American History

The resources identified in this LibGuide are by no means a comprehensive list of resources available.

• To identify books, eBooks, DVDs, and other items in the Library's collections, use the GIL-Find catalog.
   
• To identify materials held at other USG Libraries, select "University System of Georgia" from the dropdown menu when searching the GIL-Find catalog. Use our GIL Express service to have materials sent to SSU. 
   
• To identify materials beyond the local region, use the WorldCat catalog and our ILL services.

Think of the best keywords to enter and be ready to change them as you pursue your topic. Try using a subject encyclopedia or dictionary for specialized terminology. Get ideas for new keywords by carefully examining the subject fields in your first results.

Try these search features:

• Use quotes to search for phrases (example: "industrial revolution”)
  
  
• Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) to broaden or narrow your search
  
  
• Use truncation (example: archiv* will find archive, archives, archival, archivist)
  
  
• Sort results by date or relevance
  
  
• Browse subject headings

Books are the best source for in-depth information when you need to know a subject inside and out. Books by one author on a subject are structured to lead the reader from little knowledge to a more thorough understanding; this cannot usually be said for web resources or articles. Scholarly articles are generally written by and for experts in a field, making them less accessible to someone without knowledge of the jargon and basics of the field. Web resources can be good options for up-to-date information, but they usually do not provide any in-depth examination of the information.

Books that have a separate author for each chapter can present different viewpoints on one subject or address different parts of a subject. Remember that it may not be necessary to read an entire book to have books be a useful part of your research.