History

Often, historical research can feel overwhelming: particularly if you are a non-arts major. There are so many perspectives on historical moments that it is important to be careful about you evaluate those sources, as they may be biased, incorrect, or tainted. 

A few tips to keep in mind as you discover your sources:

1. Consider where it came from: where did you find it?

A resource discovered on a Reddit thread is much less reliable than a resource published by a reputable publisher. Similarly, a self-published monograph, which may be missing editorial support, indexing, and citation, may be well-intentioned, but it should be paired with other resources to ensure veracity. Generally, if you find something on the library catalogue, or in one of our databases, it is to be trusted.

2. Consider when it was written: how old is it?

In some cases, you won't have many options for your resources; in others, you may have plenty of choice. If you are writing about a very niche topic, there may only be a few books available, but generally, if you have a choice, make sure you consider the most up-to-date scholarship you can find. In some areas, important studies will stand the test of time; in others, new scholarship may render older work obsolete. Try filtering your search by date to ensure you are including as much recent scholarship as possible.

3. Consider the author: who wrote it?

You know the old phrase, "history is written by the victors." History is subjective in that the actual events of the past are filtered through the perspective of an author. Depending on the angle, an author may have a wildly differing view on historical events than another individual. As such, be sure to read openly, without accepting everything as pure fact. Remember the bias that is part of every historical account.

4. Consider the format: what is it?

You may be tempted to think that monographs (single-issue books) are preferable for historical research, but be sure to consider other formats as well. Peer-reviewed journal articles are vital for in-depth, specific topics, and primary sources, including textual documents, images, broadcasts and artifacts will give you a different perspective again. 

How do I evaluate all of this?

A helpful tool to analyze resources is the CRAAP Test (also known as the PARCA Test).

The purpose of this test is to provide a handy mnemonic to remind you of the steps to take when evaluating a resource.

Ask yourself: is it current? Is it relevant? Is the author an authority? Is it accurate? What is its purpose (i.e is there an agenda?)? Taking these steps may help you clarify your thinking.

Students enrolled in Arts and Social Sciences are all introduced to Library Research Skills as part of their common first-year platform course, SSH 205: Academic Writing and Research.

If you have not taken this course, you may want to review the TMU Library's Academic Writing  and Research guide. This guide includes a series of examples and tools to help you understand the research process and analytical skills that will help the reader succeed in undergraduate studies.