This webpage provides resources to help you find more information on the themes and topics of the course.
Most of the databases on this page are restricted to UW students, staff and faculty. These are marked with a lock
. To connect to these databases from home you will need to first click on the Off-Campus Access button in the upper-right hand corner and login with your UWnetid.
Have questions or need research help? Please contact Cass Hartnett, the women studies librarian via email at cass@u.washington.edu or Theresa Mudrock, the history librarian, via email at mudrock@u.washington.edu
Start Here to Find Background Information
Encyclopedias and other reference sources can provide background information and can be used to identify key people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information. More importantly, because encyclopedias often cover the major issues surrounding the subject, they can help you narrow your research from a broad "who, what, where, when" topic to a "how or why" question. Many also provide a jumpstart on your research by listing related readings.
Two searchable collections of encyclopedias are
- Congressional Quarterly's encyclopedia of the U.S. census - Suzzallo Reference, GovPub Reference HA37.U55 C66 2000
- Encyclopedia of American Immigration - Suzzallo Reference, Undergraduate Reference JV6465 .E53 2000
- HistoryLink - Washington state history encyclopedia
- Latinas in the United States: a historical encyclopedia - Suzzallo Reference E184.S75 L35 2006
- The Oxford encyclopedia of women in world history - Suzzallo Reference HQ1121 .O93 2008
- Racial and ethnic relations in America - Suzzallo Reference E49 .R33 2000
Start Here to Find Books
Non-fiction books can provide both an overview and indepth analysis of a topic, event or person. Many books will include footnotes and bibliography that can lead you to other research/writings on the topic.
Book reviews can be useful when evaluating a book or to get a quick synopsis. Use the databases listed under "Finding Academic/Scholarly Articles" to find book reviews.
- UW Libraries Catalog - holdings of the UW Libraries. Best used for known-item searching especially journal titles and ebooks and when you want to find just what is available on campus or in a specific branch of the UW Libraries.
- UW WorldCat - Mega-catalog that simultaneously searches the UW Libraries Catalog and other libraries in the region and worldwide, also includes some citations to articles. Best used for topical searches and for requesting books from other libraries.
Start Here to Find Academic/Scholarly Articles
Academic articles, those published in scholarly journals, are the bedrock of most academic disciplines. In the field of historical research, they are considered secondary sources. They provide an indepth analysis of narrow topics. Prior to publishing, articles are vetted through a process called peer-review.
Most academic articles and books include footnotes or a bibliography which can lead you to primary sources (and additional secondary sources) on a topic.
Start Here to Find Census Data & Reports
"The Federal censuses are an invaluable tool for historians and other social scientists... Despite their value, the census counts are nevertheless far from perfect. Like any historical source, they must be evaluated, their strengths noted, and their limitations recognized."*
Printed copies of the statistical census volumes are housed in the Government Publications Section on the ground floor of Suzzallo Library.
Help: Making Sense of Numbers and Census Data and Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses from 1790 to 2000.
- Census of Population & Housing pdfs of census volumes 1790-2000
- Historical Census Browser - population and economic census data from 1790 through 1960
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