History & Historical Research

Understand Types of Resources

Knowing how a resource will inform your research is a powerful way to identify what you need to find. 

Below are some examples of resources that will be beneficial for historical research, along with an explanation of how each can help you analyze various aspects of history. Refer to the tabs on the left for strategies to locate each type of resource.

Reference Material

Effective way to quickly build an understanding of a topic and its context

Monographs (Books)

Provide comprehensive, thorough treatment of a subject in one publication; the author is usually an expert in the field of study.

Journal Articles 

Expert research that covers very specific topics or narrow fields of research.

Primary Sources

A historical document or artifact created during a particular period of time... primary sources provide researchers with information directly from the time period being studied (Crelin, 2024). 

References

Crelin, J. (2024). Primary source. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

Examining Sources

Examining sources involves diving into the resources you have found relating to your topic or research question. 

• Critically read and understand the content of your sources.
• Identifying the main arguments, evidence, and conclusions.

Watch a short video here: 

Evaluating Sources

Reading and note-taking tips

As you read, outlining common themes or threads throughout the research can help you begin to bring concepts together and answer your research question. Awareness of the common themes in the sources will also help identify any missing pieces where further research may be necessary. 

Learn more below: 

Anatomy of a Research Paper 

How to Read Scholarly Materials

Take notes

Take note of specific concepts, chapters, or pages related to the topic for each source. 

For example: 

Research Strategies (5th ed), Badke, W., iUniverse, 2014.

• Chapter 8 explores how to read for research, which could be helpful for anyone wanting to take steps to analyze information and begin to process it in relation to other research. Badke discusses strategies for quoting, summarizing, and paraphrasing readings, which can help organize information (pp. 202 - 207). 

They Say / I Say (6th ed.), Graff, G. & Birkenstein, C., W. W. Norton & Company, 2024.

• Graff & Birkenstein explore the role of scholarship as a conversation and how we, as authors, can combine ideas to build upon that conversation (pp. 1-4). 
• Chapter three explores the art of quoting others in texts to build upon an idea and strengthen your response by synthesizing other research (pp. 47-58). 

Connect Ideas 

Bring those ideas together as you write. 

For Example: 

Combining ideas from other research helps build a stronger thesis argument. Badke (2024) examines the practice of citing others' work to lend authority to one's own, thereby enhancing the credibility of the research. Similarly, Graff & Birkins explain that using others' works in research brings out the larger scholarly conversation that one works join as they research (pp. 1-4). By synthesizing these ideas in research, it's clear that arguments can be made to give credit to the voices present in research while also building on one's work and looking for opportunities to add to the conversation humbly. 

Cite Sources

When you use someone else’s ideas—whether quoted or paraphrased—you must give them credit through citation. Citations show the scope of your research, support your arguments, and add credibility to your work. They also guide readers to the sources you used, helping them follow your research path.

Tools for Organizing and Citing Works 

Below are some resources to help you organize your work and information on citing sources. You can also check out the Citing Sources Guide

Review

Once the project has been drafted, it's time to confirm the paper is complete. Keep in mind the scope of the project, the particular assignment, and any requirements that may be required (number of pages, types of sources, citation format, etc.). As weaknesses are identified, note them to be addressed in a revision.