LibGuides: UGS 303: Stories from the Muslim West (Azam): Background Information and Newspapers

Why Should I Start Here?

It can be tempting to just dive into your research with scholarly articles. However, you might gain a better understanding of your topic if you begin with these more accessible sources for background information.

Encyclopedias are wonderful sources for facts and general overviews. They should *not* be your only sources of information, but knowing the factual background of your topic will help you understand interpretations presented in academic materials.
A dictionary can be your best friend! Or maybe not really. But it can be a vital part of your research. Make good use of the OED!
Newspapers and magazines can provide cutting edge coverage of current events because they are published more quickly than academic articles. Over time, they transition into historical records of how different events were perceived by journalists and the general public. The newspapers and magazines in our databases represent a broad spectrum of political and cultural beliefs; read widely and critically.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
Updated regularly. A database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources. Fully searchable across all files.

For more information on ebooks see the Ebook Guide
Oxford English Dictionary (OED) This link opens in a new window
2nd ed. 1989. Unlimited users.
Updated quarterly. Covers words from across the English-speaking world and offers etymological analysis, listings of variant spellings, and phonetic pronunciation. Corresponds to the print Oxford English Dictionary published in 1989 and the three Additions volumes published 1993-1997.
Encyclopaedia of Islam This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
Updated irregularly. We have access to editions two and three. Includes articles on all aspects of the Islamic World. Discusses religion, history, politics, culture, distinguished Muslims, tribes and dynasties, crafts and sciences, geography, ethnography, flora and fauna, and other topics. Permits searching in both English and Arabic transcription.
The special fonts that are needed to use this database can be downloaded from the opening screen of the database.

Note: Not compatible with all web browsers. For best results use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures This link opens in a new window
Most current edition. Unlimited users.
The Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures Online is an interdisciplinary, trans-historical, and global project embracing women and Islamic cultures in every region where there have been significant Muslim populations. It aims to cover every topic for which there is significant research, examining these regions from the period just before the rise of Islam to the present. The Encyclopedia of Women and Islamic Cultures Online crosses history, geographic borders and disciplines to create a reference work reflecting the very latest research on gender studies and the Islamic world.

Note: Not compatible with all web browsers. For best results use Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.

Newspapers, Magazines, and Film

Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources.
Factiva This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. 9 users.
Updated daily. A global information resource, providing full-text access to top national and international newspapers (including full text of the Wall Street Journal), newswires, business journals, market research reports, analysts reports and web sites. Contains over 8000 publications with content from 118 countries in 22 languages.
This database was formerly called Dow Jones Interactive.
We have a limited number of users for this database. Please select the logout option before you leave your session. When the limit is reached, a username and password prompt will probably be displayed. If this happens, simply wait 15 minutes and then try the link again.
Kanopy This link opens in a new window
Dates of coverage vary. Unlimited users.
This streaming service has a catalog of over 30,000 titles covering various educational topics and feature films for some 800 producers including Criterion, Documentary Educational Resources, New Day Films, Media Education, California Newsreel, PBS and others.
Titles streamed by Kanopy are available either directly from the library catalog or from the UT Kanopy interface linked above. Some titles on the UT Kanopy interface are not immediately available to UT community for streaming. Those titles for which we do not hold streaming rights could be requested by filling in a request form. This form would appear on your screen and forwarded to a staff member for consideration. Given our limited funds, we emphasize study and research needs when making purchase decisions.
Texas Newspaper Archive This link opens in a new window
1838 - 2019. Unlimited users. *Available on campus only*
Digitized copies and content of Texas newspapers, including The Austin Daily Texan (1900-2019), Galveston Daily News (1865-2017), San Antonio Express (1865-1977), San Antonio Light (1883-1977) and hundreds of other Texas newspapers.
Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new window
1985 - present. Unlimited users.
Updated monthly. Provides full-text coverage of newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press in America (some international coverage). Includes more than 400,000 full-text articles from 200 publications.

Wikipedia

In high school you were probably told to never ever use Wikipedia for class research because anyone can edit it. Well, college is about breaking rules. You *can* use Wikipedia for research. However:

If you find something interesting, make sure to verify it with a refereed source.
Make sure to ask your professor before you *cite* Wikipedia as a source. They will probably tell you no.

Wikipedia is most useful for:

Engaging your curiosity about a subject by giving you background information and demonstrating the different directions in which your research could go.
Introducing you to keywords and vocabulary that will lead you to "better" sources via library databases.
Giving you a quick start with finding references. Look at the bottom of the page! There are almost always references there, many of which are of a caliber that you could use and cite in your paper!

So: Use Wikipedia wisely. It is a place to start your research. It should not be where your research ends.