Research Guides: HIST 121: United States History to 1877 (Becker, Spring 2024): Anatomy of an Article

What are the Parts of an Article's Database Record?

Suppose you search in America: History and Life and find a potentially interesting article. Is it worth reading?
Looking at the article's entry in the database tells you a lot. The record will tell you:

Who wrote the article
when it was written
the major subjects it covers
where it was published
how to access it at Swem
What it's about

Example:

COLLEGIA ANTE BELLUM: ATTITUDES OF PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS TOWARD THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.

What are the parts of an article?

Academic articles are written in a very specific manner.
Articles will include an introduction, review of the topic, analysis of information, conclusion, and work cited section.
As a researcher, each of these sections are important to you because they: summarize the field, provide new information, offer a new interpretation of the topic, then provide a list of other sources to consult.

Example:

Deetz, Kelley Fanto. 2018. “Finding Dignity in a Landscape of Fear: Enslaved Women and Girls at the University of Virginia.” Slavery & Abolition 39 (2): 251–66. doi:10.1080/0144039X.2018.1446787.
From its inception, the University of Virginia was a destination for enslaved men, women, and children who were forced to leave their families to build and sustain the needs of this newly founded institution. This article explores the unique experiences of the enslaved women and girls who labored at the University of Virginia, and highlights the distinct intersectionality of their oppression in terms of their race, class, and gender. Their stories showcase the particular challenges that arose while enslaved at a university filled with young privileged white men, bringing attention to the historic and continual struggles of black women throughout history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]