Research in History

Tracing the Development of Ideas Through Historical Sources Requires:

Information Literacy      Understanding How Ideas Evolve      Using an Informed Serendipity in the Identification of Materials

Information Literacy

An individual must be able to

• recognize when information is needed
• locate the needed information
• evaluate the needed information
• use effectively the needed information

An individual must have sufficient background knowledge to:

• make sense of new information
• anticipate connections
• verify facts

An individual must have research skills

Understanding How Ideas Evolve

• Ideas or findings are first discussed among a group of concerned experts
• Thoughts and findings are shared at conferences and through proceedings
• Journal articles and their indexing follows
• Articles are cited by other researchers
• Books appear
• Ideas are treated in standard reference works, encyclopedias, histories, general texts

Using an Informed Serendipity in the Identification of Materials

Generate an agenda of sources to be read or consulted by following footnotes or references in pertinent articles or books

Supplement these lists by:

• browsing library shelves
• scanning book reviews
• reading current journals
• consulting their colleagues

© 2001, San Jose State University. Updated: August 11, 2005
For more information or comments, contact:
Jo Bell Whitlatch
(408) 808-2005 | jobell@sjsu.edu