Research Resources

Research is a fundamental skill that is often overlooked. I started teaching Research Bootcamps, and then expanding to a Historical Thinking, Research, and Writing Bootcamp, because solid research knowledge and skills makes every assignment and project easier and more efficient, provides credible evidence and critical thought to support conclusions, and makes the quality of writing or project better.

This resource list comes from the Appendix of the History Compass: A Guide to Historical Thinking, Research, and Writing, which I am currently finishing for Pandia Press Publishing. It will be available later this year, combining and expanding on both my bootcamps and my years of experience teaching History and the Humanities.

The list below will be regularly updated as new resources emerge.

Student Resources

The resources below are consistent, credible, useful, and are available online. They are easy to find and accessible for most students to use in their research and writing assignments. While there is a focus on history, many of the resources below can be used for a variety of subjects.

Writing

Dayla Learning Free Writing Resources https://daylalearning.com/learner-writing-resources/

The Perdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) https://owl.purdue.edu/

A Writer’s Reference by Diana Hacker

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White

The Chicago Manual of Style Online https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/home.html

A Manual for Writers (Chicago Style for Students and Researchers) by Kate Turabian

More than Personal Communication: Templates for Citing Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers (article and templates by Lorisia MacLeod, James Cree Smith Nation) https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/kula/2021-v5-n1-kula06185/1079235ar/

Bibcitation https://www.bibcitation.com/

 BibMe https://www.bibme.org/

Writing a History Paper (College of William & Mary’s History Writing Resource Center) https://www.wm.edu/as/history/undergraduateprogram/hwrc/handouts/handouts/writingahistorypaperexampleessay.pdf

Research

Sweet Search History (history search engine for students) https://history.sweetsearch.com/

Internet Archive https://archive.org/

WorldCat (International library search) https://www.worldcat.org/

Harvard Library Online Database Search https://library.harvard.edu/services-tools/database-search

University Library Guides Most universities have a library guide online that has information on how to use and research with their database, research tips, writing and citation style information, videos and tutorials, and more. You can access it through the main website, or do a search with the university name and “lib guide.” For example, CU Boulder’s Library Guide is at https://libguides.colorado.edu/ and UC Berkeley’s Library Guide is at https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/. Both have subject-specific sections as well as a general guide.

Related Words (to find related concepts or keywords to a topic) https://relatedwords.org/

Phrase Thesaurus https://www.phrases.org.uk/phrase-thesaurus/search/index.html

One Look (reverse dictionary, related term generator) https://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml

Visuwords (visual dictionary, thesaurus, and interactive lexicon) https://visuwords.com/

Common Sense: Google Search Tips https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/5-must-have-google-search-tips-for-students

Common Sense: Reliable and Credible Sources https://www.commonsense.org/education/top-picks/most-reliable-and-credible-sources-for-students

Boolean Search Learning Tool https://www.kidzsearch.com/boolify/

MIT Library Boolean Operator Database Search Tips https://libguides.mit.edu/c.php?g=175963&p=1158594

Google Search Operators https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2466433?hl=en&visit_id=637510769486840603-963254915&rd=1

The Chart (Media Bias) https://www.adfontesmedia.com/the-chart-version-3-0-what-exactly-are-we-reading/

Media Bias/Fact Check Media Bias/Fact Check News

All Sides Media Bias Chart https://www.allsides.com/media-bias/media-bias-chart

Specialized/Vertical Search Engines

Google Scholar: a search engine dedicated to scholarly resources. (https://scholar.google.com/)

Google Images: specialized search for images. (https://images.google.com/).

Google Patents: for finding patents and concept drawings. (https://patents.google.com/)

Google News: for finding news content from many different sources. You can also put an alert on topics that interest you, so that you will be notified about any new related content. (https://news.google.com/)

Google Trends: an interesting search engine that measures and compares search terms. Very helpful in research about modern history and current events. (https://trends.google.com/)

Google Books: good place to source print and e-books, especially those available for free. (https://books.google.com/)

Google Videos: like Google News, a terrific place to find content from multiple, diverse sources. (https://www.google.com/videohp)

Google Custom Search Engine: Google also offers the ability to create your own, individualized search engine, creating exactly the searches you want. https://programmablesearchengine.google.com/about/

Research Management Tools

Zotero https://www.zotero.org/

Mendeley https://www.mendeley.com/download-desktop-new/

EndNote https://endnote.com/

Papers https://www.papersapp.com/

Primary Sources

UC Berkeley Library: Finding Historical Primary Sources https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/subject-guide/163-Finding-Historical-Primary-Sources and UC Berkeley’s list of Primary Sources (some are already listed below) https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/c.php?g=4409&p=15610

Library of Congress Collection https://www.loc.gov/collections/

Library of Congress “Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers” https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

National Archives Primary Source Database https://www.archives.gov/education/research/primary-sources

National Archives: Primary Source Document Database https://www.docsteach.org/documents

National Archives 100 Milestone Documents https://www.ourdocuments.gov/content.php?flash=true&page=milestone

George Mason University: History Matters “Many Pasts” (primary source documents) http://historymatters.gmu.edu/browse/manypasts/%3Cbr%20/%3E

Smithsonian Learning Lab Database https://learninglab.si.edu/

National Historical GIS (data tables and maps) https://www.nhgis.org/

Life Magazine Photo Archive http://images.google.com/hosted/life

JSTOR Primary Source Library https://about.jstor.org/librarians/primary-sources/

The Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy (documents organized by time period) (Yale Law School) https://avalon.law.yale.edu/

Fordham University Sourcebook (documents organized by time period) https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/modsbookfull.asp

Spartacus Educational (encyclopedia entries that have direct links to primary sources) https://spartacus-educational.com/

Project Gutenberg (public domain literature) https://www.gutenberg.org/

The Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History: History Resources: Spotlight on Primary Sources Search Database https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources-search?tid_2=47298

Teaching American History: Primary Source Documents https://teachingamericanhistory.org/category/primary-source-documents/

Teaching American History: Documents by Era https://teachingamericanhistory.org/documents/era/?fbclid=IwAR1Sv1879Sf4wv7OrQRPs1SN39cGToKTXOBhZV9F8YM7e6j1o1974WfVc_c

National Humanities Center: America In Class (Primary Source Collection) https://americainclass.org/primary-sources/

Facing History: Primary Source Collections https://www.facinghistory.org/our-work/common-core/primary-source-collections

Civil War Washington https://civilwardc.org/

Black Digital Humanities Projects & Resources http://bit.ly/Black-DH-List

Equal Justice Initiative: Lynching in America https://lynchinginamerica.eji.org/

The Center for Digital Humanities, Princeton University https://cdh.princeton.edu/

WANGO: World Association for Non-Governmental Organizations (esp. for statistics and data) https://www.wango.org/

United Nations Statistical Database https://data.un.org/

U.S. Government Services and Information USA.gov

Academic Info: Online Historical Documents http://www.academicinfo.net/histaalibrary.html

Advanced Papyrological Information System (APIS) https://papyri.info/

Getty Digitized Library Collections http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/digital_collections/index.html

Making of America https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moagrp/

Hanover Historical Texts Collection https://history.hanover.edu/project.php

The History Guide http://historyguide.org/resources.html

International Institute of Social History https://iisg.amsterdam/en

World History Matters https://worldhistorymatters.org/

Ellis Island/ Statue of Liberty Passenger Records https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/

Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty Oral History Library https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/oral-history-library

Maps

Mapping the World: The Story of Cartography by Beau Riffenburgh

Great Maps: The World’s Masterpieces Explored and Explained by Jerry Brotton

History of the World: Map by Map (Smithsonian/DK, Foreward by Peter Snow

National Geographic Society Atlas of World History by Noel Grove

The Power of Maps by Denis Wood

Old Maps Online https://www.oldmapsonline.org/

USGS: Maps https://www.usgs.gov/products/maps/gis-data

USGS: Historical Maps https://www.usgs.gov/news/historical-maps-your-fingertips

USGS Topographical Map Explorer https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/topoexplorer/index.html

Library of Congress Map Collection https://www.loc.gov/maps/collections/

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection https://www.davidrumsey.com/

Perry-Castañeda Library Historical Map Collection (University of Texas, Austin) https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/index.html

Historical Maps of the UCLA Henry J. Bruman Map Collection https://guides.library.ucla.edu/maps/historical

Mapchart (custom maps) https://mapchart.net/

Google Earth https://www.google.com/earth/

Google Earth: Historical Maps from Around the World (selected by David Rumsey) https://earth.google.com/web/@12.34062,-27.222249,0a,22275189d,35y,0h,0t,0r/data=CjASLhIgY2NjOGJhYWVhYjg5MTFlODg4N2U3MWQ2MDFiMTRkNzUiCnZveV9zcGxhc2g

The Racial Dot Map (University of Virginia, Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service) https://demographics.coopercenter.org/racial-dot-map

Placing Segregation Project https://dsps.lib.uiowa.edu/placingsegregation/

Visualizing Emancipation Project https://dsl.richmond.edu/emancipation/

Opportunity Atlas https://www.opportunityatlas.org/

Measure of America (Social Science Research Council) http://measureofamerica.org/maps/

Immigration Explorer https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigration-explorer.html

USDA Food Access Research Atlas https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/

Social Explorer (Paid, but has free demo) https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas/

A Vision of Britain Through Time (Historical Maps) https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/maps/

Old Maps (UK) https://www.old-maps.co.uk/#/

National Library of Australia: Historical Maps https://www.nla.gov.au/what-we-collect/maps

Atlas of Historical County Boundaries (U.S.) https://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/index.html

The True Size of (show the true size of countries in relationship to each other) https://thetruesize.com/

Native Land Map https://native-land.ca/ https://native-land.ca/

Mr. Sinn AP Geography https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyI9ZKZqlfaWhGLKTVTz9cA

Crash Course Geography

Making Maps:

Making Maps by Denis Wood and John Krygier

Making Maps: DIY Cartography https://makingmaps.net/

Art Pro: How to Draw a Map Step-by-Step

Fantastic Maps https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlnvC4bOjI6pteFaakBByQ/videos

Videos about map projections:

Types of Map projections (Mr. Sinn, AP Geography)

A World of Difference: Jane Elliot points out how the map is manipulated (CNN Newsroom)

Why All World Maps are Wrong (Vox)

Why Most World Maps are Wrong (Newsy Geopolitical Series)

Bonus: This is a short, funny clip from the TV show, The West Wing, in which one of the characters learns about map projection distortions and the effect they have on social equality:

Gall-Peters Projection, The West Wing (Useful Clips)

Educator Resources

The books and sites below were referenced for research and consistency and focus specifically on Historical Thinking, Research, and Writing. Some are educator resources and some are college-level texts, and would not be appropriate for students on the younger end of the targeted age range (Middle School to High School) for the History Odyssey Guide to Historical Thinking, Research, and Writing. More advanced high school-aged students may find some of the books useful as extra reference and a deeper exploration of some topics in preparation for dual enrollment or college-level work , especially if they are planning on majoring in history as they are written for college students, or in some cases, other historians.

Educator Resources

American History Association: Historical Thinking Skills https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning/teaching-resources-for-historians/teaching-and-learning-in-the-digital-age/the-history-of-the-americas/the-conquest-of-mexico/for-teachers/setting-up-the-project/historical-thinking-skills

Standford History Education Group (SHEG): Reading Like a Historian https://sheg.stanford.edu/list-reading-historian-lessons

NEH Edsitement Lesson Plans (history/humanities lessons with primary sources built in) https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans

Historical Scene Investigation (13 sets of documents throughout different time periods of American History) https://hsi.wm.edu/

Historical Thinking Matters (lesson plans and primary sources on four topics: The Spanish American War., the Scopes Trial, Social Security, and Rosa Parks http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/teachers/

The Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History: History Resources https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources

Library of Congress: getting Started with primary Sources https://www.loc.gov/programs/teachers/getting-started-with-primary-sources/

Library of Congress Primary Source Sets (classroom materials) https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/?fa=partof_type:primary+source+set

Common Sense Education: News Literacy Resources List https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/news-literacy-resources-for-classrooms

Newseum Ed https://newseumed.org/classes-training

Facing History: Primary Source Collections https://www.facinghistory.org/our-work/common-core/primary-source-collections

National Humanities Center: Teacher Serve (essays on three historical themes with primary sources embedded) http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/tserve.htm

Teaching Hard History Text Library https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/texts/hard-history/slavery

History Matters http://historymatters.gmu.edu/

Smithsonian Education: Artifact & Analysis http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/idealabs/ap/index.htm

National Council for History Educators (NCHE) Resources https://ncheteach.org/educator-resources

Lesh, Bruce A. “Why Won’t You Just Tell Us the Answer?” Teaching Historical Thinking in Grades 7-12. Stenhouse Publishers, 2011.

Wineburg, Sam; Martin, Daisy; Monte-Sano, Chauncey. Reading Like a Historian: Teaching Literacy in Middle & High School History Classrooms. New Yor, NY, Teachers College Press, 2013.

Books

Benjamin, Jules R. A Student’s Guide to History. Boston MA, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2019.

Breisach, Ernst. Historiography: Ancient, Medieval and Modern. Chicago, IL, The University of Chicago Press, 2007

Brundage, Anthony. Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing. Hoboken NJ, John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2018.

Pickering Antonova, Katherine. The Essential Guide to Writing History Essays. New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2020.

Pojmann, Wendy; Reeves-Ellington, Barbara; Ward Mahar, Karen. Doing History: An Introduction to the Historian’s Craft. New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2016.

Presnell, Jenny L. The Information-Literate Historian: A Guide to Research for History Students. New York NY, Oxford University Press, 2019.

Rampolla, Mary Lynn. A Pocket Guide to Writing in History. Boston MA, Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, 2018.

Woolf, Daniel. A Concise History of History: Global Historiography from Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge, UK, Cambridge University Press, 2019.