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American History: Getting Started

Spend some time thinking about what you want your topic to be. Is there a particular era or theme that intrigues you? Is there a person or political movement you want to know more about? Once you have a general idea of what you're looking for, do some preliminary research on your topic. The resources on this page offer overviews of many time periods and topics in American History. After you have a grasp on the basic facts of your area of interest, you're ready to dive deeper, using the resources on the Databases and Secondary Sources and Primary Sources pages. 

Feeling lost? Stuck? Talk to a librarian. We're here to help!

Trinity Databases to Explore

Places to Get Started from NYPL

You will need an NYPL card to access these resources!

Websites to Get You Started

Wikipedia


Where to Start?

You've got an idea for a topic, but how do you refine it?

Where can you find the information you need?

What's the best way to approach your research?

  • Start with the background. Once you have some background knowledge about your topic, you can move on to more specific or in-depth sources. Good background knowledge also helps you identify key terms to use while searching.
  • Be a brand snob. Some of you will on wear a specific brand of jeans or use a specific type of phone or computer. Be a brand snob when it comes to your resources. Think about the OPVL (origin, purpose, value, and limitation) of each source. Gale in Context databases and the Oxford Research Encyclopedias are great places to look and will have resources on most topics.
  • If you get stuck, ask for help! Email or talk to Ms. Martin or Ms. Newsome.

Refining Your Topic Document

Topic Selection Flowchart