HIST 103: War on...

Guide to writing history papers

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:34:30 -0700

Library Hours

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:09:15 -0700

Hours on:
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Interlibrary Borrowing

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 07:55:37 -0700

As a Berkeley student you are eligible to use books and articles from other libraries around the United States.

Check OskiCat to make sure UC Berkeley does not own the material you want.

Provide a full and accurate bibliographic citation, including author, title, place and date of publication, and series. You can get citations from professors, from Melvyl, from other articles, from Google scholar. Verify your citations before submitting them for ILL.

Is it a scholarly source?

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:26:43 -0800

Your instructor wants you to use scholarly [or 'peer reviewed'] sources. What does she mean?

Authoritative- written by a recognized expert in the field. How do you know? The PhD is one sign; employment by a university is another.
Peer reviewed- before publishing, the article was vetted by other scholars in the field. How do you know? Try searching the journal title in Google and read the publisher's blurb.
Audience- written for scholars and experts in the field. How do you know? The level of the language is usually a give away. It will be technical and formal.
Includes a bibliography and/or footnotes with citations of sources used.

Scholarship is always changing. Try to find the most recent scholarly sources you can.

The Research Process

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:02:39 -0700

Choose a topic.

Do a brain dump: Note down what you already know about your topic, including

Names of people, organizations, companies, time period you are interested in, places of interest [countries, regions, cities]

Fill in the gaps in your knowlege: get background information from encyclopedias or other secondary sources. Wikipedia can be good here.

Select the best places/ databases to find information on your topic. Look under the History Databases tab of this guide for article database suggestions. Or use a catalog like Oskicat or Melvyl to search for books and other resources.

Use nouns from your brain dump as search terms.

Evaluate what you find. Change search terms to get closer to what you really want.

Refine Your Topic - Using the information you have gathered, determine if your research topic should be narrower or broader. You may need to search basic resources again using your new, focused topics and keywords.

Take a look this short tutorial on beginning your research for more ideas.

Campus Library Map

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:50:03 -0700

Click on the image below to see a larger interactive version of the campus library map.

You can also view/download a PDF map of library locations. For library contact information and building addresses, visit our directory.

Primary Source Searching - Names

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:27:54 -0800

One of the most powerful ways to find primary sources in the Library is to use the names of people. An essential part of your background reading should be to note down names of people involved in your topics.

Names can be searched in the catalogs [Oskicat and Melvyl] in specialized ways: as authors or as subjects. Even people you do not consider authors in the conventional sense may be listed as authors, if:

their correspondence is available
their manuscripts are available
interviews with them are available
their diaries are available
published versions of these are available

When searching for primary sources, it's a good idea always to search those names as authors, as well as keywords. Works where the person is listed as an author will always be primary sources.

How to Scan Microfilm

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:21:47 -0800

To save to a flash (USB) drive, make sure you have a flash drive before you start! The Library does not sell flash drives.

1. If necessary, turn power on in this sequence:

Microfilm reader
PC and monitor

2. On the reader, the "PC/PR" indicator should be set to "PC". If it is not, simultaneously hold the "PC/PR" and the "Shift" buttons down (for over a second). This action will toggle the reader between connections to the scanner (PC) and to the printer (indicated with a number).

3. Load microfilm/microfiche into the reader as usual. Locate the frame to scan and center it on the outlined frame on the reader screen.

Microfilm & Microfiche

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:37:24 -0700

Before digital storage became easy and cheap, microfilm was a way for libraries to maintain large collections of newspapers, government documents, and historical documents while saving physical storage space. The UC Berkeley Libraries still have extensive microform (microfilm and microfiche) collections, containing valuable information for researchers.

Since each roll of microfilm contains thousands of tiny images of the original pages of a document, you'll need a microfilm reader to magnify the images enough to read them. The UC Berkeley Newspapers and Microforms Department (40 Doe Library) has machines that read, print, and scan images from microfilm and microfiche.

Microfilm and microfiche owned by the UC Berkeley Libraries can be found through OskiCat; use Advanced Keyword Search to limit your search to "All Microforms." In the News/Micro collection, microfilm rolls and microfiche cards are shelved with their own numbering system; click here for a PDF of the collection's floorplan.

The Bancroft Library

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:27:49 -0700

The Bancroft Library is one of the treasures of the campus and one of the world's great libraries for the history of the American West.

How to Use The Bancroft Library

1. Be prepared! Read secondary sources and know something about your topic before you ask for help.

2. Search OskiCat, limiting your search to Bancroft Library. Also search for Bancroft materials in the Online Archive of California, limiting to the Bancroft Library.

3. Learn how to use The Bancroft. Read about Access (bring a quarter for lockers!) and Registration (bring two pieces of ID!) .

BEFORE YOU GO: Search OskiCat! if the item is in storage ("NRLF") and owned by The Bancroft Library, do not use the Request button in OskiCat. Instead, use the Bancroft's online request form AT LEAST 72 hours in advance (they prefer a week.)

If you have 72 hours in advance, you can also use the online request form for materials not in storage; that will speed things up when you arrive. If you don't have that much advance notice, don't bother.

Bring call numbers, titles, etc. with you. You will fill out a form to present to the Circulation Desk and materials will be paged and brought to you.

4. Read about the new camera policy ($10/day and no flash!) or about getting photocopies.

5. Ask for assistance at The Bancroft Library's reference desk.

6. If the collection you're interested in has a finding aid (guide), use it! Some of the finding aids are online, including the Finding Aid for the Japanese American Evacuation and Resettlement Collection.

Primary Resources

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:32:11 -0700

The library has created a guide to searching for primary sources in Oskicat, including the best search terms you can use.

This is a list of a few of the many primary source databases in US History, in addition to Oskicat. more

Newspapers and Microforms Collection

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:21:10 -0800

If the library location in OskiCat says "Newspapers and Microforms" it is referring to the Newspapers and Microforms Collection, 40 Doe Library.

To get there, enter the north entrance of Doe Library (the side facing Memorial Glade and the East Asian Library). Walk straight ahead until you reach the marble stairs; do NOT take the stairs, but instead turn right and go down the hall until you see stairs to the basement. (There is an elevator around the corner). Once you go down the stairs or elevator, the entrance to the Newspapers and Microforms collection should be directly in front of you.

Floor plan of Doe Library, 1st floor | Floor plan of Doe Library basement

The collection's hours are 10-7 M-Th, 10-5 on Fridays. The collection is not open on weekends, and microfilm cannot be checked out.

There are a limited number of machines -- please plan ahead! Be sure to bring a flash drive so you can save scanned copies of the microfilm to your disk. Scanning is free, but printing from the microfilm reader/printers is 10 cents a page. You MUST use your Cal1 card to pay for printing.

In the News/Micro collection, microfilm rolls and microfiche cards are shelved with their own numbering system; click here for a PDF of the collection's floorplan.

Don't hesitate to ask for help! The News/Micro staff are experts in the use of the machines.

African American News

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:23:08 -0700

Selected African American Newspapers

Flatlands (Oakland, 1966-67) Location: News/Micro MICROFILM 78777, Bancroft BANC NMP 6764:2:3

The Post (shelved as “Oakland Post,” 1963-67) Location: News/Micro NEWSPRINT-1

The Sacramento Observer (Sacramento, 1962-present) Location: News/Micro NEWSFILM-1

The Sun-Reporter (San Francisco, 1943-present) Location: News/Micro NEWSFILM-1

Los Angeles Tribune (Los Angeles, 1941-1960) Location: library only has selected issues, mainly from 1947-1952 in News/Micro NEWSFILM-1

The California Eagle (Los Angeles, 1897-1966) Location: library has 1944-53 in News/Micro NEWSFILM-1, also available from Bancroft

The Peninsula Bulletin (East Palo Alto, 1971-1979) Location: News/Micro NEWSFILM-1

The California Voice (Oakland, 1920-1998) Location: News/Micro NEWSFILM-1 (separate issues)

Richmond Afro American (Richmond, VA, 1938-68) Location: library has selected issues from these dates, some of which may have to be requested from NRLF, others in News/Micro NEWSFILM-1

The Michigan Chronicle (Detroit, 1936-present) Location: News/Micro NEWSFILM-1 (1943-1974)

Finding Primary Sources overview

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:18:00 -0800

Primary sources can be found in a variety of library tools:

Catalogs: OskiCat and Melvyl
Online book and text collections
Primary Source databases provided by the Library
Vetted sites on the web:

For specific search strategies, see the Library's Guide to Finding Historical Primary Source s

Daily Cal

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:54:48 -0800

Daily Cal Indexes

The index to the Daily Cal has changed format many times. Here’s a summary of where each chunk can be found.

1874 - 1929 is indexed in a card file in Bancroft’s University Archive. Easier to get to is the microfilm copy of the card file, which is in Newspaper/Micro Room under call no.: MICROFILM 20031 (3 reels).

1930 - June 1991 is indexed in card file located in Newspaper/Micro Room.

July 1991 - June 1994 is indexed in a printed index, which can be found in both: Doe Reference Periodical Indexes [AJ21.D333] and in the Newspaper Microform Room [AJ21.D29 NEWS\] And in the Online Archive of California website http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf4f59n7s5

September 1997 - current is in Lexis/Nexis (use Easy Search, enter Daily Californian in the By Source Title box

June 1999 - current is indexed and searchable at http://www.dailycal.org/search_advanced.php.

UC-eLinks

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:07:50 -0700

Once you've searched a database to find articles, you may need to use to link to a PDF or html file if the full text is not immediately available. Each database isa bit different, but a good rule of thumb is this: when you see the Uc-eLinks icon click on it to view your article access options, which can range from full text to a call number to an Interlibrary Loan request:

For more information, here's a tutorial on using UC-eLinks.

Only in the Library

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 11:44:12 -0800

"It's all free on the Internet, right?" "Why should I go through the library's website to find sources for my paper?"

The Web is a great source for free, publicly available information, but not for thousands of electronic books, journal articles, and scholarly resources that are available only to the campus community. Resources like Lexis-Nexis, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, and ARTstor are "invisible" to Google. You will not see results from these databases in the results of a Google search.*

Through the Library website, you can access hundreds of different licensed databases containing journal articles, electronic books, maps, images, government and legal information, current and historical newspapers, digitized primary sources, and more.

Want to find out more? Get started exploring the Library's electronic resources, or find out how to get access to licensed resources from off-campus.

History databases

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:38:44 -0700

Three important databases for research in History.

Research Advisory Service

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:40:21 -0800

Research Advisory Service for Cal Undergraduates

Book a 30-minute appointment with a librarian who will help refine and focus research inquiries, identify useful online and print sources, and develop search strategies for humanities and social sciences topics (examples of research topics).

Schedule, view, edit or cancel your appointment online (CalNetID required)

This service is for Cal undergraduates only. Graduate students and faculty should contact the library liaison to their department or program for specialized reference consultations.

Ask a Librarian 24/7 Chat

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:03:58 -0800

When you use this chat widget a reference librarian from Berkeley, or another UC campus, or another academic library around the US may be answering your question. We share information about our libraries to make sure you get good answers.

If the librarian can't answer you well enough, your question will be referred to a Berkeley librarian for followup.

Have fun chatting.

Citation Management Tools

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:01:56 -0700

Citation management tools help you manage your research, collect and cite sources, and create bibliographies in a variety of citation styles. Each one has its strengths and weaknesses, but any are easier than doing it by hand!

Zotero: A free plug-in that works exclusively with the Firefox browser: keeps copies of what you find on the web, permits tagging, notation, full text searching of your library of resources, works with Word, and has a free web backup service.
RefWorks - free for UC Berkeley users. It allows you to create your own database by importing references and using them for footnotes and bibliographies. Use the RefWorks New User Form to sign up.
EndNote: may be purchased from UC Berkeley's Software Central.

It's always good to double check the formatting -- sometimes the software doesn't get it quite right.

Using APA 6th? Purdue has produced this very handy quick guide. The fulltext of APA 6th is not available online, but we do have print copies in the EdPsych Library in reference and short term reserve at BF76.7 P83 2010

How to Avoid Plagiarism

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:39:23 -0700

In order to avoid plagiarism, you must give credit when

You use another person's ideas, opinions, or theories.
You use facts, statistics, graphics, drawings, music, etc., or any other type of information that does not comprise common knowledge.
You use quotations from another person's spoken or written word.
You paraphrase another person's spoken or written word.

Recommendations

Begin the writing process by stating your ideas; then go back to the author's original work.
Use quotation marks and credit the source (author) when you copy exact wording.
Use your own words (paraphrase) instead of copying directly when possible.
Even when you paraphrase another author's writings, you must give credit to that author.
If the form of citation and reference are not correct, the attribution to the original author is likely to be incomplete. Therefore, improper use of style can result in plagiarism. Get a style manual and use it.
The figure below may help to guide your decisions.

This content is part of the Understanding Plagiarism tutorial created by the Indiana University School of Education.

Zotero Tips

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:04:46 -0700

If you've never used Zotero before, use the QuickStart Guide to get started.

Change your preferences if you want Zotero to

set your default citation style
search the full text of pdfs you save
Automatically attach associated PDFs and other files when saving items

To use Zotero to find specific articles in our library's databases, set up the Open URL resolver with this link: http://ucelinks.cdlib.org:8888/sfx_local?

An in-depth discussion of the relative virtues of Endnote and Zotero,

What is This? Reading Citations...

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:09:04 -0800

Finding a citation in a bibliography (online or in print) is a great way to find more resources on your topic.

However, you have to be able to read the citation in order to find the item in the UCB Library.

The most common citations are for books, articles, and book chapters. Can you tell which citation below is for a book? For a chapter? For an article?

Orbe, Mark P. "Representations of Race in Reality TV: Watch and Discuss." Critical Studies in Media Communication 25.4 (2008): 345-352.

Winters, Loretta I., and Herman L. DeBose. New Faces in a Changing America: Multiracial Identity in the 21st Century. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Inc., 2003.

Fine, Michelle, and Adrienne Asch. “Disability Beyond Stigma: Social Interaction, Discrimination, and Activism.” The Culture and Psychology reader. Eds. Goldberger, Nancy Rule; Veroff, Jody Bennet New York: New York University Press. 1995. 536-558

Google Scholar

ljones@library.berkeley.edu (Lynn Jones) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:23:08 -0700

Google Scholar is an easy way to do interdisciplinary research, and with some settings changes can become even more useful. You need a Google account to use these features.

Set up a Google Scholar Alert to be automatically notified when new articles are added to Google on topics of interest:

Do your search in Google Scholar. Look in the green toolbar for the envelope icon, and click it. New items will be sent to your email account as they are found by Google.

Make Google display links to full text of articles that Berkeley subscribes to:

Open Scholar. Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner, and choose 'scholar preferences'. In the new window, scroll down to 'Library Links', type the word Berkeley. Choose University of California, Berkeley-- UC eLinks, and Open Worldcat Search.

Ever wanted to trace an article’s impact? Google now permits searching within citing articles.

Do a Google Scholar search. Click on the "Cited by" link under a citation and select the "Search within articles citing..." checkbox.

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