THIST 150: World History, Prehistory - 1500: Secondary Sources
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Recommended databases for secondary sources
- L'Année Philologique This link opens in a new window
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Bibliography of scholarly works relating to Greek and Roman civilization, since 1924. - International Medieval Bibliography This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly journal articles and books covering all aspects of the European Middle Ages, 300-1500. - JSTOR This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly journals and books in all disciplines. - Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
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Scholarly articles and general interest sources in all fields.
Featured books
The Alhambra by Call Number: DP402.A4 I89 2004
Ancient Africa by ISBN: 9780691244099Publication Date: 2023-06-20A panoramic narrative that places ancient Africa on the stage of world history This book brings together archaeological and linguistic evidence to provide a sweeping global history of ancient Africa, tracing how the continent played an important role in the technological, agricultural, and economic transitions of world civilization. Christopher Ehret takes readers from the close of the last Ice Age some ten thousand years ago, when a changing climate allowed for the transition from hunting and gathering to the cultivation of crops and raising of livestock, to the rise of kingdoms and empires in the first centuries of the common era. Ehret takes up the problem of how we discuss Africa in the context of global history, combining results of multiple disciplines. He sheds light on the rich history of technological innovation by African societies--from advances in ceramics to cotton weaving and iron smelting--highlighting the important contributions of women as inventors and innovators. He shows how Africa helped to usher in an age of agricultural exchange, exporting essential crops as well as new agricultural methods into other regions, and how African traders and merchants led a commercial revolution spanning diverse regions and cultures. Ehret lays out the deeply African foundations of ancient Egyptian culture, beliefs, and institutions and discusses early Christianity in Africa. A monumental achievement by one of today's eminent scholars, Ancient Africa offers vital new perspectives on our shared past, explaining why we need to reshape our historical frameworks for understanding the ancient world as a whole.
What is a secondary source?
Secondary sources are pieces created some time after a historical event that provide analysis and attempt to understand a specific event or movement in historical or cultural context. Secondary sources may include articles, books, book chapters, podcasts, and documentaries.
What makes it a "scholarly" source?
"Scholarly" refers to the author and the audience of the source. Scholarly sources are written by and for an academic audience (that's you!). Usually the author is a professor or has an advanced degree in history or related subject. The most common scholarly sources in history include:
- Peer reviewed articles. Peer review is a process where other experts in the field read, review, suggest edits, and ultimately approve or reject the article before it is published. It is a system that helps us have confidence that the published paper is thorough and well-researched. These articles are often found in library databases and academic journals.
- Academic books and book chapters. Academic books often have an index. Sometimes they can be edited by 1-2 experts while each chapter is written by a different academic, all based on a theme. The chapters themselves may included bibliographies at the end with extensive citations. Often they are meant to be read in pieces (each chapter stands on its own).
What makes it a "popular" source?
"Popular" refers to the intended audience of the piece--the general public or a non-expert audience. Popular sources may be written by professors and experts, but they can also be authored by journalists or literary authors who have done research on a historical event. Unlike scholarly secondary sources, popular secondary sources have a much wider range of mediums or formats because they shift with technology and the public's tastes. Some common popular sources include:
- Popular history books. While the author will have done extensive research, there is a priority to create an engaging narrative and discuss historical events in language that is accessible to a general reader with no previous knowledge. Often there are fewer or no citations.
- Magazine articles. Magazines such as National Geographic or the Smithsonian will publish articles for a general audience. They may have a few citations, but they generally have gone through an editorial process, not a peer-review process.
- Documentaries, podcasts and radio shows. The host may or may not be an academic expert, but generally has done extensive research (we hope!). There is generally an even greater emphasis on narrative or analysis.
Assessing popular secondary sources
It's important that you use your information literacy skills to assess if popular secondary sources are trustworthy and useful. Anyone with a smartphone can make a podcast or a website, so how does the source demonstrate that it has done due diligence and good research?
- Look for citations, even just a few. Does your podcast refer to historians or authors? Does the article link out to other research? These are good signs.
- Does the source engage directly with primary sources? Does it analyze actual speeches, newspaper articles, etc. or does it rely on hearsay and generalizations?
- Is it affiliated with a trustworthy organization? This might be a radio or news affiliate like NPR, non-profit organizations, or universities.
- Does the author provide their background? How do they establish expertise? If they don't have an "about" page that lists their experience, whether in journalism or history, you may want to be skeptical.