What are secondary sources?
Secondary sources can include books, journal articles, magazine articles, newspapers, and other sources that help provide context to primary sources. Reading a primary source, especially around a topic you aren't familiar with, will generate lots of questions, such as:
- Who wrote/created this?
- Who are the individuals/organizations mentioned in this?
- What are the events being referenced in this?
- What else was happening at this time?
- Where was this taking place?
Secondary and background sources can help you answer these questions. Some entry points into finding information through secondary sources might be:
- Names of individuals, groups, organizations, etc.
- Geographical location
- Dates or date ranges
Finding Books and More
Use Primo to locate materials available through ZSR Library. Search by keyword, author, title, or subject, or use the Advanced Search option to combine these features. From the search box, choose "Library Catalog" to search just books, ebooks, films, and similar materials. Choose "Everything" to include individual journal and magazine/news articles, government documents, and HathiTrust books in your search.
You can start with a keyword search to identify relevant items. From there, look at the subject headings used to describe that item to identify other potential items (click on the subject heading to see all other items that are tagged with that subject).
Example:
If you can't find the information you need through the ZSR Library's online catalog, try searching WorldCat, which includes holdings information from other libraries. You can request these books through Interlibrary Loan if you are on campus. (Remember that it may take 1-2 weeks or more for items to arrive through Interlibrary Loan, so plan ahead!) Note that libraries are not allowed to loan ebooks through Interlibrary Loan. In cases where you are unable to access the physical book, but just need a portion of the book, you may be able to request a chapter or two be scanned and emailed to you, rather than a physical copy. You can also check for full text ebooks through resources such as the Internet Archive. Contact me using the links to the right if you have questions!
Article Databases
These are just a few of the databases you might use in your research. Still not finding what you're looking for? Consult our database list or ask a librarian!
GENERAL DATABASES
Find articles from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives. Great starting point if you aren't sure what discipline you want to explore yet.
- ProQuest Central This link opens in a new windowIndexes and provides full-text access to scholarly journals, newspapers, magazines, dissertations, working papers, and market reports across all major subject areas.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowA full-text database of archived issues of academic journals. Since JSTOR is a backfiles project, a typical coverage range is the beginning of a journal until three or five years ago. Artstor images are now integrated into JSTOR. Supported in part by the Dail Endowment Fund. Coverage: Varies
SUBJECT DATABASES
Find articles that examine a concept/topic through the lens of a particular subject or discipline.
- America: History and Life This link opens in a new windowSearch for articles about the history and culure of the United States and Canada. Publications include peer-reviewed journals, magazines, dissertations, books, and more. Access is limited to six simultaneous users. Note: For world history topics, use the Historical Abstracts database. Coverage: 1964-
- Berg Fashion Library This link opens in a new windowComprehensive fashion database, includes the Berg Enyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, scholarly ebooks, and images from museums such as the Victoria & Albert, The Museum at FIT, and the Bata Shoe Museum.
- Contemporary Women's Issues (Gale OneFile) This link opens in a new windowprovides access to current full text and backfile content covering topics including civil rights, health, education, professional development, and entrepreneurship. Coverage: 1992-
- Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new windowProvides indexing and abstracts for journal articles, books, and dissertations covering the history of the world from 1450-- except the U.S. and Canada. For similar coverage of the U.S. and Canada, use America History and Life. Access is limited to six simultaneous users. Coverage: 1954-
- APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new windowProvides abstracts to journal articles, book chapters, books and dissertations in psychology and related disciplines (sociology, linguistics, anthropology, education, medicine, law, physiology, business, psychiatry, nursing, pharmacology). Links to full text in PsycARTICLES and to other resources in ZSR. Coverage: 1806-
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowProvides citations and abstracts to articles published in sociology, social welfare, and social policy, as well as other related topics in the social and behavioral sciences. Also includes citations to some books and many dissertations. Includes Social Services Abstracts. Coverage: 1952-
- ProQuest Social Science Database This link opens in a new windowContains hundreds of academic journals, providing extensive coverage across a wide range of social science disciplines including anthropology, criminology, economics, education, political science, psychology, social work and sociology. Coverage: 1987-
Secondary Sources for WFU History
Depending on what you are researching related to Wake Forest history, you may not be able to find a lot of secondary information in more general secondary sources, such as books, scholarly articles, and reference materials. You may instead need to turn to materials available through WFU or other local sources.
- Old Gold & Black Newspaper ArchiveDigitized versions of the OGB, the Wake Forest student newspaper, from 1916-2018. These can provide context to help you better understand a primary source and its significance.
- History of Wake Forest University (6 Volumes)Each volume covers a different period of Wake Forest's history and can provide insight into the larger campus context at the time of a source's creation. However, be aware that each volume is individually authored and information may be omitted or provided selectively for certain topics or events.
- Wake Forest MagazineThe feature publication of the university often provides retrospective articles on individuals and campus traditions that can help provide context. Note that, because it is produced by the university, it may omit information about certain topics or events.
- Winston-Salem Journal Current and Historical Archive (1898-present) This link opens in a new windowFull text, searchable access to the Winston-Salem Journal (1898-present) and Twin City Sentinel (1906-1985).