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  • History

    Look here for Oesterle Library resources on the subject of history.

    Searching for Sources in History

    "Research in history involves developing an understanding of the past through examination and interpretation of evidence. Evidence may exist in the form of texts, physical remains of historic sites, recorded data, pictures, maps, artifacts, and so on. . . . Historians use libraries to:

    • locate primary sources (firsthand information such as diaries, letters, and original documents) for evidence
    • find secondary sources (historians' interpretations and analyses of historical evidence)
    • verify factual material as inconsistencies arise."
      Taken from: Diana Hacker and Barbara Fister, Research and Documentation in the Digital Age (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2015), 121. With additional insights gained from UW-Madison Libraries "Introduction to Historical Research."

    This guide shares some of the primary and secondary sources available for historical research.

     

     

    Searching for Sources

       Databases don't work like Google!

         You can't just type in your question the same way you would ask another person or an AI like Google, Siri, or Alexa.

     

    Identify key concepts

    • Key concepts are the main ideas of your topic/question
    • Your research question should have between 2 and 4 key concepts
    • Pay attention to any hidden concepts in your question - you may not have explicitly stated one of your assumptions
    • Examples:
      • What impact did displaced persons after World War II have on immigration laws in the United States and Australia?
      • How did  non-violent protest strategies  impact public support for the Montgomery bus boycotts ?
      • How did large-scale agriculture contribute to the Dust Bowl in the 1930s? 

     

    Generate keywords

    • Try to come up with at least three keywords related to each of your key concepts
    • Keywords can be synonyms, broader terms, more specific terms, or just related terms
    • Test your keywords to see if they work by plugging them back into your question in place of the concept they are related to
    • Examples:
      • What impact did  ____________ after World War II  have on immigration ____________ in the _____________?
      • displaced persons laws United States
         refugees legislation U.S.
         DPs policies nation

    Combine Keywords with Operators

    • Operator = word or symbol denoting a function (e.g. +, x, ÷)
    • Using Boolean Operators allows you to connect your keywords together in meaningful ways
    Boolean Operators

    Venn diagram with the center section where the two circles overlap colored red. Text below the diagram reads glasses AND beard and an image in the center of the diagram shows a bearded, light skin man wearing glasses.

    AND

    • AND limits to results (articles) with both/all of the connected keywords
    • Use AND to connect your key concepts
    • AND will narrow your search and return fewer results

    displaced persons AND immigration laws AND United States

    		 Venn diagram with all areas of the diagram colored red. Text below the diagram reads glasses OR beard. Icons of three people appear on the diagram: a dark skinned, dark haired woman wearing glasses; a whited haired, light skinned man with glasses and a beard; and a light skinned man with red hair and a beard.

    OR

    • OR limits to results (articles) which contain either/any of the connected terms
    • Use OR to connect all keywords that are related to a singular concept or idea
    • OR will broaden your search and return more results

    immigration laws OR immigration legislation OR immigration policies

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    Searching CardinalSearch

    • CardinalSearch is available at the link above or on the library homepage
    • Search with simple keywords or phrases related to your topic - not complete sentences or questions!
    • On the results page, use the drop down menu on the search bar to change which collection you're searching in:
      • Articles, Books, and More (default search mode)
        • Searches a broad range of resources held by Oesterle Library and other I-Share institutions: print books, ebooks, most articles, scores, audio and video recordings, images, and repositories.
      • Oesterle Library Books and More
        • Searches for books, audio and video recordings, scores, journals, and more in physical and electronic formats in Oesterle Library's collection.
      • All I-Share Libraries
        • Searches for books, audio and video recordings, scores, and journals owned by I-Share Libraries (90+ academic and research libraries in Illinois).
      • Course Reserves
        • Searches physical materials held on reserve at Oesterle Library for North Central courses.
    • Sign in to see all items available to North Central College students, faculty, and staff!

    Screenshot with a white search box on a red background. Black text in the search box reads "employee burnout"

    Helpful Hints for Saving Time and Energy

    • Sign in to see all items available to North Central College students, faculty, and staff!
    • Use the pin icon to save items to your favorites
    • Click the three dot menu next to the pin icon for an option to cite the source in MLA, APA, Chicago, or AMA citation style
      • Be sure to manually check these citations as they aren't always correct!
    • Click on a source title to see more information about the source including access options
      • Many sources that say "Check for available services" can be borrowed through I-Share
    • Refine your results using the limiters / filters on the left side of the screen
      • Need something now? Limit your results to "Available online"

    Screenshot showing the results page of a CardinalSearch search

      Use filters and limiters to your advantage!

        Filters and limiters restrict search results by set criteria, limiting the number of results and helping you find what you're looking for.

     

    Common Helpful Limiters / Filters

    • Publication date: when the source was published; for most topics, more recent articles are preferable
    • Source type: allows you to limit to only journal articles, book chapters, dissertations, etc.
    • Full text: filters results to only those that can be read in full in the current database; will exclude results that the library has access to through other databases or journal subscriptions
    • Peer-review: limits results to articles published in peer-reviewed journals; useful when asked to find "scholarly" or "academic" journal articles

     

    Using Limiters / Filters

    • On the initial search screen you may find check boxes or drop down menus that let you limit your search before you begin
    • On the results page limiters / filters generally appear on the left side of the screen
    • Many databases have additional specialized filters related to the content and subject area of the database
      • ERIC | Education | limit by educational level
      • JSTOR | Interdisciplinary | limit by subject area
      • NexisUni | Interdisciplinary | limit by industry, person of interest, and location of publication

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      Not sure how to get the source you want?

       We can always get you the source you want, but some sources are easier to track down than others.

     

    Linked Full Text

    • Many of the articles you find will be available immediately
    • To access the text, click the link; a PDF will be displayed or downloaded, or the text of the source will be displayed as a webpage
    • Link text varies between databases. Look for something like:
      • PDF Full Text
      • Available Online
      • HTML Full Text
      • Download

     

    "Check for Full Text" Option

    • If you do not see an option to link directly to the full text of the article, look for the "Check for Full Text" link
    • This link will be in different places in each database, so look closely!
    • This link will open a new window and search for the source in other databases and collections the library owns or subscribes to
    • Check the Access section of the new page for a link to the full text or Interlibrary Loan request form
     
     

    Search on Google Scholar

    • Some of the sources in our databases are freely available on the web
    • Use the "Search for more info on this Title and Author in Google Scholar" link to see if the article is available in full text in Google Scholar

    Request through Interlibrary Loan

    • If you can't access the source in any other way, the library can request a digital copy of the source from another library with access at no cost to you
    • Click the "Request through Interlibrary Loan" link in the databases; a new page will open with a pre-filled request form. Read the form before submitting your request.
    • Most articles will be delivered to you as a PDF within two days of your request!

    Pdf icons created by Freepik - Flaticon | Arrow icons created by Smashicons - Flaticon

     

    newspaper icon  Newspaper Search

        Search across thousands of newspapers articles from hundreds of newspapers.

    Searching Newspaper Search

    • Newspaper Search is searchable through the search box above and can also be accessed by clicking the Newspaper Search tab on CardinalSearch
    • Search with simple keywords or phrases related to your topic - not complete sentences or questions!
    • On the results page, use the drop down menu on the search bar to change which collection you're searching in:
      • Newspapers (default search mode)
        • Searches a broad range of newspapers held or indexed by Oesterle Library and other I-Share institutions
        • Includes local, national, and global news sources
      • Featured Newspapers
        • Searches for news articles published in Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, or The Wall Street Journal
    • Sign in to see all items available to North Central College students, faculty, and staff!

    screenshot of the Newspaper Search search page with the search statement "quiet quitting"

    Helpful Hints for Saving Time and Energy

    • Sign in to see all items available to North Central College students, faculty, and staff!
    • Use the pin icon to save items to your favorites
    • Click the three dot menu next to the pin icon for an option to cite the source in MLA, APA, Chicago, or AMA citation style
      • Be sure to manually check these citations as they aren't always correct!
    • Click on a source title to see more information about the source including access options
      • Sources that say "Check for available services" may be found online, or can be requested through Interlibrary Loan
    • Refine your results using the limiters / filters on the left side of the screen
      • Need something now? Limit your results to "Available online"

    Screenshot of newspaper search results for "quiet quitting" showing limiters such as publication date and subject

    Other Newspaper Databases

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