Spring 2008 - A. Andrews
reference contact: Pamela Skinner x2961

FINDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION

• The majority of encyclopedias and research guides relating to African Americans generally are located in the Neilson Library reference collection (level 1 north) in this call number area: E 184 - E 185.
• Encyclopedias and research guides on specific topics are located in other call number areas of the reference collection. For example: PS = American literature (including African-American); BL = religion (including African-American); etc.
• When starting research in a specific discipline (literature, film, philosophy, psychology, economics, sociology, anthropology, etc.), please ask a reference librarian for help. S/he can suggest many sources beyond those listed below.
• Or, try searching for them yourself in the online catalog using Subject Keywords; for example: sociology encyclopedias.
• Use these sources for background information and a list of suggested readings.

FINDING BOOKS

Five College Catalog - Note that the "correct" subject heading isn't always obvious. If a subject search doesn't work, try a keyword search to find a few relevant titles. Then click on the subject headings on those records to conduct a more comprehensive subject search.

Writers, artists, musicians, etc:

• Remember to use author (last name first) for works by a specific writer/artist/musician
• And subject begins with for works about the writer/artist/musician.

WorldCat - Use WorldCat to expand your search for books beyond the Five-College area. Watch for items that are owned by only one library: such unique material is often not obtainable via interlibrary loan. If you plan to use interlibrary loan to request books and theses, please allow at least 2 weeks for delivery.

FINDING ARTICLES

There is no database devoted solely to scholarly articles on African American subjects. There are, however, printed listings of articles from African American journals and magazines, as well as several databases that offer full-text from the African American press, current and historical.

• Use the databases below to identify scholarly articles and essays on your topic.
• Use the SC Links buttons within the databases below to see if Smith has the article you need either in electronic or print format
• If you identify an article from another source, use the Journal Locator to locate the article online or in print
• If you need to use interlibrary loan to requests articles, allow a week or so (though often the articles arrive within days)

Interdisciplinary Databases (good when just starting a search):

Core Databases for various disciplines:

PRIMARY SOURCES

• If you would like to work with primary source materials in the original, consider using Smith's Sophia Smith Collection. This page describes their major subject collections.
• Materials relating to the history of the college are housed in the College Archives. Letters, diaries, and other primary sources documenting student life at Smith are listed on the Research Guides page. The image gallery also gives a sense of the scope of the collection.
• Consult with the collection curators for other ideas. Note that many of the collections are described in the Five College Archives & Manuscripts Collection database.
• In addition to materials in the Sophia Smith Collection and College Archives, there is an abundance of primary source material in Neilson Library.
• As you search the online catalog; watch for the words "personal narratives," "interviews," "correspondence," "diaries," "pamphlets," and "sources" as part of the subject headings. Other clues may be buried in the title, authorship, date of publication, etc.

The form your primary source material takes will vary from topic to topic. It may be a diary, correspondence, or personal writings; newspaper accounts or editorials; or the records of an organization or religious body. It may be a law, court case, or other legal document. For some topics, there will be compilations of significant documents.

INTERNET RESOURCES

The internet is both a wonderful and perilous resource. Use it, but always with a critical eye. Keep the issues of authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and completeness at the forefront as you look at webpages. Two examples of more--or less--authoritative websites offering primary source material. Which would you be more comfortable relying on?

Slave Narratives (Southern Messenger)

Slave Narratives (American Memory)

EVALUATING AND CITING SOURCES

• Remember to cite your souce, when either quoting directly or paraphasing. In other words, cite your source whenever you present an idea that isn't your own.
• Websites must be cited in your notes/bibliography, too; if you cut and paste - or
  paraphrase - from a website, cite the webpage.
• When in doubt, cite your source.
• Remember to include a context for each quotation/paraphrase. Who said it? Why does it matter? How does this support or contradict the argument you're making?
• Use this link to connect to online versions of Turabian, MLA Style Guide, etc.:
  Style Manuals & Citation Guides
• Or use the Landmarks Citation Machine, which offers quick citation help for APA, MLA, Turabian, and Chicago styles.

For help with your writing, remember the writing services available at the Jacobson Center.

Evaluating internet resources (Univ. of Maryland)

Using Primary Sources on the Web: Evaluating Primary Source Websites (Instruction & Research Services Committee, Reference and User Service Association History Section, American Library Association)

REFERENCE DESK HOURS

Click here for Neilson Library reference desk hours.

CONTACT THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN

Contact Pamela Skinner, the instructor for your library session: pskinner@email.smith.edu

YOUR FEEDBACK

Click here to provide feedback on this library session.

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