Research Guides: English: ENG 271 Harrington

The Research Process

Helpful Library Research Tools

Reference Sources (for finding background info)

Literature Resource Center This link opens in a new window
Provides access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses on over 130,000 writers in all disciplines, from all time periods and from around the world.
Gale Reference eBooks This link opens in a new window
Provides a database of encyclopedias and reference sources for research. Coverage include the Arts, Business, Education, the Environment, History, Literature, Medicine, Multicultural Studies, Religion, Science and Social Science. 2000 – present.

Article Databases

MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window
Covers literature, language and linguistics, folklore, film, literary theory and criticism, and dramatic arts, as well as the historical aspects of printing and publishing. Over 6,000 journals and series, plus 1,200 book publishers, are indexed. Articles date from 1926-present.
America: History and Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides citations to articles on American and Canadian history. Articles date from 1964 – present. Includes some full-text links.
Historical Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Provides citations to world history articles, book chapters, books, and more on topics dating from 1450-present. Coverage excludes U.S. and Canada. Over 2,000 peer-reviewed journals are indexed. Years of coverage: 1954-present.
ProQuest Central This link opens in a new window
Provides access to thousands of full-text scholarly journals, trade and professional titles, newspapers, magazines, dissertations, working papers, case studies, and market reports. Content covers all major subject areas, including business, health and medical, social sciences, arts and humanities, education, science and technology, and religion.

Find Primary Sources/Artifacts

American Historical Periodicals This link opens in a new window
This collection from the American Antiquarian Society (parts I-VI) provides a history of the American people and the growth of the nation from the colonial period to the twentieth century. Early periodicals in the collection focus on colonial life and the growing tensions between colonists and their oversea rulers leading up to the American Revolution. The Civil War and Reconstruction eras are well represented. Early twentieth century titles document the second Industrial Revolution, immigration, women’s rights, World War I, as well as fashion and music during the Roaring Twenties.
Nineteenth Century U.S. Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Provides access to a collection of 400 19th Century United States newspapers. Content includes full-text articles, advertisements, and illustrations from a wide range of urban and rural American newspapers.
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998, Series 1 This link opens in a new window
Explore African American history, culture and daily life in the 19th and 20th centuries. Includes 28,000 issues from more than 260 rare 19th- and 20th-century newspapers published in 36 states.
Hispanic Life in America This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive coverage of the Hispanic American experience from the early 18th century through the early 21st century. Content is sourced from more than 17,000 publications, including 700 Spanish-language newspapers and periodicals. Library has Series I, 1704-1942: Spanish Colonialism through World War II, and Series II, 1943-2009: Immigration, Labor Rights and Civil Rights.

Find Books Using MUSCAT Plus and WorldCat

MUSCAT Plus This link opens in a new window
MUSCAT Plus searches for books, journal articles, media, and more in Musselman Library and beyond.
WorldCat This link opens in a new window
Provides citations to books & other materials owned by over 10,000 libraries around the world (subject matter covers material from all time periods).

Evaluate Information Sources

Evaluating Sources

Think critically about information sources that you use. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating sources…

Who wrote it and why?

What qualifies the author(s) to write about the topic?
Who is the intended audience?
What is the purpose -- to inform / entertain / persuade / summarize / report new findings?
What is the context in which it was written?

How does it support your research question?

What do you know now that you didn’t know before reading it?
What does the source argue or demonstrate that none of your other sources do?
What questions remain or what new questions are raised when considering the information?

What makes it reliable?

What evidence did the author use to support his/her claims?
Have other people cited or referenced it?
How might someone dismiss it?
Who had to approve or review it before it could be published?

Scholarly vs. Popular Sources

For much of the research that you do at Gettysburg College, professors will request that you use scholarly articles (from peer-reviewed journals, rather than popular magazines and websites.) If you need help telling the difference, see this guide on the library website.

English: ENG 271 Harrington

Citation Help

Questions? Ask your librarian!

Who, What, and When?

The Research Process

Helpful Library Research Tools

Evaluate Information Sources