Embedded Files
Created by Stacy Kitsis, Arlington High School Librarian. Last updated: October 1, 2014.
Remember: Before you begin a research project, it's always a good idea to review the assignment guidelines to make sure you understand the task and plan a timeline for completion.
Search Tips
Consider your topic carefully. How narrow or broad is the focus of your paper? For example, if your topic is the Anti-Immigration League, will you also write about nativism generally? If you are researching the book The Shame of the Cities, will you also write about muckraking generally? This can help you come up with new search terms.
Refine your thesis as you read. Remember, you will be answering one of these questions:
Did "your topic" embody the ideals of the Progressive movement?
How is the legacy of “your topic” still seen or felt in the modern United States?
Combine keywords to get articles that match each of your important concepts. For example, if you are researching the immigration history of Chinese Americans, use:
immigration AND Chinese
Use quotation marks to find complete phrases, especially proper names and titles. For example:
"Exclusion Act" or "Up From Slavery"
Use truncation. An advanced technique, but in most databases:
immigra* will find immigrant, immigrants, immigration, etc.
Check your spelling. If you don't find anything on your topic, sloppy spelling may be to blame!
Citing Sources & Academic Integrity
Why cite sources? In addition to avoiding the severe consequences of plagiarism, you cite sources to increase your own credibility, and because you are participating in an ongoing scholarly conversation. It is important for your readers to be able to follow your sources, so they can enter into the dialogue as well.
For this assignment, use your subscription EasyBib account through your Spyponders email address, which will give you access to paid features.
Recommended Subscription Databases
Tip: Need a password? View database passwords online (must be logged on to school Google account to access).
Spans more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history, highlighting the important people and events of the American experience.
Authoritative content on hundreds of people, events, and topics in American history.
Search for people in reference e-books and additional multimedia content.
Your source for scholarly articles. These will be much more focused and in-depth than much of the history database content, so search here after you've narrowed down your thesis.
JSTOR [you will need a Boston Public Library e-card to access!]
Graduate students in the social sciences use JSTOR for their research. Try this if you are looking for even more scholarly sources.
Books and e-Books
Don't overlook print resources as you get into depth with your topic.
We have good books on these topics! Really!
American Decades (Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Search or browse within the decades of the Progressive Era specifically. We own these books digitally and in print. Highly recommended!
Set your library location to Arlington to view materials currently available at the Robbins Library.
This site contains thousands of free e-books in the public domain. Tip: Some of your books, including The Shame of the Cities and The Souls of Black Folk, are old enough to be in the public domain!
The Internet Archive also has free e-books in a variety of formats, including PDF and EPUB. Download directly to your mobile device!
Recommended Websites
Find another great website to recommend? Let us know so we can add it!
Great source of digitized primary documents and more. Use the search box at the top right of the page and then filter results. Check out their online exhibit on immigration too.
For information about presidents, of course.
American Experience (PBS)
Performing Their World: Women in the Progressive Era (National Women's History Museum)
Chicago vs. MLA Citation
Careful readers will notice that the American History Online database published by Facts on File use the Chicago Manual of Style to format their citations, a style that is commonly used by historians. It just takes a little attention to detail to convert this ready-made citation to the MLA format your teachers will require.
Here is a sample citation in Chicago format:
Geisst, Charles. "muckrakers." In Geisst, Charles, ed. Encyclopedia of American Business History. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? ItemID=WE52&iPin=EABH0207&SingleRecord=True (accessed October 6, 2014).
And here it is again, in MLA format:
Geisst, Charles. "Muckrakers." Encyclopedia of American Business History. Ed. Charles Geisst. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. American History Online. Web. 6 Oct. 2014.
Can you identify the differences?
As long as you can READ the Chicago citation and follow the directions for MLA citations, you can copy and paste your EDITED citation directly into EasyBib. Or, if you find it easier, select manual entry and complete the form.
Go to EasyBib.com, click Register and the red Google icon to log on with your Spyponders account. You will always use this button to log on.
You will know you have access to the paid subscription features when you see the PRO and FOR INSTITUTIONS blue badges at the top of your screen. If you are missing these badges, ask the librarian for our coupon code!
Other resources for citation:
Arlington High School Guide to Student Research Projects
Created by Arlington High School teachers for Arlington High School students, this guide explains the research process and what will be expected of you.
Research and Documentation Online (Diana Hacker)
Detailed explanation of in-text citations and works cited entries in perfect MLA format for a wide variety of sources.
Questions, comments, concerns? Email me at skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us.
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