Library Basics
Picking a Topic
- Selecting a topic for a research paper or project can be very challenging. You will want to select a topic that is of interest to you. This will make the research , reading and writing less of a chore. (TIP: Always start with a broad topic. It is easier to eliminate information as you write than it is to try an bulk up your paper.) It is a good idea to wait to decide on a topic until you do some preliminary searching for books, articles, and web-based resources. If you can't find enough, you will want the flexibility to select a new topic. A great start to preliminary research is browsing the REFERENCE SECTION in the library (located on the 3rd floor).
| Suggested Reference Sources: | ||
| The Encyclopedia of World War II | Ref D740 .E519 2005 | A 5-volume set which covers World War II's historic origins to V-J Day and beyond, it offers readers unprecedented coverage of all aspects of the war as it played out in the corridors of power, in the minds of military strategists, on the battlefields, and in the lives of ordinary soldiers and civilians. (*NOTE : The organization of this source is geared toward the theme rather than the country. For example, if your topic was literature during World War II, you would search under literature and find the country or genre subdivided within the literature section.) |
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World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia |
Ref D740 .W67 1999 |
A 2-volume set covering social, political issues and events, leaders and individuals, units and organizations, as well as weapons, equipment, strategy, tactics, and operational techniques. |
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The Oxford Companion to World War II |
Ref D740 .O94 1995 | Written by more than 140 specialist contributors from Italy, Germany, and Japan, as well as the Allied nations, the Companion provides unique world-wide coverage of the subject. Included are detailed surveys of major countries; politics and grand strategy; domestic and economic issues; resistance and intelligence services; campaigns, battles, and military operations; warfare and weapons; wartime leaders and influential people; and slogans and phrases. (*NOTE : The organization of this source is geared toward the country rather than the theme. For example, if your topic was literature during World War II, you would search under country and find the theme subdivided within the country profile.) |
|
Atlas of American Military History |
Ref E181 .A85 2003 | A timely resource examining military campaigns, both foreign and domestic, from 1512 to the post-Cold War era. Each spread contains at least one colorful map or a captioned black-and-white archival photograph or reproduction. The military cartography is outstanding; the 143 detailed maps are filled with information. |
|
American Military History |
Ref E181 .O94 1999 | More than 1100 alphabetically arranged entries cover every aspect of American military history--from Bunker Hill in 1775 to the Gulf War in 1991. Using everything from brief entries to extensive essays, this one-volume treasure does much more than list battles and generals; it "explores the changing nature of war and the military." Of course, people, places, battles, and weapons are included, but those expected entries are nicely balanced by entries on logisitics, the laws of war, propaganda, anti-war movements, foreign trade, war plans, politics, literature, art, and movies. |
|
Political History of America's Wars |
Ref E181 .A945 2007 | Focuses on the legislation, social conditions, and policies that affected the major wars and smaller rebellions and insurrections, beginning with the American Revolution and ending with the War on Terrorism and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The book opens with an extensive table of contents, chronological listings of important historical documents and of the 71 biographical entries, and an author's preface. Chronological chapters discuss each war and include background information, a summary of what happened over the course of the conflict, a timetable of events, important documents, and biographies of notable people. |
Finding Books
Find Books at our library
- Catalog:use this link to find Books, government documents, reserve items, music, movies and journal titles (NOT JOURNAL ARTICLES) in our library
- Search the catalog using keywords to find materials
- Write out a few keywords on your topics and enter them into the search box.
- Don't write out a sentence. You will get zero results.
- For Example: I am writing a paper on literature during world war II
- my FIRST search might be: literature world war II
- DON'T STOP here! Revise your searches and use the results to find other material
- Revised Search: I want to focus on women authors during world war II
- my NEXT search: women authors world war II
Find Books at other NJ Academic libaries
- Catalog: use this link to locate material at other NJ academic libraries. Use Interlibrary Loan to get the material you find or drive to local schools and pick up the book.
Finding Articles
- These databases are for finding journal articles
- They are available 24/7 ONLY to Ramapo students
- Off campus use requires login: Ramapo email and password
- Some useful Databases for your projects:
| General Databases |
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| Academic Search Premier |
A multi-disciplinary database containing both full-text articles and citations. Tip: When only a citation is included, click on the "Check availability at Ramapo" link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection. |
| Expanded Academic |
Another multidisplinary database that contains many full-text articles. Tip: If your search results include citations or abstracts (not full-text articles), click on the Check availability link within each citation to see if you have access to the journal being cited. |
| Wilson Omnifile Mega Full-Text |
Over 4,000 journals. Coverage back as early as 1982 ensures that every search is as deep as it is broad. Users have access to information on virtually any subject. |
| History Databases | |
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America: History and Life (abc-clio)
America: History and Life (Ebsco) |
History of the United States and Canada from pre-history to the present.
Tip:(ABC-Clio version) Links to JSTOR and Ebsco. When only a citation is included, click on the "Primary Catalog" link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection.
Tip:(Ebsco version) When only a citation is included, click on the "Check availability at Ramapo" link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection. |
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Historical Abstracts (abc-clio)
Historical Abstracts (Ebsco)
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Tip:(ABC-Clio version) Links to JSTOR and Ebsco. When only a citation is included, click on the "Primary Catalog" link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection.
Tip:(Ebsco version) When only a citation is included, click on the "Check availability at Ramapo" link to see if the full text of the article is available in our collection. |
| JSTOR |
Tip: entirely full-text. Cannot email articles-email yourself the stable url. Do not print from browser print button. Use the JSTOR print option |
| African American Studies Center | Includes bibliographies, interactive timelines and maps, thematic photo essays and image collections, key primary source documents, and editorially selected links to Internet resources. |
| Historical Newspapers | |
| Historical New York Times |
full-text of the entire NY Times from 1851-2002 Tip: Use the Page Map link (upper right hand side of screen) IN a record to view the entire front page of paper OR from the search screen click on MORE OPTIONS then DOCUMENT TYPE: FRONT PAGE |
| Historical Wasington Post |
Full text of the entire paper from 1877-1991 Tip: Use the Page Map link (upper right hand side of screen) IN a record to view the entire front page of paper OR from the search screen click on MORE OPTIONS then DOCUMENT TYPE: FRONT PAGE
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| Historical Christian Science Monito |
Full text of the entire paper from 1908-1994 Tip: Use the Page Map link (upper right hand side of screen) IN a record to view the entire front page of paper OR from the search screen click on MORE OPTIONS then DOCUMENT TYPE: FRONT PAGE
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| Historical Wall Street Journal |
Full text of the entire paper from 1889-1990 Tip: Use the Page Map link (upper right hand side of screen) IN a record to view the entire front page of paper OR from the search screen click on MORE OPTIONS then DOCUMENT TYPE: FRONT PAGE
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| Others | |
| Biographies Plus |
With coverage of newsmakers and figures of prominence from a wide range of fields Tip: entirely full-text |
| Gender Watch |
full text database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. Tip: Use the "Suggested Topics" box at the top of the results page to help find better search terms |
| Ethnic News Watch |
A comprehensive full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press Tip: Use the "Suggested Topics" box at the top of the results page to help find better search terms |
| Literature Resource Center | Provides access to biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of authors from every age and literary discipline. |
Strategies for searching the databases
- Always go back and revise your searches! Look at using different terms and synonyms.
- Always switch to the Advance Search page in a database. This will give you more control over your results.
- Always use Boolean Operators-AND, OR, NOT when running a search. For Example: "world war II" and women and (jobs or work)
- AND: narrows your search ex: women and "world war II"
- OR: broadens your search ex: (united states or america) and (world war II or wwII or world war 1939-1945)
- NOT: eliminates ex: "Nazi Germany" not "Wiemar republic"
- Always check your Spelling if the database results are Zero.
- To look for full-text use the: check availablity at Ramapo, primary catalog, or check availability links in the databases
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Use the Subject Terms or Thesaurus link in databases to find the best search terms to use
Use interlibrary loan
- Use Interlibrary Loan if we don't have a book or article that you need
- Fill out the online form using your Ramapo Email (it will not be processed without that email address)
- WARNING: give yourself time (it can take longer than 2 weeks in some cases)
Find specific journals in the library
- Use the Journal Finder to locate the full-text of journals in our library. These can be either online or in print.
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