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OLD HIS 4990 Senior Seminar in History

This guide will assist you with HIS 4990 Research Paper. Updated Fall 2020

Preliminary Research

  • Once you have an idea of what you would like to research:
    • Begin with subject specific encyclopedias to give you an overview of your topic and related topics. You may look for general opinions, areas where researchers disagree, and ideas for further study when consulting an overview.
    • Find secondary sources. These will provide context for your research question and possibly demonstrate an academic writing style.
    • Secondary sources will provide a bibliographic trail. By consulting the citations in secondary sources, you can discover the "classic" (big, often cited) works in your area. Citations are also a good place to find primary sources!
  • Begin brainstorming and exploring which primary sources are available and accessible to you.
  • When researching with primary sources, your research can take unexpected turns. Be ready to follow some and ignore others.