HIST 3130 - African American History I: Gathering Background Information
Gather Background Info with Reference Resources
Most reference resources are considered "tertiary" source materials. These books and websites provide background information and an overview and analysis of a subject or concept.
Tertiary sources have been compiled from secondary sources. Unlike a secondary source book or journal article, tertiary sources are not intended to be read in their entirety. Instead, they are most often used to clarify terms and concepts about a particular topic. Tertiary sources include:
- Almanacs, Yearbooks, and Factbooks
- Bibliographies*
- Dictionaries and Encyclopedias*
- Indexes and Abstracts
- Manuals
- Textbooks*
*Also considered secondary
Image: Toussaint-Louverture, 1821. Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris.
History Reference Databases
- History Reference Source This link opens in a new windowThe database features reference books, encyclopedias, non-fiction books, and history periodicals.
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowIncludes over 650 titles with particular emphasis on subject encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and reference handbooks.
Try Specialized
Encyclopedias & Dictionaries
Subject-specific encyclopedias and dictionaries are more specialized than general ones. Coverage is limited to a specific subject or field of study and contain more developed entries written by scholars and experts within the field.
Try CREDO Mind Map!
A helpful feature in Credo Reference is the Mind Map. The Mind Map is a brainstorming tool with many key terms linked by lines to a related topic in the middle. And, you can see an image of what your search would look like if you searched Compromise of 1850.