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What are some ways
I can find primary sources?
Our Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library (MARBL) is primary-source heaven! MARBL has collections that cover a wide range of topics and events, but their holdings are particularly strong in
literature,; African American history and culture, and the history of Atlanta, Georgia, and the South.
Listed below are some other strategies and
resources, as well as some tips, to use when looking for primary materials.
- Search discoverE
the Library Catalog, using a primary source format
word such as sources, letters, diaries, manuscripts, etc. EXAMPLE:
Sylvia Plath diaries
- Search a discipline-specific research
database (found at Databases@Emory) to find scientific research articles. For example,
BIOSIS Previews contains
citations to articles that report
on research conducted in the biological
sciences.
- Search a database devoted
to archives (e.g., historical newspapers). To find databases
devoted to
archives, you can go
to Databases@Emory, select "Archives & Primary
Sources" in the second drop-down box, and click "GO."
Other Tips:
- Doing preliminary reading in a specialized encyclopedia
to help identify key names, events, or terminology.
- Locating primary source references in the footnotes and bibliographies of secondary
source books and articles. An author might also mention useful primary
source material in a book's preface or acknowledgments.
- Searching WorldCat or the Center for Research Libraries catalog, which are catalogs that contain the holdings
of many national and even in some cases, international
libraries.
- Consulting a library subject specialist.
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