Using Historical Databases
The most useful scholarly databases for historical research are
- JSTOR Arts and Sciences
- Expanded Academic ASAP (Scroll Down to find)
- Project Muse
- Historical Abstracts
- America: History and Life
Using these databases effectively takes time and practice. In particular, figuring out the correct keywords and subject terms can be difficult. You should attempt numerous combinations. Know that placing a word in the keyword category and placing it in the subject category will achieve different results.
- Use quotation marks around exact phrases to limit results
- Use the advanced search feature to limit results.
- Be sure to limit your results to English works only
If the UMW library does not own a journal and it is not available through one of the databases try googling the journal’s web site. Many journal web sites offer free access to at least abstracts of journal articles, if not the full text.