HIST 4300: Nineteenth-Century British Empire & India: Overview

Whenever you are searching for information ask yourself:

• What am I looking for?
  • Background information, general overview, very specific or specialized information/analysis
• Where should I look for this information?
  • Search engine looking at open web, library catalog, general database, specialized database
    • Should I use the Simple/Basic search or the Advanced search option?
• How am I searching?
  • Natural language search using key words, or subject term search,or Boolean search (AND, OR, NOT)
• Who is responsible for this information?
  • Who created this information? Who published it? Who is hosting it online?

Gathering Background Information

As you get started, you can get ideas from class discussions or readings.

(You can also look at the bibliographies of class readings, and search for those items if they sound relevent)

If it is a topic you are just getting started with, look for background Information in reference resources.

Reference resources allow you to:

• Gain familiarity with the topic
• Identify more specific aspects of the topic on which to focus
• Provide context and identify differing perspectives
• Identify experts related to the topic