Conduct historical research

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Before beginning your research, take a look at the Seven Step Guide to Library Research

Conducting research in historical topics requires the use of primary and secondary sources. Primary sources are records that have survived from the past and include such things as diaries, letters, photographs, business papers, government and public documents, oral history interviews, and papers of organizations or societies. Secondary sources are restatements of primary sources that seek to analyze, describe, or explain. Secondary sources may also include arguments in support of a certain interpretation of the primary source.

Finding Primary Sources

Library Collections : Many libraries have collections of primary documents. The Manuscripts Collection, part of the Special Collections Department at Joyner Library, has unpublished primary materials dating from the 1730's to the present. The strongest collections are in North Carolina history, military history, naval and maritime history, missionary history, and the history of the tobacco industry. The North Carolina Collection at Joyner Library includes published primary sources and microfilm related to North Carolina history.

Internet Resources: Visit the sites below for collections of primary documents.

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Avalon History Project - law, history and economics

Repositiories of Primary Sources

Yale University Primary Resources Research

EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents

How To Read Primary Sources: a great overview on reading primary sources comes from Bowdoin College. Be sure to read the "Additional Concepts" section.

Talk To a Librarian: If you would like assistance from a librarian, you may schedule an individual consultation by calling 252-328-6677 or email us.

Finding Secondary Sources

Books: Begin with the library catalog. You may choose to search by keyword or subject. For a broader selection, search WorldCat, a database of books available from libraries around the world.

Journal Articles: For database searching, go to the Joyner Library homepage and click on "Databases" tab.

Internet Resources: Joyner Library offers a brief tutorial on evaluating what you find.

Citing Sources for Your Paper

Style Manuals and Citation Guides

Citing Electronic Information in History Papers

The URL for this page is: http://media.lib.ecu.edu/reference/howdoi/display.cfm?id=43.0