HIS 131: Welcome

This guide was created for History Research. Use the tabs across the top to find different types of sources.

This guide covers:

-How to FIND BOOKS related to historical research, including books with Primary Source Documents. As a Coastal Student, you have access to over 20,000 print books at our college library, as well as books in all North Carolina Community College libraries. There are also thousands of authoritative eBooks online, available through eBook Central. 

-How to find SECONDARY SOURCES. Scholarly articles make up a large percentage of research, but searching for articles can be overwhelming. We make it simple with discipline-specific databases, and research tips.

-Where to look for PRIMARY SOURCES. Primary sources provide firsthand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic or question under investigation, and can include sources such as manuscripts, diary entries, photographs, newspapers, and more. 

- How to EVALUATE SOURCES to determine if they are accurate or appropriate for your research project. 

-How to CITE  SOURCES; citing your sources is often an important part of your assignment. By citing sources, you not only avoid plagiarism, but you also boost the credibility of your own work by proving that it is built upon other credible research.