Intro to History Research

Using the Libraries During a Pandemic

Check for updates on services

Chat with library staff quickly

Libraries Homepage: umanitoba.ca/libraries

Search the  collection with the Library Search

Accessing Books & Digitized Copies

Includes instructions for:

  • Placing requests for physical books
  • Requesting scanned portions of books
  • Accessing ebooks & articles
  • Accessing items in HathiTrust

Note - during the pandemic:

  • Online library services are always available
  • Returns are quarantined for (at least) seven days
    • Expect returned items to stay checked out to you for at least one week
  • Late fees are suspended

 

Current "physical" services:

 

Request physical books to pick up at
Elizabeth Dafoe Library

Request scanned portions of books in & outside our collection (up to 10% or 1 chapter)

Study space in Libraries suspended during code red

UM Library Search

  • All physical resources within the Libraries
  • Some (not all) of the databases we subscribe to
    • Includes many reference texts available online (encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc)
    • If you sign in, more search results will appear
  • Very broad search engine - may bring up a lot of results from a wide range of areas of study.

Starting your research:

Reference works

(encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc)

  • Quick overview of a person, movement, period in time
  • Online access options:
    • Credo Reference (database)
    • UM Library Search > limit Resource Type to Reference Entries

Newspapers

History subject guide

        > Research > Primary Sources

                  > Newspapers & Journals

 

Also in the main Library Search:

  • limit Resource Type to Newspaper Articles
  • limit by Date (year only)
  • consider limiting by Subject, or try different keywords

Other primary sources

History subject guide

        > Research > Primary Sources

                  > Digital Collections

 

  • Center for Research Libraries
    • Digital Collections
    • You can also request a digital scan of items they have in print/microform, via Document Delivery (include a note in the comments field to digitize)
  • Internet Archive
  • HathiTrust

Evaluating External Sources

Learn at the Libraries resource page

 

CRAAP Test - particularly important for evaluating websites

 

Currency - Is there a date the page was published or updated? How current are the cited sources? Are there broken links?

Relevancy - who is the intended audience?

Authority - is the author a recognized expert in this field?

Accuracy - supported with evidence (citations)? Peer-reviewed?

Purpose - to inform? teach? entertain? persuade? sell? Check the domain (eg: .com = commercial, .org = non-profit, .edu = educational...)

Document Delivery during pandemic times

("Request from another library" link in the Library Search)

 

No physical book requests

 

Request a copy of up to 10% or one chapter of a book

 

Request journal articles

Requesting a chapter or 10%

Search for the Table of Contents:

  • in the Details area of a Library Search record
  • via Google Books or Amazon (sometimes there is also a preview...)
  • email documentdelivery@umanitoba.ca just to request the Table of Contents
    • Provide at least the title, author, link to the book in the Library Search

Search Tip: to get more results

Try to find all the different ways of expressing the concept you're searching for. This can be done by:

  • putting OR between synonyms (rome OR roman)
  • adding an asterisk (*) to the root of a word:

 

E.g.: Canad* - finds Canada, Canadian, Canadians

Christian* - finds Christian, Christians, Christianity...

 

Note - Christ* also finds Christmas, Christo (the artist)...

Search Tip: to get more specific results

(narrowing down your search)

  • Put a phrase "in quotation marks" to find results with those words in that order.
    • E.g.: "gothic revival"
  • Use NOT to exclude unrelated content.
    • E.g. union NOT soviet - for content about unions, but not the soviet one

 

More search tips on the Graduate Help & Services pages

For more sources, check:

  • Bibliographies of works on your topic
  • Subject headings:
  • "Cited by" feature:

for more articles:

  • Related Reading sidebar

for more books:

  • Virtual Browse
    • Includes physical books from ALL UM Libraries

Searching beyond the UM Library Collection

Citing

Citing & writing support

For help with:

  • Resources for getting started with citing
  • Questions about citing unusual resources
    • Quick help: Ask Us library chat
    • Ask Ellen (might take 1-2 business days to respond via email during busiest times)

For help with:

  • Going over citation formatting throughout essay in detail
  • Guidance on writing style
    • Academic Learning Centre > Online Writing Tutors
      • Look for someone with experience with the style you're using

Questions?

General Library Help

  • Questions about your library account, or how the UM Libraries work? The Help & Services page for graduate students may have the answer.
  • During the Fall term, library staff are available via the Ask Us chat service: 9am-8pm Monday-Thursday, 9am-6pm Friday, and 1pm-4pm on weekends.
    • Fastest way to ask a general question about the Libraries.
    • If we're not online, your message will be received the following morning.

Questions?

Research Support

  • History subject guide
    • resources for research
    • citation info
  • Contact Ellen for help with your search strategy when looking for resources for your assignments, advice on which databases are the best places to look for various research topics, and with questions about citing.

 

Intro to History Research

By Ellen Tisdale

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Intro to History Research

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