Most scholarly databases work differently than Google or other websites you're used to searching. Here are a few essential strategies:
Finding Primary Sources | Finding Secondary Sources |
Are there historical names for any of the locations you're researching? What words were used to describe your topic within the historical context you're researching? Did any of the individuals or organizations involved use different names at the time? Have you tried alternative spellings, abbreviations, and synonyms? |
What language would an historian (or other scholar) use to describe your research topic? Could you find useful scholarship related to your topic by finding scholarly sources that deal with the broader context? Try searching for scholarly sources that use historical place names, synonyms, alternative spellings, and other variations. |