Research in
History
Prof. Sarah Cohn
3/30/26
Why Library?
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One isn't better than the other
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Different information needs require different places to search.
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The library is a resource for you as CCNY students
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Utilize all the tools available to you.
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Librarians are nice and helpful!
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LLMs & Generative AI
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Fake sources
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Cognitive offloading
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What do you give up when you outsource thinking and the process of learning to a machine?
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Howe we learn!
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Process, problem solving, failure
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Environmental concerns
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Is it worth it?
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Searching as (strategic) Exploration
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Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative.
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You might not find the exact 'answer' to your questions.
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Think of your sources as puzzle pieces, each with their own bit of information or context that work together to provide a complete picture.
Scholarly
Popular
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Author & Audience
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by journalists for the general public
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Publication
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newspaper or magazine
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Content
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human interest hook, photos, little or no specialized language, background on topic
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Citations
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links within the text
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Author & Audience
by academics & researchers for other academics & researchers
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Publication
peer reviewed journal
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Content
original research, data, findings, theoretical framework, specialized language
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Citations
Works cited or bibliography
Secondary
Primary
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Created at the time, or recalled by an eyewitness
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Provides firsthand accounts
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Letters, diaries, art, administrative records, photographs, newspapers
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Analyze and interpret primary sources
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Provides theory, analysis, critical engagement
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Scholarly, peer reviewed journal articles, books
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Summarize and digest the information in primary and secondary sources
- Provides background and general overviews
- Encyclopedias, textbooks
Tertiary
Academic Search Complete
An easy to use multi-disciplinary database. Be sure to add the filter for Peer Reviewed to get scholarly sources.
JSTOR
Scholarly articles and book chapters on a range of topics. Very strong in history, although most of the articles are 5+ years old.
Project Muse
Current and archival scholarly sources on a range of topics with good history coverage.
OneSearch
Multi-disciplinary database with books, peer-reviewed journal articles, & media.
library.ccny.cuny.edu
Think about different ways to describe your topic in individual words or phrases.
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Identify your key words
Combine 2 or more search terms, adding any relevant filters.
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Build a search & test it out
Do the results look promising, interesting, or relevant? If not, change a search term and try again.
Repeat until you're seeing relevant articles.
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Evaluate the results & change the search as needed