Use the library's main search box to find books, journal articles, newspaper articles, videos, and many other types of published literature. It searches almost all of our collections and databases, simultaneously.

If you are keyword seraching:

• Combine keywords with AND
• Combine synonyms with OR
• Use truncation * (asterisk) at the end of a root word to find all forms of the word, ie: mineral* (will retrieve minerals, mineralogy, mineralogical, etc.)

When you get your results, use the filters on the left side of the screen to Refine your search. 

Note: If searching from off campus, you must login if you want to be able to access the full text of journal articles and ebooks.

America History and Life and Historical Abstracts

These two databases can be searched simultaneously, or separately.

•     Open either one of these databases
•     At the TOP of the search page click on "Choose Databases"
•     Check off America History and Life and Historical Abstracts
•     Click OK
•     Begin your search

Google Scholar

Search Google Scholar via Carleton Library to seemlessly connect to the fulltext of articles that are part of the library's collection. Consult the Google Scholar Search Tips guide for helpful more information.

You can also search subject-specific databases to find journal articles. They offer many advanced search features, only contain scholarly literature and search results are more precise. Consult the following recommended lists:

• Databases by Subject
• Databases by Type
• History detailed guide

Note: If the library does not have what you need, you can order books and journal articles from other libraries through RACER but you need to register before you can start using it.

Historical Newspapers

For information on historical newspapers please see the following page: Newspapers

Cited Reference Searching

Cited Reference searching is most often used for finding articles that cite a particular work. Many databases provide citation counts for individual articles.

• Why is this important?
  • Keeping track of who has cited a given work can help you gauge the impact that article has in the discipline
  • To find citation counts for history, use Web of Science, or Scopus
  • If the article has been cited, the database will provide a link to the citing articles
  • Cited Reference Searching Help Guide

Search Alerts

Search alerts via email are a current awareness service that helps researchers stay current in what is being published in their field. Consult the Search Alerts Help Guide for more information.

Images

 Photographs, illustrations and graphic images are often used in academic writing. Consult the library's Image find guide to help you find and use images properly.

Databases

Sage Research Methods is designed to support researchers with writing a research question, choosing a method, gathering and analyzing data, to and writing up & publishing the findings.

• Tip: Browse by discipline, look for 'History' to find a number of handbooks and case studies.

Useful Books

• A practical guide to studying history: skills and approaches
• Research methods for history
• The information-literate historian : a guide to research for history students
• Using non-textual sources: a historian's guide
• The Routledge companion to historical studies
• History of oral history : foundations and methodology
• History and theory of knowledge production: an introductory outline

Nvivo Software

Nvivo is qualitative data analysis software intended to help researchers organize and analyze data, identify trends, and cross examine information in a variety of ways.  Consult the NVIVO service web page for more information about this tool and training workshops.