HI 1332: History of Technology

D. Spanagel

In-class assignment

Review this PowerPoint, print & complete last sheet to bring along with you to the library research workshop: Developing Your Topic: Concept Map

Off campus?

Access resources with proxy.

Research Challenges

QuickFIND - Multi-database Search

Start with QuickFIND multi-database search to retrieve results from 11 databases (including the library catalog & Worldcat for books) on your topic with one search. There are 3 ways to search:

Primary Sources

Commemorating the Completion of 5000 Miles of Railroad Track, Japanese, Late Meiji era, 1906, Boston MFA

Use different types of information to get broad coverage of your topic. Historians use primary materials to build their research. See the Primary Sources guide for information on primary literature and how to find it.

Examples include:

drawings,
maps,
interviews,
personal journals such as that of Matthew Perry's,
autobiographies, and
more.

Find Books

Book @ Gordon Library

Search the Library Catalog for items @ WPI or WorldCat to search beyond our library.

Find Articles

Articles are considered primary sources (only if presenting original research findings) or most are considered secondary sources which anaylze, provide commentary on, or critiques of primary sources.

Filter and Follow Up...

Scan results: use subject headings/descriptors, keywords, phrases found to expand search
Scrutinize article titles, number of pages, and journal title
Browse promising abstract and conclusion sections of long studies
Bibliographies can clue you in on the value of the article as well
Find an interesting author? Search for more articles or for his/her web site
Notice an agency, association or expert mentioned in an article? Follow up!

All databases listed are WPI subscriptions.

Start with QuickFIND - for History Databases and check out Google Scholar, a web search of scholarly sources.

America, History & Life and Historical Abstracts: References to articles on historic topics. Click on FullTextFinder to track down full articles or options to obtain the full text.
ThomsonGale PowerSearch: Articles on all topics, click More Search options, limit the results to peer-reviewed publications. Contains articles back to the 1980s but good coverage of historical topics.
JSTOR: Complete full text of important scholarly journals in a variety of academic fields. Coverage: Varies by publication but many back to late 1800s.
Project Muse: Search full text of major historical and global studies journal, most academic sources.
LEXIS®-NEXIS® Academic: Current full text news, legal, medical, and business information. News coverage ranges from regional coverage (Worcester T & G) to national.

Only Finding a Citation? Getting the Full Text

Is the journal online or here in the library? Use FullTextFinder to link to full articles or retrieval options within database results or search our Journals, Magazines, & Newspapers list
Visit another library: Search WorldCat to find one
Request delivery from another library: Interlibrary Loan.

Give Credit! Cite Your Sources

Try RefWorks, if you wish to create a database of your personal references, which can be output into APA, MLA or other citation format for your bibliography.

Background Information & Reference Materials

Tertiary source present useful selections and compilations of both primary and secondary sources. Encyclopedias are good examples of tertiary sources and often the best starting place for learning about a topic area. WPI subscribes to Grolier Encyclopedia and Encyclopedia Americana and Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Wikipedia users should verfify the information found with other sources.

al-Hassan, Ahmad Y. and Donald P. Hill. Islamic Technology: An Illustrated History. New York; Cambridge University Press. T27.3 I75 H37 1986
Klemm, Friedrich. A History of Western Technology. Transl. Dorothea Waley Singer. Ames: Iowa State Press, 1991. T15 K553
McNeil, Ian, ed. Encyclopaedia of the History of Technolology [electronic book]. London and New York: Routledge. T15 E53 1990
Needham, Joseph. Science and Civilisation in China. 7 vols. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1954-. DS 721 N39
Pacey, Arnold. Technology in World Civilization. Cambridge MA: MIT Press, 1990. T15 P353
Singer, Charles, ed. A History of Technology. 5 vols. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1954-84. Reference T15 S53
History of Technology Library of Congress Tracer Bullet

Browsing the Library's Print Collection

Floor maps - 1st floor T 15 section is a nice place to start
Library of Congress Classification outlines call number categories for browsing
Bound journals down on Ground Floor; Current journals all the way up on 3rd!

Questions?

Stop by the reference desk or set up a research consultation.

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Last modified: May 13, 2008, 13:19 EDT