Research Guides: HIST495 Introduction to Historical Interpretation (History Honors): Consulting Reference Materials for Overview/Background Information

Why You Should Start with Reference Sources?

Reference Sources provide you contextual information and an overview of the critical historical events and figures. They are written based on primary and secondary sources. These are good are for familiarizing yourself with your research area.

Reference sources can:

Provide an overview of your topic
Are often written by scholars or experts in the field
Provide key people, places, events, and terms that you can use to refine your searches
Often offer suggestions for further reading

General Reference

Credo Reference Unlimited This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference Unlimited is a full-text database of hundreds of reference books covering every major subject, including several encyclopedias such as the Reader's Companion to American History.

Biography

American National Biography This link opens in a new window
A premier source of biographical information on over 18,000 people from all eras who have influenced and shaped American history and culture. The ANB covers deceased individuals whose significant actions occurred during his or her residence within what is now the United States or whose life or career directly influenced the course of American history.
Biography & Genealogy Master Index This link opens in a new window
Indexes current, readily available reference sources, as well as the most important retrospective works that cover individuals, both living and deceased, from every field of activity and from all areas of the world.
Biography in Context This link opens in a new window
A database of biographical information on people from throughout history, around the world, and across all disciplines and subject areas. Combines biographies from Gale Group biographical sources such as Biography and Genealogy Master Index and nearly one million biographies from Marquis Who's Who publications. In-depth profiles, thumbnail sketches, and full-text journal articles are included.
Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window
Similar to Biography in Context, the Biography Reference Bank aggregates full-text from a variety of different sources.

Handbooks, Guides & Companions

Other companions and bibliographies include: Blackwell Companions (example: Companion to American Cultural History) and Oxford Bibliographies (example: Atlantic History)

Cambridge Companions Online This link opens in a new window
Cambridge Companions are a series of authoritative guides, written by leading experts, offering lively, accessible introductions to major writers, artists, philosophers, topics, and periods.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
The Oxford Handbook Series brings together review essays that evaluate the current thinking on a field or topic, and make an original argument about the future direction of the debate.
Routledge Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
All of the Routledge Handbooks in digital format, searchable by collection, article/chapter, and full handbook.

Oxford Bibliographies
Guide to scholarly literature by field. Subdivided into articles by established scholars covering major categories of research with corresponding bibliographies of recommended resources.