Spence School Library: Independent History Research Fellows Program: Topic Development

Topic Development

Topic Development and Background Research

Search Tips for Topic Development

Similar terms: Tertiary, Reference, and Background source all refer to short tertiary source articles that provide background information.
Keep your search string simple. One or two keywords combined with AND
Make sure you are searching the full text of the documents (do an advanced search in the Gale In Context databases)
Some of the databases contain more than tertiary sources; pay attention to labels to make sure you are reading a short, tertiary source article.
Pay attention to the name of the encyclopedia that published the article you are reading. Make sure the encyclopedia is approaching your topic from a historical perspective.

Spence Tertiary Source Databases

General Tertiary Source Databases

History Research Center This link opens in a new window
Search six databases at once: African-American History, American History Online, American Indian History, Ancient and Medieval History Online, Modern World History Online, World Religions.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Oxford Reference provides the full text of subject encyclopedias, language dictionaries, quotation dictionaries, companion series, and many more reference sources.
Encyclopedia Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Includes Encyclopedia Britannica plus Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, magazines and periodicals, and many other research tools.
Oxford Research Encyclopedias This link opens in a new window
Digital encyclopedias that expand research on foundational topics, all written, peer-reviewed and continuously updated by leading scholars.
Oxford Very Short Introductions This link opens in a new window
Very Short Introductions offer concise introductions to a diverse range of subject areas. All titles provide intelligent and serious introductions to a huge range of subjects, written by experts in the field who combine facts, analysis, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make challenging topics highly readable.

Topical Tertiary Source Databases

Gale in Context: U.S. History This link opens in a new window
Provides background information on U.S. history, covering the major events and people. This resource offers primary source documents, reference articles, journal and magazine articles, images, video and audio and maps.
Gale in Context: World History This link opens in a new window
Explores world history though primary source documents, reference articles, journal and magazine articles, images, video and audio and maps. This resource includes information on the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, India, and Latin America.
Oxford African American Studies - Africa and Diaspora Studies This link opens in a new window
An extensive scholarly collection that focuses on the lives and events that have shaped African American and African history and culture.
Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window
This is a scholarly art resource addressing all aspects of Western and non-Western visual art and provides full-text access to the Grove Dictionary of Art, the Companion to Western Art, the Encyclopedia of Aesthetics and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms.
Bloomsbury Popular Music This link opens in a new window
Bloomsbury Popular Music is a unique source of scholarship and serious in-depth analysis of popular music in a global context. For the username and password please email Ms. Kane or refer to the Tip Sheet for Tertiary Sources.
Bloomsbury: Cultural History This link opens in a new window
A fully cross-searchable digital resource that engages with culture throughout the ages from antiquity to modernity.
Issues & Controversies in History This link opens in a new window
Presented in a pro/con format that clearly explains both sides of the historical dispute, each article is supported by a timeline and a wealth of primary sources.

NYPL Tertiary Source Databases

To access these databases, you will need your NYPL library card and your NYPL pin. Need help? Ask Ms. Kane

Credo Reference
Provides full-text online access to hundreds of multidisciplinary reference book collections, including art, history, law, medicine, psychology, technology, bilingual dictionaries and encyclopedias.
NYPL Gale eBooks
An online library of reference titles for multi-disciplinary research.
Oxford Bibliographies Online
A collection of research guides for a wide variety of subjects. Includes topic overviews and annotated bibliographies.