UW Libraries

Research Exploration

At the start of a research project take some time to explore possible topics. Research topics need to be the "right" size -- not so broad that it is overwhelming and not so narrow and esoteric that there are no available sources. Encyclopedias are useful for the Exploration phase. They provide topic overviews and list relevant people, places, and events that can serve as keywords when searching for sources. Most encyclopedias provide a list of relevant readings, a jumpstart for your research project.

For additional specialized encyclopedias, check the various history guides listed under Other Resources at the bottom of the page. 

 

Resources


Secondary Sources

Scholarly books, dissertations, and journal articles provide narrative, interpretation, analysis, and in depth context for topics. Characteristics of secondary sources:

  • Written by expert scholars. Before publication academic books and articles are vetted by other scholars in a process known as peer review.
  • Peer review ensures that scholarly books and articles are generally more reliable and credible than other types of publications.
  • Scholarly articles and books are based on evidence (primary sources) that are cited in the footnotes and bibliography. They are often the quickest way to identify primary sources on your research topic. Search for published primary sources such as a government reports in UW Libraries Search to see if we have a copy.
 

Resources


Books

The books and ebooks available at the UW Libraries include those that are secondary sources such as:

Gould, Deborah B. Moving Politics: Emotion and ACT UP’s Fight Against AIDS. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009.

And those that are primary sources: books published during the period being studied;  published memoirs, diaries, and correspondence and; works authored by key individuals or organizations.  For example this memoir:

Staley, Peter. Never Silent: ACT UP and My Life in Activism. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press, 2022.

Or this book written during the height of the AIDS crisis:

Shilts, Randy. And the Band Played on: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1987.

See UW Libraries Search Tips for help on searching.

 

Resources

This search example will find books that deal with AIDS activism in the United States. I've narrowed my search to items available at the UW Libraries. These will be mostly books but will also include films, audio recordings & other material owned by the UW Libraries. I've used "aids disease" in quotation to search for the phrase. "AIDS disease" is the official term used to identify books dealing with the disease. I've used a wildcard character, the asterisk (*) to find words with the root activis* -- activist, activists, activism.

search example: show only = UW Libraries; Any Field = "aids disease" activis*; Any field = "united states"


Primary Sources

Newspapers

For other digitized newspapers see the E-Newspapers page as well as newspapers listed on the American history research guide. Additional newspapers are also available on microfilm in the Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers (GMM) section on the ground floor of Suzzallo Library. There are also microfilm scanners in GMM.


Magazines

 

Government Documents


Other Primary Source Collections

Check the primary source sections of the History guides listed under Other Resources for additional primary source collections.


Research Help

Librarians

Theresa Mudrock is your UW history librarian. Email her at mudrock@uw.edu or make an appointment Links to an external site. to chat via zoom.


Additional Help

Need help in the middle of the night? Chat with a librarian 24/7 Links to an external site.


Writing Help

Make an appointment for an online writing consultation.


Citation Help

See Citing Sources for more info.

 

Other Resources

Check the following research guides for additional databases and primary sources.


Additional Research Information