Here are some resources for your Research Assignments:
Link to Library Home Page
Forms for Requesting Materials
Frequently Asked Questions
Information Literacy Modules (online tutorials)
Source: http://news.boisestate.edu
Reference Books - a valuable resource!! The following are just a few examples of the many sources available to help you get overviews of your topic and locate other sources of information:
Reference Books Online! [If asked to log in, use the same login/password you use for journal databases. If you don't know how to login to journal databases either, contact the Reference Librarians.]:
Encyclopedia of African-American culture and history : the Black experience in the Americas / Colin A. Palmer, editor in chief.
Encyclopedia of American foreign policy : Alexander DeConde, Richard Dean Burns, and Fredrik Logevall, editors in chief.
Encyclopedia of genocide and crimes against humanity / Dinah Shelton, ed.
Gender issues and sexuality: essential primary sources / K. Lee Lerner, Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, and Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, editors.
The Greenwood encyclopedia of rock history :
Volume 1: The Early Years, 1951-1959.
Volume 2: Folk, Pop, Mods, and Rockers, 1960-1966.
Volume 3: The Rise of Album Rock, 1967-1973.
Volume 4: From Arenas to the Underground, 1974-1980.
Encyclopedia of the Global Economy : A Guide for Students and Researchers.
Volume 1: 168 encyclopedic entries on key topics related to international economics and trade.
Volume 2: Primary documents and statistical data related to international trade.
LGBT, encyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history in America / Marc Stein, editor in chief.
Salem History - A central search page for online history encyclopedias from Salem Press.
The Statesman’s Yearbook 2007: the politics, cultures and economies of the world / edited by Barry Turner.
Gale Virtual Reference Library - Search a collection on online
reference books from Gale, a respected publisher of subject-focused
encyclopedias and dictionaries
Credo Reference - Search a collection of up to 100 online dictionaries and subject encyclopedias. Or click on "Find a Book," and search within only one title, such as the Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century or the Encyclopedia of North American Indians (Houghton Mifflin).
Print Reference Books in the Library
American National Biography
[Ref CT213 .A68 1999]A 24-volume set of short (1-2 page) biographies of influential Americans of the past. Each biography ends with a short bibliography and information on where the subject's papers are kept.
Handbook of North American Indians [Ref E77 .H25]
A multi-volume set published by the Smithsonian Institution. The chapters on this part of the United States can be found in Volume 12 (Plateau).
American Indians : A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. [Shelved at Reference Desk. Ref E93 .U53 1984]
This catalog guides you to microfilm of historical documents from the National Archives, covering:
Records of the Oregon Superintendency (of Indian Affairs), 1848-1873
Records of the Washington Superintendency (of Indian Affairs), 1853-1874
State Department Territorial Papers, Washington Territory, 1854-1872
Interior Department Territorial Papers, Idaho, 1864-1890
State Department Territorial Papers, Oregon, 1848-1858
State Department Territorial papers, Idaho, 1863-1872
Records Relating to Indian Treaties, 1772-1868
Reference Library of Hispanic America [Ref E184 .S75 R44 2003]
A 4-volume encyclopedia of essays and biographies on the experience of Spanish-speaking people in the United States. The general bibliography for the entire set is located in Volume IV.
What Historical Novel Do I Read Next? Volume 3 [Ref PN3441 .B87 W438 2003 v.3]
A guide to historical novels, including indexes to works by time period and subject of the story. Each novel summary includes a brief evaluation of the novel's historical accuracy. This reference also refers you to "Other Books You Might Like" on the subject.
The Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States [GovDocs AE 2.114:]
Containing the public messages, speeches, and statements of the Presidents, from President Eisenhower to President George W. Bush.
Foreign Relations of the United States [GovDocs S 1.1:945-50]
The official documentary record of major foreign policy decisions, compiled by the Historian of the Department of State. The LCSC Library has volumes covering 1945-1976.
Search Catalogs to find books on your subject:
LCSC Library Catalog - provides information about the materials owned by the LCSC Library and other North Idaho Academic Libraries, including North Idaho College and the University of Idaho. Also has a link to WIN Libraries, so you can search Gonzaga, Whitworth, and VALNet Libraries.
Virtual Reference Library - Search a collection on online reference books from Gale, a respected publisher of subject-focused encyclopedias and dictionaries.
Research Center at Nez Perce National Historic Park
You can search the catalog (limit location to Idaho) before visiting the Research Center.
Materials must be used on-site. They don't check anything out. Find more details, including a link to their policies, by clicking on the link for the Research Center above.
WorldCat - A catalog of items held at libraries throughout the world. Many of these materials can be borrowed through inter-library loan.
Use the "Advanced Search" to limit your search to LCSC or another library.
The results will include chapter titles from within books!
The Library code for LCSC is WKO.
The Library code for University of Idaho is NTD.
The Library code for Gonzaga is WUG.
Google Books - Info from their Website: "Just do a search on Google Book Search or on Google.com. When we find a book whose content contains a match for your search terms, we'll link to it in your search results. Click a book title and you'll see, like a card catalog entry, some basic information about the book. You may also see a few snippets of text from the book showing your search term in context. If the publisher or author has given us permission through our Partner Program then you'll see a few full pages from the book and if the book is out of copyright, you'll be able to page through the entire book." Click on the "About This Book" link and look for a link called "Find This Book in a Library" to locate the nearest library holdings.
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov
History Cooperative - Search for articles in a selected number of history journals. Once you find articles, check the LCSC Journals Lists to see if we have paper, fiche, or online access to that article.
ProQuest Social Science Journals - Full-text periodicals covering the social sciences.
SocINDEX with Full Text - contains full text for 253 "core" coverage sociology journals dating back to 1895, and 72 "priority" coverage journals. This database also includes full text for 547 books and monographs, and full text for 6,711 conference papers.
Westlaw - Online legal research service provides quick, easy access to West's vast collection of statutes, case law materials, public records and other legal resources, as well as current news articles and business information.
HeritageQuest - Includes federal census records, source documents, and indexes. The collection is rich with demographic and genealogical detail.
ProQuest Central - Includes articles from over 11,000 magazines and journals. Many, but not all, provide the full-text of articles. Over 160 subjects areas are covered extensively in this product including business and economics, health and medical, news and world affairs, technology, and social sciences.
Research Library - A smaller collection of periodicals than ProQuest Central. Covers a broad range of subjects including arts, business, children, education, general interest, health, humanities, international, law, military, multicultural, psychology, sciences, social sciences, and women's interests.
OxResearch - A "first draft of history" as it occurs. Provides succinct analytical articles covering world and regional economic and political developments of major significance. Evaluates issues and events within a coherent political, social, and economic framework. Contains objective, multi-disciplinary articles compiled by an extensive international network of over 1,000 faculty members at Oxford and other leading universities around the world, as well as think-tanks and institutes of international standing.
ProQuest National Newspapers Premier - Includes a balance of national and regional newspapers chosen for their journalistic excellence and regional representation. All titles are available in full text. Papers include national titles such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post along with a selection of titles from across the U.S. such as the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Denver Post, The Sacramento Bee plus other important U.S. papers.
Black Newspapers - A collection of significant Black newspapers from the United States.
Canadian Newsstand - Canadian Newsstand offers unparalleled access to the full text of Canadian newspapers.
Social Sciences Index - a paper index in the LCSC Library, 1974-present. Provides citations only.
For articles prior to 1974, refer to International Index to Periodicals, a paper index, 1907-1965, or to
Social Sciences & Humanities Index, a paper index, 1965-1974.
Poole's Index to Periodical Literature - a paper index in the LCSC Library, 1802-1900. A guide to general-interest magazines of the period.
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature - a paper index in the LCSC Library, 1900-present. A guide to general-interest magazines, such as Time, Newsweek, Ladies Home Journal, etc.
New York Times Index - a paper index in the LCSC Library, 1969-2004 .
Google News Archive - News archive search provides an easy way to search and explore historical archives. In addition to helping you search, News archive search can automatically create timelines which show selected results from relevant time periods. Many of these articles may be purchased individually from the provider. Remember to check the LCSC Journals Lists to see if we have paper, fiche, or online access to the articles.
Source: http://news.boisestate.edu
Pacific Northwest:
Northwest Digital Archives - Finding aids for archive and manuscript collections from 19 archives in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. A good resource for locating primary source material.
Columbia River Basin Ethnic History Archive - Digitized archival holdings. A project of Washington State University Vancouver, the Idaho State Historical Society, Oregon Historical Society, Washington State Historical Society, and Washington State University Pullman.
Digital Collections, University of Washington Libraries - Digitized archival holdings, with an emphasis on photographs.
Idaho State Historical Society - Web page of the Historical Society's Library and Archives.
Choup-Nit-Ki with the Nez Perce - Papers of Jane Gay Dodge from the library at Harvard University, relating a stay with the Nez Perce in the late 1800's.
Special Collections and Archives at the University of Idaho - Discover what they hold and how to access the collections.
White Spring Ranch - A National Historic site in Genesee, Idaho. The website lists archival documents available at the farm.
Oregon Encyclopedia - An authoritative compendium of information on Oregon people, places, events, and institutions.
HistoryLink.org - An online encyclopedia providing free, authoritative and comprehensive access to Washington state and local history for the benefit of students, teachers, researchers and the general public.
Idaho Historical Society Research & Collections - The Idaho State Historical Society preserves and promotes Idaho's cultural heritage.
United States:
The 9/11 Commission report - Final report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States.
American Indian Resources - A library of Native American literature, culture, education, history, issues and language.
American Memory - Digitized archival holdings from the Library of Congress.
American President : An Online Reference Resource - "A comprehensive collection of material about the Presidents of the United States and the history of the presidency. This web site features essays about the President's life before, during, and after each presidential term. It additionally provides information about the First Lady and cabinet officials of each administration. A collection of essays on the President at Work delves into the function, responsibilities, and organization of the modern presidency and traces the history and evolution of presidential duties." Maintained by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia.
American Rhetoric - A gateway to famous and important speeches, maintained by Michael E. Eidenmuller, University of Texas, Tyler.
American women's history: a research guide - Provides citations to print and Internet reference sources, as well as to selected large primary source collections. The guide also provides information about the tools researchers can use to find additional books, articles, dissertations, and primary sources.
Annotated bibliography of government documents- Documents related to the threat of terrorism and the attacks of September 11, 2001 / U.S. Government Information, Oklahoma Department of Libraries.
The Center for Public Integrity : Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest - "Billing its work as 'watchdog journalism in the public interest,' this organization and its site are the antithesis of sound-bite broadcast news .... Projects that other news organizations cannot -- or will not -- undertake are investigated with ferocity by staff and a network of journalists.... " -- S. B. DeMasi, CHOICE.
Civil Rights Digital Library - Historical news footage, as well as images of historical documents, diaries, and letters. Maintained by the University of Georgia.
Distinguished Women of Past and Present - This site has biographies of women who have contributed to American culture in many different ways. It includes writers, educators, scientists, heads of state, politicians, civil rights crusaders, artists, entertainers, and others. Some were alive hundreds of years ago and some are living today.
Federally Recognized Tribes - Starting on Page 167 of this Document: The Federal Register, March 2007, Volume 72, Number 55)] . SUMMARY: This notice publishes the current list of 561 tribal entities recognized and eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs by virtue of their status as Indian tribes. The list is updated from the notice published on November 25, 2005 (70 FR 71194).
Historical Census Browser - Retrieve census information from 1790 to1960. Provided by the University of Virginia Library.
The journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition - Edited by Gary E. Moulton.
NARA - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration - Archives.gov Home
Native American Documents Project - E.A. Schwartz ; California State University, San Marcos.
Smithsonian Archives of American Art - A vast collection of primary source material documenting the visual arts in America, including photographs, letters, sketchbooks, diaries, and oral history transcripts. Many of the more recent additions to the collection have been digitized and are available online.
Time Archive - Search the archives of Time Magazine. If the article you want isn't provided full-text, remember that the LCSC Library has Time Magazine in paper from 1937-1965 and from 2005 to the present. We have the magazine in microfiche format from 1966-2003. Some of our journal databases have full-text of Time Magazine articles from 1992 to the present. Ask the Librarian for help in finding the article you need!
Voices of Civil Rights - Put together by the AARP, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), and the Library of Congress.
Smithsonian Institution - The world's largest museum complex and research organization composed of 19 museums, 9 research centers, and the National Zoo.
Beyond the United States:
AfricaFocus - Sights and sounds of a continent / University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries.
Latin American Network Information Center - The Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) mission is to facilitate access to Internet-based information to, from, or on Latin America. The target audience includes people living in Latin America, as well as those around the world who have an interest in this region.
Maps of Africa - Features digital copies of 113 antique maps of Africa and accompanying text dating from the mid 16th Century to the early 20th Century. Developed and maintained by the Melville J. Herskovits Library of African Studies (or the Africana Library) at Northwestern University.
NativeWeb - Resources of indigenous Cultures around the world.
Government:
USA.gov - A search engine for government Web pages, with an emphasis on the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. Another good source of statistics.
Archives.gov - The website of the National Archives and Records Administration.
Occupational Outlook Handbook - Information on careers from the Department of Labor.
GPO Access - Searchable database of Web pages, with an emphasis on the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government. Provided by the Government Printing Office.
Thomas - An easy-to-search source for legislative information, provided by the Library of Congress.
I-Docs - An online collection of paper and digital resources selectively chosen from published Idaho Government Documents.
Standardized Tests:
Test Prep Review -- Free access to sample questions from many standardized tests, such as graduate school entrance exams and certification exams.
Citations:
APA Citation Style - examples of citations in APA Format for your list of References.
Bibliographies : MLA Format - Guidance provided by the University of Illinois Writers' Workshop.
Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format - Guidance provided by Purdue University Online Writing Lab.
Knight Cite -- An automatic generator of citations in either MLA, APA, or Chicago style. Registering for the service allows you to save citations to generate a bibliography. A free service provided by the Hekman Library at Calvin College.
Son of Citation Machine -- An "interactive Web tool designed to assist high school, college, and university students, their teachers, and independent researchers in their effort to respect other people's intellectual properties" (from the Website).
Research Paper Help:
Online Resources for Writers - Links to useful information from colleges and universities, covering all phases of writing academic essays. Provided by the Amherst Writing Center.
Idea Generator - organized by general subject areas. A service of the Library at Old Dominion University. You can use these simple keywords to help you generate ideas of your own for focused research paper topics.
Assignment Calculator - Based on the start date and due date for your assignment, this calculator will map out benchmarks for completing tasks leading up to the final paper. It also provides links to other pages with tips on understanding your assignment, focusing your topic, etc. It was developed by the library at the University of Minnesota, so a few of its linked resources are not available to you. But we have many similar resources available to you on this campus.
Online Writing Lab - A service of the Humanities Division at LCSC, this center provides one-on-one advice from other students on improving your papers before turning them in.
Wikipedia : Researching with Wikipedia - A page on the Wikipedia site that describes the strengths and weaknesses of Wikipedia as a source of information. It includes this statement: "In all academic institutions, Wikipedia, along with most encyclopedias, is unacceptable as a major source for a research paper."
For more websites, see the complete list.
Page Author: Barbara Barnes
Last updated: November 19, 2008