LibGuides: History: Books

Masland Online Catalog Search

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Finding Book Reviews

A review is a critical evaluation of a text, event, object, or phenomenon. Reviews can consider books, articles, entire genres or fields of literature, architecture, art, fashion, restaurants, policies, exhibitions, performances, and many other forms.

Above all, a review makes an argument. The most important element of a review is that it is a commentary, not merely a summary. It allows you to enter into dialogue and discussion with the work's creator and with other audiences. It can offer agreement or disagreement and identify where you find the work exemplary or deficient in its knowledge, judgments, or organization.

"Book Reviews." The Writing Center. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, n.d. Web. 21 Apr 2011. <http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/review.html>.

Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new window
A multi-disciplinary database designed specifically for academic institutions. With a large collection of peer-reviewed full-text journals, the database offers information in nearly every area of academic study including: biblical studies, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and many more.

Literary Reference Center
Literary Reference Center contains full text for more than 34,500 plot summaries, synopses and work overviews, nearly 100,000 articles/essays of literary criticisms, more than 253,000 author biographies (including more than 22,000 in-depth bios), more than 450 literary journals, more than 693,000 book reviews, more than 77,100 classic and contemporary poems, more than 19,400 classic and contemporary short stories, more than 6,400 author interviews, more than 8,200 classic texts and much more.

Newspaper Source This link opens in a new window
Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for more than 40 national (U.S.) and international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for more than 330 regional (U.S.) newspapers.
Due to third party ownership of full text, EBSCO Information Services is dependent on publisher publication schedules (and in some cases embargo periods) in order to produce full text on its products.

Call Numbers

Selected Areas for Browsing:

D	History: Europe, Asia, and Africa
DA	Great Britain
DC	France
DD	Germany
DE	Greco-Roman World
DK	Russia
DS	Asia
DT	Africa
E-F	History: American
G	Geography (General), Maps
GB	Physical Geography

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records
CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art
RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them. Some types of seconday sources include:

PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias

Examples of secondary sources include:

A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings
A history textbook
A book about the effects of WWI

Princeton University Library. "What Is a Primary Source." Getting Started with Your Research. Princeton University. Web. 11 Jan. 2011. <http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html>.