HIST 4690: Contemporary Africa (Gish)
This guide lists sources from AUM's Library which you can use to do the research on authors and their literary works. If you have questions, please:
- go to the Reference Desk on the Library's second floor
- call the Reference Desk at 334-244-3649 when we are open
- Ask A Librarian by e-mail
Reference Sources
Reference sources and librarians at the Reference Desk can help you:
- explore potential topics that interest you
- find background information on your chosen topic
- locate brief factual information like statistics, dates, names, and places quickly
- create a list of words that describe your topic (You'll need these when you search for books and articles on your topic.)
- determine the best sources for finding information on your topic
The print reference sources listed here are a sample of what's available in the Reference Collection on the second floor of the Library.
- Europa World Year Book
Reference: JN 1 .E85
online (AUM)- Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East & North Africa
Reference: DS 43 .E53 2004- Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History
Reference: DT 29 .E53 2003- International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750-2000
Reference: HA 4675 .M552 2003- Statistical Universe (AUM)
- Political Handbook of Africa
Reference: JQ 1875 .P63 2007- African States and Rulers
Reference: DT 31 .S7859 2006- Internally Displaced People: A Global Survey
Reference: HV 640 .I516 2002
Articles
To find journal, magazine, and newspaper articles, use the Library's online databases which are accessible off campus.
The entire text of many articles is included in the Library's databases. If an article is not in the database you are searching, you may be able to find it in another database or in the Library's Periodicals Collection:
- by clicking on Article Linker
OR- by typing the journal, magazine, or newspaper title into Serials Solutions (AUM)
Journals in the Periodicals Collection on the second floor of the Library are arranged by call number. Ask at the Reference Desk if you need assistance.
You may request articles that are not available in the Library or the databases through Interlibrary Loan.
Journal & Magazine Articles
- Academic Search Premier (AUM)
- Ethnic News Watch (AUM)
- Expanded Academic ASAP Plus (AUM)
- Historical Abstracts (AUM)
- JSTOR (AUM)
- Oxford Journals (AUM)
- PAISInternational (AUM)
- Research Library (AUM)
- ScienceDirect (AUM)
- World History Collection (AUM)
- Worldwide Political Science Abstracts (AUM)
Newspaper Articles
- Ethnic News Watch (AUM)
- LexisNexis Academic (AUM)
- Newspaper Source (AUM)
- Proquest Newspapers (AUM)
Books
Books shelved on the third through sixth floors can be checked out. These books are listed in the Library's online catalog. Also check the database netLibrary for eBooks that are available online.
You can request books not available in the Library or netLibrary through Interlibrary Loan. Books may also be requested through Universal Borrowing.
- AUM Library Catalog - books in the Library
- netLibrary (AUM) - eBooks online
United States & African Governments
You'll find a wealth of information about various African countries on the web sites listed here.
The AUM Library is a regional depository for federal government documents. Government Documents is located on the third floor of the Library, Phase I. Government information is also available full text on the Web.
Since the United States trades with and offers assistance to African countries, U.S. government documents and web sites provide information on topics related to these countries.
Be mindful that information found on web sites sponsored by some foreign governments may exhibit bias.
Information from the U.S. Government
- AUM Library Catalog
- GPO Access
- GPO Monthly Catalog - available through OCLC FirstSearch (AUM)
- USA.gov
- CIA World Factbook
- Department of State
- Country Studies
Government Documents: D 101.22- Country Analysis Briefs
- USAID: Sub-Saharan Africa
Information from African Governments
International Organizations
The web site of an international organization often supplies statistics and describes the organization's participation in the lives of a country's residents.
- International Organizations and Related Information
- African Union
- United Nations
- Economic Commission for Africa
- Food and Agricultural Organization
- International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda
- Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children & Armed Conflict
- UNAIDS
- UN Refugee Agency
- World Health Organization
- International Monetary Fund
- World Bank
Maps
Check these sites for maps that illustrate geographic, political, demographic, religious, economic, and other data.
- Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
- United Nations Cartographic Section: Maps and Geographic Information Resources
World Wide Web
Try searching these databases for web sites that have already been evaluated.
Citing Your Sources
Why do sources have to be cited?
- to give credit to the original author
- to avoid plagiarism
- to help others find and verify information
You can read more about plagiarism in CQ Researcher (September 19, 2003).
How do I cite sources?
For this course, you'll use Writing History: A Guide for Students. Copies are available at the Access Services Desk on the first floor of the Library.