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HI 1332: History of Technology

C. Clark

What are Primary Sources?

Why don't you want a wheel?

Use different types of information to get broad coverage of your topic. Historians use primary materials to build their research. See the Primary Sources guide for information on primary literature and how to find it. Examples include: drawings, maps, interviews, personal journals, autobiographies, such as Major Taylor's and more.

Daily Life & Timeline Sources

Oxford Reference Online Timelines

Try the following: New York Times Historical Oxford Reference Online Encyclopedia Britannica Timeline Web searches: timelines, american eras, american decades, chronology Article Databases such as JSTOR: Find articles discussing specific inventions, eras Statistics/Data: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970 | Statistical Abstract of the United States. Online, 1878-present Search the Library Catalog. Try subjects such as: United States--History--Chronology United States -- History -- 1900 United States -- Social life and customs -- {date range}. United States -- Social conditions -- 1918-1932. Bicycling -- History Transporation -- History Need Ideas? Useful Reference books include: 1000 Inventions and Discoveries Encyclopedia of American Facts & Dates A History of Technology (Ed. by Singer, many volumes) Science and Technology Firsts

QuickFIND - Multi-database Search

Start with QuickFIND multi-database search to retrieve results from 12 databases (including the library catalog & Worldcat for books) on your topic with one search. There are 3 ways to search:

1. Library homepage,
2. Databases by Subject categories (History),
3. Advanced.

Discussion Questions

• What are you searching when using QuickFIND?
• Try sorting by relevance. What is being sorted?

Find Books

Story of the Bicycle, Book @ Gordon Library

Search the Library Catalog for items @ WPI or WorldCat to search beyond our library. Discussion Questions If you find something useful in WorldCat, how do you obtain it? What is ARC and how do you get an ARC card?

Find Articles

All databases listed are WPI subscriptions.

Start with QuickFIND - for History Databases and check out Google Scholar, a web search of scholarly sources.

• America, History & Life and Historical Abstracts: References to articles on historic topics. Click on FullTextFinder to track down full articles or options to obtain the full text.
• Gale PowerSearch: Articles on all topics, click More Search options, limit the results to peer-reviewed publications. 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.
• Project Muse: Search full text of major historical and global studies journal, most academic sources.

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.

Give Credit! Cite Your Sources

Try RefWorks, if you wish to create a database of your personal references, which can be output into APA, MLA or other citation format for your bibliography.

Background Information & Reference Materials

Tertiary source present useful selections and compilations of both primary and secondary sources. Encyclopedias are good examples of tertiary sources and often the best starting place for learning about a topic area. WPI subscribes to Grolier Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Americana and Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Wikipedia users should verify the information found with other sources.

• al-Hassan, Ahmad Y. and Donald P. Hill. Islamic Technology: An Illustrated History. New York; Cambridge University Press. [GEN T27.3 I75 H37 1986]
• Klemm, Friedrich. A History of Western Technology. Transl. Dorothea Waley Singer. Ames: Iowa State Press, 1991.[GEN T15 K553]
• McNeil, Ian, ed. Encyclopaedia of the History of Technolology [electronic book]. London and New York: Routledge. [GEN T15 E53 1990]
• Needham, Joseph. Science and Civilisation in China. 7 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1954-. [GEN DS 721 N39]
• Pacey, Arnold. Technology in World Civilization. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 1990. [GEN T15 P353]
• Singer, Charles, ed. A History of Technology. 5 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1954-84. [REF T15 S53]
• History of Technology Library of Congress Tracer Bullet

Browsing the Library's Print Collection

• Floor maps - 1st floor T 15 section is a nice place to start
• Library of Congress Classification outlines call number categories for browsing
• Bound journals down on Ground Floor; Current journals all the way up on 3rd!

Questions?

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

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Last modified: Aug 28, 2009, 12:36 EDT

George C. Gordon Library - Worcester Polytechnic Institute
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