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Databases are subscription resources that bring articles from a variety of magazines and/or journals into one place with a sophisticated search engine. Many of the databases allow you to read the entire article online. Databases make online content easily searchable by subject. |
Often while searching databases you will come across an option to limit your search results to 'peer reviewed' articles only. Peer reviewed means that the articles have been read by other scholars in the field. It is a way of adding more validity to the researcher/author's conclusions, to show that they have been approved by others in the same field.
Don't panic! You have several options
Primary sources are materials that record a historical event as it happens. These materials provide us with an immediate reaction to and interpretation of historical events, as they occur. Examples include letters, diaries, journals, newspapers, photos and other immediate accounts.
Do not hesitate to contact us with questions about locating primary sources.
Some of these databases are available only at University of Maryland Libraries or remotely to University of Maryland students and staff only, due to licensing agreements.
Secondary sources are written at a time after the actual historical event they describe occurred. These materials analyze primary sources and draw conclusions from them. Secondary sources provide us hindsight, and usally incorporate multiple sources of information about the same event. These materials include history books, journal articles, biographies, encyclopedias, and documentaries--anything that includes a list of sources.
Do not hesitate to contact us with questions about secondary sources. The following databases are available at University of Maryland Libraries; remote access is limited to UM students and staff only due to licensing agreements.
Some of these databases are available only at University of Maryland Libraries or remotely to University of Maryland students and staff only, due to licensing agreements.
Multi-disciplinary database providing information for nearly every area of academic study. Includes an enormous collection of the most valuable peer-reviewed full text journals, as well as additional journals, magazines, newspapers and books. Multidisciplinary subjects including: social sciences, humanities, education, computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language & linguistics, arts & literature, medicine, ethnic studies. 1965- present.
A bibliography is a list of sources. In this case the University of Maryland has compiled a list of periodical articles concerning the War of 1812 in Maryland. After you identify an article of interest, you can search for the journal in the library catalog or you can locate each article using Database Finder.
