Women & Gender History: United States: A Guide

Even in the Digital Age, books are still the major publication format for academic historians.  In fact, journal articles are frequently the precursor to full-length books.  Here are some tips on how to use books more effectively in your research:

• Read the table of contents, introduction, and conclusion first. Academic works are not novels - you'll get more out of it if you know in advance the author's main points and conclusions.
• Found a good book on your topic? Look at the titles near it on the shelf for related works.
• Raid the bibliography of a good book for more sources, both primary and secondary. Ask a librarian if you need help locating a cited source.

Want to find a review of a scholarly book?  Want to see what books a particular scholar has reviewed?  You can often find a book review section in important journals of your field, but there is also a database that brings together book reviews from multiple sources.

Ready to expand your search beyond Howard-Tilton? Use the WorldCat database to search for books, journal titles, audio, video, and other materials in libraries across the country and around the world.  Use InterLibrary Loan (ILL) to borrow items from other libraries!