Skip to Main Content

HIST 150: Coffee and Modernity (Spring 2024)

Finding Articles

I very strongly suggest using our specialized US history database to find articles for this class.

This database is designed specifically for Historical research, and indexes all the major history journals.

Unlike GoogleScholar, it can also be used to only find high-quality peer reviewed articles.

 

Getting started

  • Use one of our specialized database below.
  • No need to use "history" as a search term when using a history database!
  • Use the filters to find articles specifically about your time period.
  • Start with basic searches and use the suggested subject terms in the results to narrow your field
  • Stick with Keywords connected by AND.
  • Keep an eye open for Subjects.
  • Limit by publication date.
  • Pay attention to subjects and abstracts.
  • Look at bibliographies for additional sources if you're stuck!

Why do we use Subject Databases?

Just as Important: our databases are designed to help you:

  • Find similar articles
  • Identify correct keywords and subject terms
  • Limit to peer reviewed articles only
  • Limit to Discipline specific articles

EXAMPLE:

  • Topic: importance of the Potato in Irish Culture
    • Potato* AND (Irish OR ireland) AND (culture OR history)
  • Topic: importance of maple syrups in Canadian Identity
    • "Maple Syrup" AND (canadian OR canada) AND (identity OR culture OR history)
  • Topic: Soft drinks in American culture
    • ("soft drinks" OR soda) AND (american OR "united states") AND (history OR culture)

 

AND OR NOT

Be sure to use Caps for AND, OR, NOT when searching.

AND - searches for books and articles containing both terms. Example: Bread AND Culture

OR - searches for one of the words. Example: "soft drinks" OR soda

NOT - exclude a term. Example:  corn NOT maize

Parenthetical notes () - excellent for OR or NOT searches. Like a math equation, the database will do this part first.
Example: ("soft drinks" OR soda ) AND "social aspects"= search for social aspects of soda or soft drinkgs
Example: (corn NOT maize) AND culture = search for culture of corn but not maize.

Quotation Marks ""- Links words together in the search. Works best for phrases or proper names.
Example: "wheat beer"
Example: "energy drinks"
Warning: You might exclude results. A search for "digestive biscuits" will omit "digestives." 

Asterisk * - Allows you to search several word endings at once, without using OR.
Example: Virginia* will give you results for Virginia, Virginian, Virginians. 
Example: wom* will cover women, woman, womens, womanhood.
Example: Brit* will give you British, Britain, Brits.
Warning: You may get unexpected results. Brit* will also yield Brittany, Britons, and Britches. Virginia* will bring up articles on the Virginia opossum. Wom* will include wombat.

Getting Started with Keywords

  1. Start by writing out your question or topic.
  2. identify key terms
  3. identify potential synonyms
  4. Use AND OR NOT to create search phrases. 
  5. Conduct several searches, revising keywords backed on subject terms & commonly used language in the articles/books.