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HIS231L World War II Research Guide

Researching World War II

As you conduct research for your documentary film project, you are encouraged to use primary (as well as secondary) sources found in books, journals, newspapers, media, online, etc.  There is a treasure trove out there waiting to be explored! 

Expedite your research process by starting with the resources suggested in this guide!

World War II photo

Image from:  http://bigcoast.ca/wp-content/plugins/world-war-2-soldiers-i3.jpg

Looking for ideas about how to conduct research?

1.  Analyze your information need

  • Write a question or statement about your chosen topic
  • Identify key words and phrases that describe your topic
  • Determine:
    • The level of coverage and depth of the information needed
    • The type of information needed
    • How much information you need
    • The currency of the information needed
    • How soon you need the information
    • What disciplines or groups would be researching and writing about your topic

2.  Select the best information sources for your paper/project/presentation

  • Books (including eBooks, encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc.)    
  • Articles from journals, magazines, or newspapers
  • Primary sources
  • Videos, audios
  • Images
  • Websites

3.  Select the appropriate resource in which to search

  • Click on the Reference link to search for encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and other reference material
  • Click on the Books & eBooks link to search for books, eBooks, videos, & audios
  • Click on the Articles link to search for journal and newspaper articles
  • Click on the Primary Sources link to search for primary information sources
  • Click on the Media link to search for images or streaming video/audio to enhance your project

4.  Conduct effective, efficient searches using "smart searching" techniques

5.  Determine the relevance and reliability of the sources located

6.  Develop a working bibliography/reference list 
     (RefWorks can help with this!)

7.  Physically locate the desired material 
     (Sometimes this may mean requesting from another library)

8.  Read and think critically about your sources

9.  Write/develop an effective research paper/project/presentation

10.  Correctly cite the sources you used
       (e.g. using Turabian citation style) 
       (RefWorks can help with this too!)