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Bethel University Library

HIS310 Near Eastern and Greek Civilizations Research Guide

Quick access to the resources and tools you will need to conduct effective research on the ancient history in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece from ca. 3500 to 300 BCE

Researching Near Eastern and Greek Civilizations

May you enjoy the adventure of researching this intriguing time in history!

          

Images from: 
http://www.bible-history.com/geography/maps/map_ancient_near_east.html
http://www.slideshare.net/srinaldipds/maps-ancient-and-medieval-history

Beyond "History"

Heads Up:

As you search for appropriate information sources, you will not only look in the subject area of "history", but also in some of the following areas within the context of Near Eastern and Greek civilizations:

  • Archeology
  • Arts & Architecture
  • Intellectual Life
  • Literature
  • Politics & Government
  • Religious Life
  • Science & Technology
  • Social Life

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, dictionaries, encyclopedias, 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 dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.
  • 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 streaming video/audio or images 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!)