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HIST 112 - Modern Africa: Finding Books & Articles

Background Information

Defining Your Topic

Try this approach to identifying and developing your research topic:

  • State your preliminary topic as a question.
  • Pick out the keywords or main concepts in your question. 
  • Look these up in subject encyclopedias and dictionaries to set the context for your research. 
  • Continue to revise your question and choice of keywords as you pursue your search for information.

Finding Books & Articles

Library Research Worksheet

Catalog Tips

Try adding some of the following terms to your catalog search when doing historical research:

history, chronology, social life and customs, politics and government, kings and rulers, historiography

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