1. Sources for History research Presented by Richard Pears June 2008

2. ∂ Learning outcomes After this session you will be able to identify the range of secondary and published sources available select the most appropriate sources for your research subject search efficiently using catalogues and bibliographical databases

3. ∂ Conversations themes The Annales historians and the Middle Ages; Power and Ethnicity in Western Europe, c.500-c.1500; Studying the Built Environment in Renaissance England; Women's, gender and feminist history; A Usable Past? The Reinterpretation of US History in and since the 1960s; History and Guilt: the impact of the Holocaust and other modern crises on postwar European historiography.

4. ∂ What information do you need? Define research area: People, period, place Focus: i.e. politics, society, religion, economics, etc Information: facts, theories, historiography, data, images, artefacts, etc.

5. ∂ Break down the subject into searchable areas Sample topic: War and national identity in late medieval Scotland themestime periodplace

6. ∂ Where will you find information?

7. ∂ Some sources of information BooksInternet pages JournalsStatistics DatabasesNewspapers Theses Government publications Manuscripts Contacts: staff, organisations Images

8. ∂ Start here! http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/ http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/

9. ∂ How to find information: Books Use the Library Catalogue: http://library.dur.ac.uk / http://library.dur.ac.uk / All material held in Durham University Libraries Author, title, keyword, subject searching Reserve, recall, renew items in Library Obtain items from store Export citations for your bibliography

10. ∂ Using the Library catalogue

11. ∂ Locating other sources Use the references and bibliographies cited in other books Look for other works by cited authors Look for published collections, e.g. Surtees Society, Camden Miscellany, Calendar of State Papers

12. ∂ Using bibliographic databases Search engines indexing thousands of journals, theses, working papers Often include book reviews Sometimes link to full text Download references to relevant sources, then search for these in the Library catalogue See list at http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/resources/online/subjects/?s=History http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/resources/online/subjects/?s=History

13. ∂ L Using Historical Abstracts

14. ∂ Using journal databases - RHS

15. ∂ Using journal databases – web of knowledge

16. ∂ Using journal databases - JSTOR

17. ∂ Images

18. ∂ Online exercise Use the online resources available from the Library’s History web pages to locate information on your subject. Go to http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/ http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/

19. ∂ Recap What sources will you need for your research? How will you find this information?

20. ∂ Getting help Library web pages: http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/ http://www.dur.ac.uk/library/history/ Contact us:richard.pears@durham.ac.ukrichard.pears@durham.ac.uk Speak to your tutors

21. Good luck!