So you want to study history?! OK, here's how!

    Table of Contents

    1. Why Study History
    2. Analyzing Primary Sources
    3. Research and Writing
    4. Generic Writing Help
    5. Oral History
    6. Online Research Tools/Finding Aids
    7. Proper Citations, Plagiarism, and Ethics
    8. Citation Forms for Print and Electronic Sources
    9. Professional Issues and Concerns
    10. Teaching History
    11. Public History: History in 3-D
    12. Grant Writing
    13. Job Hunting
    14. Online Primary Source Repositories
    15. Online Primary Sources for Studying US Cowboy and Ranch Life
    16. Additional Web Links to Various History Sites

    Why Study History?

     Historical Research
  1. Why Study History?" by Peter N. Stearns
  2. Why history?Florida Gulf Coast University
  3. History as a Career Tons of links on all aspects of being a student of history or a history professional
  4. What can you do with an undergraduate degree in history? A miniguide from the American Historical Association
  5. What is History and What's It Good For? Statements by several historians
  6. What's history and why should we care? A short intro to a big field
  7. Quotations on the Definition and Use of History
  8. Metahistory and the Philosophy of World History

    Analyzing Primary Sources
  9. Constructivism/IGL: Our Approach to History
  10. Making Sense of Evidence History Matters
  11. Why Study History Through Primary Sources ? [Adapted from James Harvey Robinson, "The Historical point of View", in Readings in European History, Vol I, (Boston: Ginn, 1904), pp.1-13]
  12. Analyzing Historical Documents
  13. Becoming a Historian --Plimonth Plantation
  14. Primary and Secondary Sources
  15. Tutorial on Historical Research Primary and Secondary Sources, Ohio State University Library

    16. Research and Writing
  16. A Step-by-Step Guide to Doing Historical Research [without getting hysterical]
  17. WRITING HISTORICAL ESSAYS: A GUIDE FOR UNDERGRADUATES by Professors Matt Matsuda and John Gillis Rutgers University
  18. How to Write a History Essay
  19. Catherine Lavender's suggestions on historical thinking, research, and writing
  20. The Qualities of Good Historical Writing by Barzun and Graff
  21. Reading, Writing and Researching for History by Patrick Rael
  22. Writing in History Courses from "Writing in the Arts and Sciences at Marquette: A Sampling of Advice from Faculty"
  23. Doing History Effectively by Dale L. Clifford
  24. A Sense of History: Some Components by Gerald W. Schlabach, University of St. Thomas (Minn.)
  25. More Guidance on Historical Research and Writing

    Generic Writing Help
  26. Write Right: Common Writing Errors
  27. LEO: Literacy Education Online, homepage for The Write Place, the writing center at St. Cloud State University A wealth of resources, with answers to practically every question of research, writing, grammar, logic, and much more. Use it!!
  28. Quotations about Writing by Writers
  29. Avoiding Sexist (Exclusionist) Language
  30. Stet: UNC Press Handbook for Authors
  31. NCSU Library Paper Writing Toolkit
  32. NCSU Writing and Speaking Tutorial Services

    Oral History
  33. An Oral History Primer by Prepared by Sherna Berger Gluck, Director, Oral History Program, Department of History, California State University, Long Beach
  34. Smithsonian Oral History Interview Guide Downloadable as a 35-page PDF document

    35. Online Research Tools/Finding Aids

  35. History Section, D. H. Hill Electronic Databases Page. Scroll down the alphabetical list to locate databases of interest.
  36. America: History and Life Bibliographical Database Yields annotated bibliography of books and articles on US history and culture, with coverage of US-Latin American relations, Latinos, immigration, and border issues.
  37. Historical Abstracts May also be accessed from America: History and Life. Covers non-US history, including extensive coverage of Latin America. Yields annotated bibliography of good scholarly journals and books.
  38. Ingenta Bibliographical database of scholarly and popular articles published since 1988. Do keyword searches.
  39. Google Scholar's advanced search
  40. JSTOR Search Page Search for and access full texts of scholarly articles.
  41. Google Excellent search engine for all topics. You can also search for images.
  42. Doc Scribe's Guides to Research Writing and Style A quick, simple guide to many citation formats. Pick one and stick with it!
  43. Researching Latin American History
  44. Ten C's For Evaluating Internet Sources
  45. Yale University Library Tutorial on Using Archival and Manuscript Sources
  46. Intro to NCSU Email List Services Using Majordomo 2

    Proper Citations, Plagiarism and Ethics
  47. How to avoid plagiarism
  48. Plagiarism Page by Sherman Dorn
  49. Plagiarism and Anti-Plagiarism Rutgers University. Excellent tips on how to identify e-plagiarism, such as papers copied from the Internet
  50. US Copyright Office
  51. Copyright and the Public Domain A very useful site from Cornell University
  52. Copyright Website
  53. Stanford Fair Use Site Keyword searchable site with extensive links and good, clear information.
  54. Linking Rights
  55. Association of Research Libraries Copyright Links

    Citation Formats for Print and Electronic Sources
  56. The University of Chicago or Turabian citation style
  57. Chicago Manual of Style FAQs
  58. Columbia University Press Citation Guide
  59. Andrew Harnack and Eugene Kleppinger's Online: A Reference Guide to Using Internet Sources
  60. Stet: UNC Press Handbook for Authors
  61. Citing Electronic Information in History Papers by Maurice Crousem, Department of History, The University of Memphis
  62. Better Editor.org: Menu of many online citation guides
  63. Citing E-Documents Excerpts from International Standard ISO 690-2, Information and documentation -- Bibliographic references -- Part 2: Electronic documents or parts thereof
  64. "History Matters" Reference Desk: Citing Digital Resources / Copyright and Fair Use Information / Evaluating Digital Resources / Standards-History and Social Studies

  65. Professional Issues and Concerns
  66. American Historical Association wide range of online publications and information on all aspects of the profession
  67. 2005 Statement on Standards of Professional Conduct, American Historical Association, approved by Professional Division, December 9, 2004 and adopted by Council, January 6, 2005:
    Contents
    1. The Profession of History
    2. Shared Values of Historians
    3. Scholarship
    4. Plagiarism
    5. Teaching
    6. History in the Public Realm
    7. Employment
    8. Reputation and Trust
    9. Additional Guidance
  68. National Archives and Records Administration
  69. Thinking about a doctoral program? Extensive links and discussions to help you.
  70. Organization of American Historians "La Pietra" Report Why and how to globalize US history-- a must read! Good advise on thinking more broadly and intelligently about history.
  71. H-Net Discussion Networks H-Net's e-mail lists function as electronic networks, linking professors, teachers and students in an egalitarian exchange of ideas and materials. Every aspect of academic life--research, teaching, controversies new and old--is open for discussion; decorum is maintained by H-Net's dedicated editors.
  72. Redefining Historical Scholarship Report of the American Historical Association Ad Hoc Committee on Redefining Scholarly Work December 1993
  73. Historically Speaking, a new online history newsletter from the Historical Society that began publishing in 1999.
  74. Journal of the Historical Society new online history journal
  75. Conference Alerts Looking for professional conferences to attend or make a presentation?

    76. Teaching History
  76. National Council for History Education
  77. National History Day

    78. Public History: History in 3-D

  78. Historic Preservation Links

  79. Read Dr. Slatta's brief definition of public history, as well as other definitions.
  80. Public History Graduate Program at NC State Click on "Links" for access to many NC and national public history sites.
  81. Extensive links to archival collections worldwide University of Idaho Library
  82. Archives Made Easy Worldwide links
  83. A list of museums worldwide
  84. Raleigh Now Listing of Museum and Historic Site Events Searchable database of Triangle-area cultural events.
  85. Public History, Public Historians, and the American Historical Association Report of the Task Force on Public History Submitted to the American Historical Association Council of the Association January 2003
  86. American Association of Museums
  87. American Association of State and Local History
  88. National Council on Public History
  89. Repositories of Primary Sources Links to archives and special collections everywhere
  90. Public History Consulting: Tom Woods, Making Sense of Place
  91. Society for History in the Federal Government
  92. “Is that a real job?” Historians preserve Air Force events forever By Tech. Sgt. Stacey Link

    93. Grant Writing
  93. Advice from CPB
  94. Writing a Successful Grant Proposal
  95. Non-Profit Guide to Grant Writing
  96. NCSU CHASS Office of Research and Engagement

    97. Job Hunting
  97. Wall Street Journal Career Journal Excellent tips on job hunting, resume and cover letter writing, and other professional skills.
  98. US Bureau of Labor: Public Historians
  99. "The Humanities at Work" Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation publication, which includes public history employment opportunities
  100. Job listings with state and local governments
  101. Public History Resource Center Employment site and much more

    Online Primary Source Repositories
  102. From Classical Greek and Latin documents to Egyptian Papyri to the English Renaissance of Shakespeare, Marlowe, et al.
  103. The World of the Vikings
  104. The American Colonist's Library: A TREASURY OF PRIMARY DOCUMENTS
  105. PBS/Ken Burns "Lewis and Clark"
  106. Norweigian-American History Association online archives
  107. Making of America (MoA)--Michigan "A digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction."
  108. Making of America--Cornell Companion site to the above.
  109. Library of Congress, "Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures" Rotogravure, for those of you who missed that word in English class, is "An intaglio printing process in which letters and pictures are transferred from an etched copper cylinder to a web of paper, plastic, or similar material in a rotary press."
  110. Archive.org 14,000 full texts; searchable.
  111. The Valley of the Shadow, a University of Virginia Research Project comparing a northern and southern county on the eve of the Civil War.
  112. Analyzing Civil War Photographs by Bill Friedheim, Borough of Manhattan Community College, City University of New York
  113. Bata Shoe Museum, Toronto, Canada. Jump feet first into analyzing material culture--shoes. Check the exhibitions and collections sections.
  114. Documenting the American South (DAS) a UNC-Chapel Hill collection of sources on Southern history, literature and culture from the colonial period through the first decades of the 20th century. Includes many full text firsthand narratives. Sections include First-Person Narratives of the American South; Library of Southern Literature; North American Slave Narratives; Southern Homefront, 1861-1865; The Church in the Southern Black Community; North Carolina Experience, Beginnings to 1940; North Carolinians and the Great War (Civil War).
  115. American Slave Narratives: An Online Anthology From 1936 to 1938, over 2,300 former slaves from across the American South were interviewed by writers and journalists under the aegis of the Works Progress Administration.
  116. American Memory, a Library of Congress gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States.
  117. New Deal Network , an educational guide to the Great Depression of the 1930s; sponsored by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and the Institute for Learning Technologies at Teachers College/Columbia University.
  118. Remember the Holocaust Accounts by witnesses, survivors, rescuers, liberators, and others.
  119. US History primary sources: National History Day Links
  120. Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest: American Memory project
  121. Native American History Resources
  122. Native American Links
  123. African-American Women Writers: New York Public Library
  124. North American Slave Narratives: Documenting the American South
  125. Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy: Yale's Avalon Project
  126. Canada's Digital Collection
  127. Early Canadiana Online
  128. Canada: our roots
  129. Core Historical Literature of Agriculture (CHLA): Cornell University
  130. American Journeys "18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration, from the sagas of Vikings in Canada in AD1000 to the diaries of mountain men in the Rockies 800 years later."
  131. American Notes: Travels in America, 1750-1920: American Memory project "comprises 253 published narratives by Americans and foreign visitors recounting their travels in the colonies and the United States"
  132. Frontier sources from American Memory project
  133. Univ. of Viriginia E-text Center
  134. Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project
  135. Many Pasts from History Matters
  136. Papers of Sir Joseph Banks, who sailed with Capt. James Cook, 1770s
  137. Women's travel writing, 1830-1930
  138. EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents From Western Europe
  139. Using Primary Sources in the Classroom Good advice from the Library of Congress American Memory project
  140. The Learning Curve by Ben Walsh, in Adobe PDF, a United Kingdom Public Record Office guide to using a range of sources
  141. Milestone Documents: 100 basic documents of American History
  142. Hanover Historical Texts Project The Project's principal aim is to make primary texts readily available to students and faculty for use in history and humanities courses.
  143. Internet History Sourcebooks, collections of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts at Fordham University.
  144. Digital History A good example of how the Internet can improve our delivery of quality history.

    Additional Web Links to Various History Sites

     Thanks to Mark Collins, independent scholar in Ottawa, Canada for most of the links below.
  145. Additional History Web Sites identified by the NCSU History Dept.
  146. Academic Info : World History Gateway
  147. BBC: History
  148. Best of History Web Sites
  149. Historical Text Archive
  150. History Guide
  151. History World
  152. Humbul Humanities Hub: History
  153. Internet Resources in History
  154. Links for Students of History and the Social Sciences
  155. SchoolHistory.co.uk
  156. WWW Virtual Library History
  157. IHR-Info (Institute for Historical Research), London
  158. Resources Links from Meredith College, Dept. of History and Politics