Coloured cards If you find a coloured card on your seat please hold onto it. We will be asking you to read out the question written on the card. If you do not feel comfortable reading it aloud, please pass the card to another member of the group.

Richard Pears & Laura Jeffrey Finding resources for your History dissertation

Outcomes After this session you will be able to identify a range of secondary and online sources select the most appropriate sources for your subject search efficiently using catalogues and bibliographical databases

There aren’t many books in the library that look relevant. How can I find out what else has been published?

Wider printed resources Other catalogues –COPACCOPAC –Public and University libraries Bibliographies –Printed –Online e.g. Royal Historical BibliographyRoyal Historical Bibliography Document Delivery Service

I’ve found lots of books on the catalogue but haven’t time to read them until the summer. Have I wasted my time searching for them?

Library catalogue Catalogue can export records: /SaveCatalogue Reading history on your record Don’t forget reserves and recalls apply over the vacation Not all material on open shelves or on level 4 of Main Library e.g. store, local collection, pamphlets on Level 1

I’ve got an idea what I’d like to do my dissertation on but can only find 2 things on the catalogue. How can I find out if I’m missing relevant titles?

Effective searches (1) Keywords and synonyms: garden architecture, ornament, landscape Truncation: soci* will find social, society, societal Wildcards: behavio?r will find British and US English spellings Adjacency and Proximity: “New Economic Policy” WITHIN 5 Bukharin

Effective searches (2) Subject headings: Habsburg, House of; Courts and courtiers -- Austria; Vienna (Austria) -- Social life and customs; Austria -- Politics and government -- 16th century Classmarks and browse shelves:

Scope of research Define research area: people, period, place Focus: politics, society, religion, economics Information: facts, theories, historiography, data, images, artefacts

OR How did the increase in media affect the popular view of colonialism in Sudan? Sudan news** colonial* Africa imperial* media AND Khartoum broadcast* govern* Also use AND NOT

I’ve found some interesting book titles but need to know what else has been published on this subject. Where should I start?

Bibliographic Databases Historical Abstracts International Bibliography of Social Sciences (IBSS) First Search Web of Knowledge Check for access

I’m fed up finding interesting journal articles that we don’t subscribe to. Where can I get hold of full- text articles?

Full-text databases JStor - generalJStor Patrologia Latina - mediaeval Mass Observation - late modern Blackwell reference Dictionary of national Biography Primary resources

Can’t I just use Google Scholar? I know I can get whole books and articles there.

Internet Need to be critical Use gateways for pre-evaluated web resources e.g. Intutegateways Tutorials e.g. Internet for HistoriansInternet for Historians Specific resources: Papers of the American Presidency; Bibliotheque Nationale

All my results are out of date – the most recent are from the early 1990s. How can I keep up-to-date?

Current awareness Table of contents alertsTable of contents –Zetoc –RSS Conferences Theses Save searches on databases to re-run at later date

I’ve found some documents in an archive in York but can I get hold of primary material online to carry on my research while in Durham?

Archives Check the ASC catalogueASC catalogue Access to Archives (A2A) Film, image and sound archives Maps e.g. Historic DigimapMaps Collections e.g. Nineteenth Century House of Commons Papers Microform e.g. State Papers

I’d like to analyse media representations of an historical event. Do I have to go to each newspaper’s website to view their archive?

News sources Times Online Digital Archive Times Online Digital Archive Historical New York Times th century British Library newspapers Infotrac – all major broadsheets from mid 80s and 90s Nexis UK - recent news from global and local sources Microform for historic local papers

I know Durham has got a lot of rare books but not all that I need. Do I have to travel to get access to such unique resources?

Rare books Early English Books Online (EEBO) Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO)ECCO Contemporary journals e.g. Internet Library of Early JournalsInternet Library of Early Journals

I’d like to research the local history of Manchester over the summer. How will that work when I’m writing up here in Durham?

Access Off site access always go via the Library web pages Visiting other libraries and archives –check before you go –ID SCONUL Access Document Delivery Service

How will I remember where to go to get access to all these resources?

Subject pages Links to resources Contact details Training material

I haven’t started my research yet. What happens when I’ve forgotten all this in six months time?

Assistance Enquiries Desk at Main Library and service point and ASC at Palace Green Online enquiry service Academic Support Team –Richard Pears –Laura Jeffrey

Hands-on experience Time to explore the library web pages and resources. Any questions? Just ask. Please fill in feedback form before you leave