LibGuides: History 200: Doing History (Prof. Gomez): Getting Started

Using Subject Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias and other reference resources are excellent places to start your research! You usually can expect to find the following important information in articles in subject encyclopedias:

An overview of the topic, with key individuals and events identified, and often some mention of how the topic has been studied (historiography)
Cross references to give you a sense of the boundaries of the topic and its relationship to other topics
Identification of primary source materials
Bibliographies of key secondary literature (books and articles) on the topic
Scholarly editions of primary sources may be listed in the bibliography

Tip: Specialized encyclopedias sometimes include excerpts of primary source materials!

Browse Subject Encyclopedias

The following links will take you to lists of the selected type of reference resource.

Atlases

Broad Overviews

Specialized Encyclopedias

Online Subject Encyclopedia Collections

Biographical Resources

Guides to History Research and Writing

Broad Overviews: U.S. History

Both of the subject encyclopedias listed below are the standard reference resources for U.S. history.

Dictionary of American History, 3rd ed. by Stanley I. Kutler
Call Number: Click on title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2003
Standard reference work for U.S. history.
Encyclopedia of American History by Gary B. Nash (Editor)
Call Number: E174 .E53 2003, vols. 1-11, Reference (first floor of library)
Publication Date: 2003
Note that this encyclopedia is organized chronologically by volume. Each volume includes a selection of primary source materials at the back of the book.

Subject Encyclopedias: Specific Themes and Topics

The following list is just a sampling of the specialized subject encyclopedias available to you. Ask Peggy Burge for recommendations if you can't find what you need.

Encyclopedia of Immigration and Migration in the American West by Gordon Morris Bakken; Alexandra Kindell (Editors)
Call Number: Click on title above for online access.
Publication Date: 2006
Examines the settling of the West and includes coverage of movements of Native Americans, African Americans, and the often-forgotten role of women in the West's development.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos and Latinas in the United States by Suzanne Oboler (Editor); Deena J. González (Editor)
Call Number: Click the title above for online access.
ISBN: 9780195156003
Publication Date: 2009
The Encyclopedia draws together the diverse historical and contemporary experiences in the United States of Latinos and Latinas from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Entries address such broad topics as identity, art, politics, religion, education, health, and history. Each entry has its own bibliography and cross-references and is signed by its author.

Online Subject Encyclopedia Collections

Each collection listed below includes hundreds of volumes of specialized reference resources.

Gale eBooks
Provides full text online access to Gale electronic books, including encyclopedias and other reference resources.
Literature Resource Center
Contains articles from academic journals and literary magazines as well as excerpts from scholarly monographs, literary correspondence and diaries.
Oxford African American Studies Center
A collection of full text materials focusing on the lives and events which have shaped African and African American history and culture. Includes biographies, images, primary source documents with commentaries, maps, tables and charts, and thematic timelines.

Access limited to 3 simultaneous users.
Oxford Reference
Contains the complete texts of many Oxford companions, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference titles in a fully indexed, cross-searchable database. Included in addition to articles are images, maps, timelines, bibliographies, photographs and much more.
SAGE Knowledge
The social sciences platform for SAGE and CQ Press books, reference materials and other content.

Atlases

Atlas of American History by Gary B. Nash (Editor); Carter Smith (Editor)
Call Number: E179.5 .N37 2007 Print reference atlas (first floor of library)
ISBN: 9780816059522
Publication Date: 2007
This full-color atlas spans the entire breadth of American history, from pre-colonial times to the present day.

The African American Atlas by Mark T. Mattson; Molefi Kete Asante
Call Number: E185 .A79 1998 Print reference (first floor of the library)
ISBN: 9780028649849
Publication Date: 1998
Weaves the latest available data into a compelling visual and narrative portrait of the African-American population within regional, national and international frameworks.

Biographical Resources

American National Biography by John A. Garraty (Editor); Mark C. Carnes (Editor)
Call Number: CT213 .A68 1999, v. 1-24, Print reference (first floor)
ISBN: 9780195206357
Publication Date: 1999
The ANB contains over 17,500 profiles on historical figures written by an expert in the field and completed with a bibliography. The scope of the work is enormous--from the earliest recorded European explorations to the very recent past.
Notable American Women by Susan Ware (Editor); Stacy Braukman (Editor)
Call Number: CT3260 .N5725 2004 Print reference (first floor of library)
ISBN: 9780674014886
Publication Date: 2005
For each subject, the volume offers a biographical essay by a distinguished authority that integrates the woman's personal life with her professional achievements set in the context of larger historical developments.

Guides to History Research & Writing

The Information-Literate Historian by Jenny L. Presnell
Call Number: D16.2 .P715 2013 Print books
Publication Date: 2013
Updated guide to historical research.
Writing History: A Guide for Students by William Kelleher Storey
Call Number: D16 .S864 2013 Print Books
Publication Date: 2013
The book covers all aspects of writing about history, including finding and researching topics, interpreting source materials, drawing inferences from sources, and constructing arguments. It concludes with three chapters that discuss writing effective sentences, using precise wording, and revising.