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Georgia History

Information resources

Getting Started/Topic Finding

 Know that the topic will evolve as you read, research. Go-to sources for Georgia history, to search or browse.

Delving Deeper into a Topic --Secondary sources

 Keep in mind that you can focus, broaden your topic, based on your research findings. Try these search engines

Ideas for developing keywords for history searching:

  • Searching dates, even 1776, doesn't work with these search engines. Instead try words that describe the period: colonial, antebellum, reconstruction, depression, civil rights, etc.  Search by time period is available in databases History Reference Source

 

  • Brainstorm specific keywords.  Searching: women colonial Savannah? also search  "Mary Musgrove"  Interested in foodways during  Depression era rural Georgia? also search cornbread!

 

  • Discuss your topic with friends, classmates, your professor, a librarian. Articulate your ideas, get other's input and enhance your searches.

Getting primary

Finding primary sources is challenging. Some ideas:

  • Ask questions, imagine where you might find the answers. What was life like for women in colonial Georgia? Imagine a person from the time who could answer your question.  How might their voice have been recorded? What documents, pictures, objects speak for them?
  • Check the footnotes and bibliographies of secondary sources on your topic. Need help sorting the citations and deciding if they are available? Your professor and/or a librarian can help.
  • Scan the many collections listed below and on the primary source tab. Some of these online collections are keyword searchable. Some are more like exhibits, browse to see what is available.