Research Guides: You're in Good Company: 2nd Annual Mini-Conference for Graduate Students in the Humanities: Ready-Set-Go—and Research

Research

http://www.mcla.edu/Academics/undergraduateresearch/studentgrants/index

Hone research skills and save time! Participants will learn how to create a research plan for obtaining resources. Librarians will highlight specialized databases and show how alert services can assist researchers. Participants will also gain insight on finding and using materials in archives and special collections.

Research Planning and Alerts

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
Can use literature review, bibliographies from dissertations on your topic or related topic. 24-page review of many dissertations available; request via GetIt! for those you want.
Note: You cannot request full-text of dissertations or theses via ILLiad from within the database; you can only order them using your own credit card. To request via ILLiad, log in to ILLiad, click on Request a Thesis, and fill out the form.

Research Alerts
Guide for WU students, faculty, and staff on research alerts and current-awarness services

Article Databases, Primary Source Resources, Catalogs @ WU

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
Note: You cannot request full-text of dissertations or theses via ILLiad from within the database; you can only order them using your own credit card. To request via ILLiad, log in to ILLiad, click on Request a Thesis, and fill out the form.

Select list of primary source databases is below. For more, see list of ALL PRIMARY SOURCE DATABASES.

Archives Unbound

Database Finder

Using Special Collections and Archives

Archives Checklist

Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research
by Laura Schmidt (2011). From the Society of American Archivists. Also available online
A Survival Guide to Archival Research

Multilingual Archival Terminology
Introduction to Archival Terminology
A Glossary of Archival and Records Terminology
From the Society of American Archivists

Comparison Chart of Archives, Libraries, and Museums
Credit: The American Association for State and Local History (The Basics of Archives)

What Are Archives and How Do They Differ from Libraries?
From Society of American Archivists
Top ways archives are different from libraries
From ArchivesNext

Tools & Tips for Finding Archives, Rare Books, Special Collections

World Guide to Libraries
Call Number: Z721 .I63 4o (Olin Level 1 Reference)
ISBN: 9783110277968
Publication Date: Latest ed.: 2014
Articles Describing Archives and Manuscript Collections in the United States by Donald L. DeWitt (Compiled by)
Call Number: CD3022 A2 D478 1997 (Olin level 1 Reference)
Publication Date: 1997
British Archives: A guide to archive resources in the United Kingdom by Janet Foster (Editor); Julia Sheppard (Editor)
Call Number: CD1040 .F67 2002 (Olin Level 1 Reference)
Publication Date: 2002
Archives in Germany : an introductory guide to institutions and sources by edited by Frank Schumacher with the assistance of Annette M. Marciel.
Call Number: CD1220 .A78 2001
Publication Date: 2001
Also available online
American Author Houses, Museums, Memorials and Libraries by Shirley Hoover Biggers
Call Number: PS141 .B54 2000
ISBN: 0786407778
Publication Date: 2000
Literary Research Guide: An Annotated Listing of Reference Sources in English Literary Studies by James L. Harner
Call Number: Z2011 .H34 2008 (Olin level 1 reference; West Campus)
ISBN: 9780873528085
Publication Date: 2008-01-01
Not just about English--Includes foreign language literatures. Also includes sources for rare books, special collections, and archives
A Guide to the OCLC Database and the Special Collections Therein by Philip Schieber and Virginia G. Voedisch
Call Number: Z688 A2 G95 1984
Publication Date: 1984
Guide to Hebrew Manuscript Collections / by Benjamin Richler.
Call Number: Z6605.H4 R473 2014
ISBN: 965208185X
Publication Date: 2014
Subject Collections: A Guide to Special Book Collections and Subject Emphases As Reported by University, College, Public, and Special Libraries and Museums in the United by Lee Ash (Compiled by); William G. Miller (Compiled by)
Call Number: Z731 A78 1961
ISBN: 9780835231411
Publication Date: 1993-01-01

Additional directories and sources in WU Catalog

Browse by [term] -- [country] -- Directories

Search topic as a subject with keywords: archives, catalogs, sources, or manuscripts.

Consult with faculty advisors, subject librarians, and curators/archivists who often will have personal contacts or sources
Look at bibliography/references in monographs on your subject.Often archival sources will be listed separately.
Look at scholarly organizations (e.g. American Historical Association) or literary socieities (e.g. Int'l Brecht Society)
Search in subject databases (e.g. MLA Int'l Bibliography)
Archives and Special Collections are often indexed in Google.
May need to search using foreign terms (e.g. Nachlass [German equivalent "unpublished papers"], archivo [Spanish term for "archives"])
- Dictionary of archival terminology (terms in Dutch, French, German, Italian, Russian, & Spanish). Call number: CD945 D53 1988 (Olin level 3)
- Multilingual Archival Terminology (online)