AAAS 192 / HIST 192: Modern African History

• Look at your syllabus for topic ideas

• Identify "keywords" for your topic

• The Libraries' Try These First list of databases is a good place to start to develop your topic. Use identified keywords to find articles on your topic.

• Use encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference works (provide background information and overviews of topics, cited works, a good starting point for your topic).

• Use Bibliographies to locate information in books, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc. on a topic. Example: In "Basic Search" OR "Advanced Search" in The CAT, enter "gender roles and Africa" as Keywords.

• Talk to your instructor or librarian about how to narrow/broaden your topic, etc.

Locate encyclopedias and other reference works, books, and other materials (videos, audio formats, dissertations, electronic formats) in The CAT (Penn State Libraries' online Catalog)

• Go to "Advanced Search" in the CAT

• Enter identified keyword(s)

• Select Material Type: "Reference Book" OR "Book or Bound Serial" OR "video material", etc.

• Limit to year, library, etc.

• Use the "I want It" button to have books delivered to you from another campus location.

Print Encyclopedias

• Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience

• Encyclopedia of Africa South of the Sahara
  Includes general information about people, places, and issues related to Africa

• Africa South of the Sahara
  Published annually, includes articles about current issues in Africa as well as country specific surveys including country's geography, recent history, economy, statistics, etc.; and a bibliography for further reading

• Africa Contemporary Record: Annual Survey and Documents
  Includes extensive essays on current topics: political affairs, defense and security, social affairs, foreign affairs, economic affairs and includes references

• African States and Rulers: An Encyclopedia of Native Colonial and Independent States and Rulers Past and Present

• French Colonial Africa: A Guide to Official Sources

• African Historical Dictionary Series
  Contains entries for important names, places, etc. in the history of individual African countries

Online Encyclopedias

Available via the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List)

• Gale Virtual Reference Library

• Oxford African American Studies Center

• Oxford Reference Online

• International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences

Library of Congress, Federal Research Division:

• Country Studies (Library of Congress, Federal Research Division)
  "The Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of countries throughout the world."

• Project MUSE

• Historical Abstracts

• JSTOR

• ProQuest (Multiple databases)

• International Index to Black Periodicals (Full-text)

• UNSTATS (United Nations Statistical database)

• LexisNexis Academic (News)

• International Affairs (Penn State University Libraries Research Guide)

• Africa South of the Sahara (Karen Fung. Stanford University Library)

• African Studies Internet Resources (Columbia University Libraries)

• BBC: Country Profiles

• Portals to the World: Links to Electronic Resources from Around the World

  [Library of Congress]

Recommended

Citation and Writing Guides (step-by-step instructions about how to cite books, journal articles, Internet resources, etc.)