Skip to Main Content

History: Research Paper Basics: Finding Articles

This guide is designed to help history students successfully complete their next research paper assignment

Top Four Places to find Articles:

1. Our Databases: Limit our list of databases to the specific subject most relevant to your assignment and search each database using key words and concepts related to your topic. Note: most databases allow you to limit your search results to peer-reviewed articles using the advanced search tool.

2. Catalog Plus: Search our catalog using the "Catalog Plus" tab for a variety of resources on your topic including articles.

3. Google Scholar: Use Google Scholar to search the worldwide web for articles related to your topic. Be sure to set your Google Scholar preferences so that you can easily determine if Copley Library offers access to the articles you find.  For helpful tips on using Google Scholar including setting preferences, visit our Google Scholar Library Guide and watch the video below.

4. Inter-Library Loan Service: If Copley does not offer immediate access to the article you need through one of our databases, you may use our Inter-Library Loan Service to request a copy of the article.

Use Filters to Narrow Your Results

  • History
    • In the multidisciplinary databases like Academic Search Premier and Jstor, look for Subject filters to narrow your results to History
  • Articles
    • Use Filters in a database to narrow resource types to Articles or Journals (articles are published in journals)
  • Recent
    • Look for a way to specify a date range or period on the results display of databases or in our catalog

Using Ebsco Databases

Searching for Articles with Copley History Databases

Find History Databases by selecting Databases A-Z on the library home page and using the Subject dropdown menu to narrow to History

Be sure to search for A-Z listings of Copley Databases by other subjects to find more databases related to your topic including Medieval Studies, Ethnic Studies, Gender Studies, etc...

Using Google Scholar

Visit Copley's Online Guide to Google Scholar for more information.

Searching with Subject Headings

Peer-Reviewed / Scholarly Articles

Look for filters in our catalog and databases to limit your results to peer-reviewed, scholarly, or academic sources.

Use Ulrich's Periodicals Directory to determine if the article you want to use comes from a peer-reviewed journal.

Ulrich's Web