Research Planning - HIST 3000W - The History Workshop (OLD) - Research Guides at Vanderbilt University

Overviews and Beginning Sources

Several databases can be good beginning points with introductory overview essays on your topic and some include bibliographies of the principal recommended secondary and primary sources. These can be good starting points for thinking about your topic and identifying the key recommended works.

Oxford Bibliographies This link opens in a new window
Literary guide to significant sources on a variety of subjects. Works as an annotated bibliography and a high-level encyclopedia.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Reference sources published by Oxford University Press. Dictionaries, subject reference works, language reference sources and key titles in the Oxford Companion series. Some examples are: the Oxford-Duden German dictionaries, A Dictionary of Psychology, A Dictionary of Zoology, The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms, A Dictionary of Writers and Their Works, Oxford Companion to Western Art, Oxford Companion to U.S.History, Oxford Companion to Music, Oxford Companion to Philosophy, and The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, etc.
Oxford Handbooks Online This link opens in a new window
Articles and books on Archaeology, Classical Studies, Criminology and Criminal Justice, History, Philosophy, Political Science, and Sociology. Some content in Business & Management, Economics & Finance, Literature, Psychology, and Religion.
Cambridge Companions Online This link opens in a new window
Collection of Cambridge titles covering literature, classics, philosophy, religion and cultural studies.
Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
Cambridge Histories covering American, British, economic, regional, and general history, language and linguistics, philosophy, religious studies, theatre studies and performing arts, etc.
Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Concise overviews of hundreds of diverse topics from the abstract (Knowledge) to the concrete (Coral Reefs), written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make challenging topics highly readable.
Video demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOf171Mk_JU

Reference Books

Subject specific encyclopedias and historical dictionaries are useful points of departure for your research. Some of the titles below can be accessed online.

Encyclopedia of Ancient History
Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution (2nd ed.)
Call Number: Online
Oxford Encyclopedia of American Social History
Call Number: HN57 .O94 2012 Central

Why Should I Start With These Resources?

Good question -- here are a few reasons:

Get an overview of a new or complex topic
Find authoritative information
Find out the names of key players in a given area
Locate terms that you can use in your research
Help narrow (or expand) your topic
Locate a bibliography of sources to help you start your research.

Oxford Research Encyclopedias

Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new window
Long-form overview articles written, peer-reviewed, and edited by leading scholars. Both foundational and cutting-edge topics are covered in order to develop, over time, an anchoring knowledge base for major areas of research.
Access to selected content only. Some articles may not be available.

Companions - Some Books that Provide an Overview

Companions are books authored and edited by scholarly writers that give background information about topics. This background can further your understanding of the issues and/or complexities surrounding your topic and the time period when it takes place.

You can find "companions" on many topics. Just do a keyword search in Library Catalog for the word "companion" and the word(s) for your topic to see if one has been published. Below are some examples of the variety of companions you might encounter - from the broad to the narrow in scope.