Welcome
Welcome! This guide can help you with research in your subject area.
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Research Strategies
Iterate your search words across search tools
When reviewing search results identify different search terms scholars use to describe your topic.
If you feel overwhelmed by the number of results, it may be that your topic is too broad. Use a search tool like EBSCO to see a small pool of results and identify the scope of scholarly conversation on different topics. Use subject headings to see different aspects of the topic. Notice different disciplines that are seeing the topic from their disciplinary perspective.
A lack of results often means that you haven't found the words scholars use to describe your topic, but may also mean that scholars haven't found connections between your concepts.
Find the scholarly conversation around your source (article or book) backward and forward in time. Use the bibliography to go back in time from when the source was published. Use Google Scholar's cited by to go forward in time from when your source was published.
Use advanced options to evaluate and narrow your results. For example:
- If you discover a source that is highly pertinent to your subject, bring it into Google Scholar to identify whether it is significant (highly cited).
- Use Google Scholar's cited by tool to find other, more recent sources by clicking "cited by" and then click the "search with citing articles" box and enter your significant search words to narrow these results down to relevant sources about your topic.
- Use subject headings and the Advanced Search options in EBSCO and the library catalog to try subject searches to find very relevant sources, combined with keyword searches to combine concepts.
- Consider how different interest groups may see your topic from different perspectives-- ie: US military, international relations experts, media scholars, etc. Use Google Advanced search to search within domains (eg: .mil for US military, rand.org or CFR.org for perspective of policy or international relations experts, EBSCO database subject headings combined with key word search for perspective of scholars in different disciplines
Useful History Databases
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowAn archive of full-text academic journals and ebooks from the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Now also includes the image database ArtStor. Journals in JSTOR have an embargo, which means that most journals do not include the most recent approximately 3 to 5 years of issues.
- Sage Journals This link opens in a new windowIncludes over 1,100 full-text journals with coverage of a wide range of subject areas, as well as journals published on behalf of over 500 scholarly and professional societies. 1999 to present.
- Hein Online This link opens in a new windowIncludes law journals, legal research materials, Supreme Court documents, US government and congressional documents, treaties, presidential papers, constitutions, US code, and federal regulations. Additional collections include the Pentagon Papers, Slavery in America, and Foreign Relations of the US.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowIncludes a range of statistics and reports related to marketing and business. Provides consumer outlook surveys, industry reports, country reports, market studies, and company information.
Find Newspaper Articles
- Access World News Research Collection This link opens in a new windowContains over 13,000 newspapers and other news sources from over 200 countries and territories.
- America's Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowOffers over 700 historical American newspapers, mainly from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Includes coverage of the Newport Gazette, 1777; Newport Herald, 1787-1791; and Newport Mercury 1758-1866.
- Historical New York Times This link opens in a new windowNew York Times from 1851 to 2018. For recent issues, use New York Times Digital Edition or Nexis Uni.
- Newport Daily News This link opens in a new windowSelected full text only for 2001 to 2/13/2019. Full page image edition starting from 2/14/2019 to present. See also our print and microfilm holdings.
- Proquest Newspapers This link opens in a new window
A collection of American and international newspapers.
- Providence Journal This link opens in a new windowDaily newspaper from Providence, Rhode Island. 1829-current. Includes page image edition for recent issues.
