Remember the Ladies: Research Paper: Reference Sources: Women in U.S. History

START YOUR RESEARCH WITH REFERENCE SOURCES

Reference sources are encyclopedias and other reference material that give you a broad overview of your subject:

Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

• This will allow you to better understand where the specific information you find later fits in the bigger picture.
• Make note of terms, also called keywords, relating to your topic:
  • Examples: names of people; important dates; relevant legislation; words or expressions unique to your topic.
• You can use these keywords when searching for secondary sources (books and journal articles) and primary sources. 

Examples of Reference Sources: Almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, dictionaries / thesauruses, encyclopedias, handbooks, and indexes.

Click Here for Tips on Citing Reference Sources