Tip
Dictionaries and encyclopedias like the ones listed on this page are a good place to begin your research. They can provide background or general information on a topic, help to narrow a broad topic to a manageable one for your paper, and suggest other sources you might consult for further information.
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Starting points for historical research (print)
- American Historical Association's guide to historical literature / general editor, Mary Beth NortonA great place to start a research project. More than 27,00 annotated citations to publications dating from 1961 to 1992 covering 48 periods in world history.
- History : illustrated search strategy and sources / by Elizabeth Frick.A procedure manual for writing term papers in history. Covers everything from selecting a topic to the mechanics of gathering information from various sources in historical literature.
- World history : a dictionary of important people, places, and events from ancient times to the present / Bruce Wetterau.Revised edition of: Macmillan Concise Dictionary of World History.
- Timetables of History : a horizontal linkage of people and events / Bernard GrunChronological tables of the people , places and events that shaped world history.
- Encyclopedia of world cultures / David Levinson, editor in chiefEthnology studies, organized geographically, with descriptions including history, economy, marriage and family, religion, etc.
Recommended Online Sources
Dictionaries/Encyclopedias/Biographies
- Credo ReferenceHundreds of reference books including dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, books of quotations, & subject-specific titles. The History collection includes: Encyclopedia of World History & Marquis Who's Who in the World
- Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (ONDB)"An illustrated collection of more than 50,000 specially written biographies of the men and women who shaped all aspects of Britain's past, from the fourth century BC to the year 2001." An additional year of coverage is added each January.
- Cambridge Histories OnlineCollection contains content from over 250 volumes published since 1960.
- American National Biography OnlineOffers portraits of more than 17,400 deceased men and women -- from all eras and walks of life -- whose lives have shaped the nation. Features thousands of illustrations, more than 80,000 hyperlinked cross-references and links to select web sites.
Print Resources - Biographies
Many important sources for historical research are not available online, but are in the Library's Reference Collection.
- Current Biography YearbookAnnual publication of biographies for the year's most intriguing people from around the world. Publication is available from 1940 to the present. See:Current Biography (REF CT 100 .C97) for volumes 1940 - 1954.
- New York Times Obituaries Index, 1858-1968Index to obituaries appearing in the New York Times newspaper. A useful resource for finding a quick biography of historical figures.
- Who Was WhoVolumes 1 (1897/1915) - 10 can be found in the Reference collection.
Subject Librarian |
 Anne Krakow |
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