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Librarians, archivists, and curators are compiling an ongoing list of digital collections on the American West, in order to facilitate research when travel is not possible. Please share widely and offer suggestions for additions.
Sources from the Everett D. Graff Collection at the Newberry Library, Chicago, “provides original manuscripts, ephemeral material, maps, and rare printed works that will significantly enhance the teaching and research of Westward Expansion.”
Insight into interactions between American Indians and Europeans from their earliest contact. Material from the Newberry Library’s extensive Edward E. Ayer Collection; one of the strongest archival collections on American Indian history in the world.
Historical Research: Getting Started
The following books provide both basic and in-depth guidance on how to do historical research.
Research Methods for History, 2nd ed. by Simon Gunn & Lucy Faire, Eds.
Call Number: Holland & Terrell D16 .R37 2016
Publication Date: 2016
Encourages those researching the past to think creatively about the wide range of methods currently in use, to understand how these methods are used and what historical insights they can provide. This new edition has been expanded to cover not only sources and methods that are well-established in History, such as archival research, but also those that have developed recently, such as the impact of digital history research.
Using Non-Textual Sources by Catherine Armstrong
Call Number: Holland & Terrell D16 .A74 2016
Publication Date: 2015
Provides history students with the theoretical background and skills to interpret non-textual sources. Photographs, cartoons, maps, artwork, audio clips, film, places and artifacts are all explored.
Writing History: A Guide for Students, 4th ed. by William Kelleher Storey
Writing History, Fourth Edition covers all aspects of writing about history, including finding and researching topics, interpreting source materials, drawing inferences from sources, and constructing arguments.
Going to the Sources by Anthony Brundage
Call Number: E-book; access from Search It
Publication Date: 2012
The updated fifth edition of "Going to the Sources." Focuses on the basics of historians' craft, introducing students to concepts including refining a topic, selecting sources, and engaging critically with their reading.
A Concise Companion to History by Ulinka Rublack, Ed.
Addressing key themes and structures from new areas of inquiry as well as providing fresh treatment of established fields, this Companion marks a significant departure in a genre still shaped by stories that are predominantly Western.
Doing History; Research & Writing in the Digital Age by Michael J. Galgano; J. Chris Arndt; Raymond M. Hyser
Whether you're starting down the path as a history major, or simply looking for a straightforward and systematic guide to writing a successful paper, you'll find this text to be an indispensable handbook to historical research.
Finding History is a practical and modern guide to research for history projects, helping to sort through the available resources and technology for students, scholars, and librarians. Finding History includes practical, step-by-step instructions for discovering historical evidence using library catalogs, databases, and websites.