, 14:12 EDT