Historiography
Basic Information Sources

Gale Teaster
Serials Librarian
Winthrop University
June, 2008

Dacus Online Catalog (DOC)

DOC allows information to be accessed by author, title, and subject.  For books on countries or regions, use subject headings such as:

Dictionary

An alphabetical arrangement of words and phrases. Usually includes spelling, brief explanations and meaning, pronunciation, etc.  Certain dictionaries explain word history and terminology as used in special subject areas, for example, history.

1. General English and foreign language
   • Cassell's dictionaries of foreign languages, e.g. German, French, Spanish
   • The Concise Scots Dictionary. 1985. (Ref. PE 2106 .C66 1985)
   • Oxford English Dictionary. 1989. (Ref. PE 1625 .O87 1989)
   • Webster's Dictionaries
2. Subject - Concentrates on the definition of words or phrases as used in a specific subject area, for example, in the area of history.
   • The Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland. 1985. (Ref. DA 34 .C28 1985)
   • Concise Dictionary of American History. 1983 (Ref. E174 .D522 1983)
   • Dictionary of Battles several with the same title (Call number will vary)
   • The Illustrated Dictionary of British History.  1980. (Ref. DA34 .I44)
   • Oxford Classical Dictionary. 1996. (Ref. DE5.O9 1996)

Encyclopedia

Attempts to give comprehensive overviews of subjects, including definition, description, background, and bibliographical references.  usually arranged alphabetically. Some encyclopedia entries are signed or initialed by the contributor.

1. General English and foreign language
   • The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed. 1994 (Ref. AE5 .E363 1994)
   • World Book Encyclopedia. 2000 (Ref. AE5 .W55 2000)
   • Encyclopedias in French, German, Russian, and Spanish, are available
2. Subject - Provides overview of specific subjects
   • Atlas of the Islamic World Since 1500. 1982 (Ref. DS35.6 .R6 1982)- Not an 'atlas' as a geographic aid.  Includes maps, chronological table, list or rulers, and other miscellaneous information.
   • Cambridge Encyclopedia of... - A collection of encyclopedias published by Cambridge university Press, covering topics from Africa to space.  Publication dates vary and they are usually located in the reference collection.
   • A Dictionary of American History. 1995. (Ref. #174 .P87 1995)
   • Dictionary of the Middle Ages. 1989. (Ref. D114 .D5 1982)
   • Encyclopedia of American History. 1976 (Ref. E174.5 .M847 1976)
   • Encyclopedia of Asian History. 1988 (Ref. DS31 .E53 1988)
   • Facts on File Dictionary of European History: 1485-1789. 1980 (Ref. D231 .W54)

Handbook

Small work that provides miscellaneous items of information and can include information from statistical data on birthrate to winners of the World Series.  Also called a miscellany, manual, companion or compendium.

• European Historical Statistics, 1750-1970. 1975. (Ref. HA1107 .M5 1975)
• International Historical Statistics:  Africa and Asia. 1982. (Ref. HA4675 .M55 1982) - Companion to European Historical Statistics, 1750-1970
• Statistical Abstract of the United States. 1999 (Doc. Ref. C3.287:PRODPR/99-3) (Internet Access:  http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-us.html )
• Historical Statistics of the States of the United States:  Two Centuries of the Census, 1790-1990. (Ref. HA214 .D63 1993)

Chronology

Outline of historical events arranged by date or time period.

• The Almanac of American History. 1983. (Ref. E174.5 .A45 1983)
• Black Chronology:  from 4000 B.C. to the abolition of the Slave Trade. 1983. (Ref. DT17 .D5 1983)
• A Chronology of Irish History Since 1500.  1990. (Ref. DA910 .D66 1990)
• Chronology of the Medieval World, 800 to 1491. 1973. (Ref. D118 .S855 1973b)
• A Chronology of the People's Republic of China from October 1, 1949. 1972. (Ref. DS777.55 .C44567)
• British History Chronologically Arranged, 55 B.C. - A.D. 1919. 1920 (DA32.7 .H35)
• Timetables of History. 1991. (Ref. D11 .G78 1991)
• Who Was When:. 1976. (Ref. CT103 .D4 1976)

Almanac

A collection of miscellaneous facts and statistical information.  Published annually.

• Congressional Quarterly Almanac. (Doc. Ref. JK1 .C66)
• Whitaker's Almanac. (LATEST EDITION IN REF) (AY754 .W5)
• World Almanac and Book of Facts. (LATEST EDITION IN REFERENCE) (AY67 .N5 .W7)

Yearbook or Annual

An annual compendium of data, statistics, and events for a given year.  Can cover a specific subject.  Some are published in conjunction with an encyclopedia.

• Britannica Book of the Year (Ref. AE5 .E364)
• The Far East and Australasia (Ref. DS1 .F3)
• Statesman's Yearbook (ref. JA51 .S7)

Geographic Aids

1. Atlas - a book of maps, charts or plates showing locations of towns, rivers, mountains, etc. Can include miscellaneous information such as population, businesses, schools, etc.
   • General
     • The Times Atlas of the World. 1985.  (Atlas Shelves G1021 .T55 1985)
     • Rand McNally Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide. 1983- . (Atlas Shelves G1019 .R22)
   • Special Topic
     • Oxford Economic Atlas of the World. 1972. (Ref. G1046 .G1.O92 1972)
   • Historical
     • Shepherd's Historical Atlas. 1964. (Atlas Shelves G1030 .S4 1964)
     • Look up: Historical Atlas
   • Gazetteer - an alphabetically arranged list of geographical information on towns, rivers, mountains, etc.  Usually more comprehensive than an atlas.  Can include miscellaneous information such as population, longitude and latitude, and brief to lengthy entries tracing historical, political, and economic features of particular places.  Could be called a 'geographic dictionary'.
     • Chambers World Gazetteer. 1988. (Ref. G103.5 .C53 1988)
     • The Columbia Gazetteer of the World. 1998. (Ref. G103 C65 1998)
     • Encyclopedia of Historic Places. 1984. (Ref. D9 .C29 1984)
     • Omni Gazetteer of the United States of America. 1991. (Ref. G103.5 .O45 1990)

Biographical

Information about people.

• Biography & Genealogy Master Index - an online comprehensive index to over 700 current and retrospective biographical sources, available through Dacus Library Online.
• Biography Index - guide to biographical material found in selected periodicals and non-biographical books, and to current books of individual and collective biography.  (Reference Index Tables CT100 .B56)

Directory

Names and addresses of people, organizations, corporations, etc.

• Directory, Historical Agencies in North America. 1986. (Ref. E172 .D5)
• Official Congressional Directory. (U.S. Government Documents y4.P93/1:1/ )

Periodical Indexes

An alphabetically arranged list of subjects giving references or citations to information on the subject.

• Poole's Index to Periodic Literature, 1802-1881. (Reference Index Tables AI3 .P7 1938) and Nineteenth Century Reader's Guide to Periodic Literature, 1890-1899. (Reference Index Tables AI3 .R47 1944) - Both are predecessors of Reader's Guide. Poole's indexes by subject and Nineteenth Century Reader's Guide by subject and author.  Both index British and American popular periodicals on the period.
• Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature (1900- )(Reference Index Tables AI3 .R48) - Indexes by subject and author English language periodicals of broad general and popular character.
• British Humanities Index (1962-1989) (Reference Index Tables AI3 .B7)  A subject index to British serials concerned with the arts and politics.

Periodical Abstracting Services

An expanded version of periodical indexes.  Abstracting services differ from indexes because they include summaries, or abstracts, of the articles indexed.  Usually cover a more narrow subject area and the citations are accessed differently.  The index to the abstracting service is arranged alphabetically by subject, author, or title, with reference to entry.  This entry number must then be used to locate the citations in another section of the abstraction service.

1. Historical Abstracts 1955-current (Available through Dacus Library Online)  Scope covers all of the world except the United States and Canada. 
2. America:  History and Life 1964-current (Available through Dacus Library Online)  Scope covers the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistoric times to present. 

Bibliographies

Lists of books, articles, films, recordings, videos, etc.  the focus can be:

1. Literature guides, which provide an introduction to information sources within a field.
   • Bibliographies in American History, 1942-1978: a Guide to Materials for Research. 1982. (Ref. E178 .B1 B44 1982)
   • Handbook for Research in American History:  a Guide to Bibliographies and other Reference Works. 1987. (Ref. E178 .B1 P78 1987)
   • Harvard Guide to American History. 1974. (Ref. E175.8 .B1 F74 1974)
   • The Historian's Handbook. 1972. (Ref. D20 .B1 P68 1972)
   • Historiography:  An Annotated Bibliography of Journal Articles, books, and Dissertations. 1987. (Ref. D13 .B1 .H57 1987) 2 volumes
2. Subject, period, or author bibliographies; also bibliographies of publications by an institution or organization.
   • Bibliography of British History - Several of these bibliographies are located in the 'D' section of the Reference Collection, for example:  A Bibliography of English History to 1485. 1975 (Ref. DA130 .B1 B53 1975)
   • Martin Luther King, Jr.: An Annotated Bibliography. 1986. (Ref. E185 .B1. B52 no. 12)
   • Writings on American History. 1903-1990. (E178 .B1 .W75)
3. National and trade bibliographies, which can include  either the partial or complete holdings of a library, or the books, journals, etc. published in a particular country.  Describes what was, what is, and what will be available either by purchase through a publisher, bookstore, etc.; or by loan from another library.  Some include purchase and price information.
   • American bibliography:  A Chronological Dictionary... Charles Evans. (Ref. Z1215 .E92)  14 volumes which cover 1639 through 1820.  Supplements to and variations of Evans have been published since the original publication began in 1942.
   • General Catalogue of Printed Books... British Museum. (Ref. Z921 .B873) List of the holdings of the British Museum which collects all works published in Great Britain through copyright agreement.
   • Publishers' Trade List Annual  (available through Dacus Library Online)
   • A Short-Title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of English Books Printed Abroad, 1475-1640, compiled by Pollard and Redgrave. 1926. (Ref. Z2002 .P777 1926)
   • Short-title Catalogue of Books Printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English Books Printed in Other Countries, 1641-1700, 2nd ed. 1945-51 (Ref. Z2002 .W5)
4. Bibliography of bibliographies
5. Bibliographic Index. 1937-1989. (Ref. Z1002 .B595)
6. A World bibliography of African Bibliographies, Besterman. 1975. (Ref. DT3 .B1 B47 1975)