Informational Databases: Discussion Post 4

Reaching one's intended audience with their work is a must for most Historians. Thus, digitalized informational databases provided by local libraries are a significant help not just for those completing an academic assignment, but also for historians trying to reach their target audience. These such databases can contain works such as books, encyclopedias, and academic journals. You can use all three of these resources at a local library.

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Books

• cover virtually any topic, fact, or fiction

• for research purposes, you will be looking for books to synthesize all the info on one topic to support a certain argument or thesis

Encyclopedias

• collections of short, factual entries often written by different contributors

• two types: general + subject

• general: provide concise overviews on a wide variety of topics

• subject: contain in-depth and detailed entries focusing on one field of study

Academic Journals

• a collection of articles usually written by scholars in a professional or academic field

• an editorial board reviews articles to decide on whether they are accepted or not

• articles in journals cover a wide variety of subjects, they are not just limited to one