LibGuides: AMS 311S: (Mis)Remembering the South / Johnson: Find Background Information

Getting Started: Reference and Background Information

If you use Wikipedia as a first step in your research, you are already using background information to get started with research. Background information helps you:

pre-research your topic
learn more about theories and concepts
define terms
find key terms you can use to search for additional sources

These types of sources should be used for getting started with your research but not as scholarly sources for your assignments. If you are having trouble finding scholarly sources for your site, take a look at the "Find Scholarly Sources" tab or contact the course librarian, Adriana Cásarez.

Handbook of Texas
Find nearly 27,000 encyclopedic entries on the influential people, eras, and events of Texas history. Also see the special sections on African American Texas and Tejano History.
Texas Historic Sites Atlas
The Atlas features more than 300,000 site records, including data on Official Texas Historical Markers and National Register of Historic Places properties in Texas. Also included are cemeteries, courthouses, museums, and sawmills across the state.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects of historical significance.
SAH Archipedia: Texas
SAH Archipedia is an authoritative online encyclopedia of the U.S. built environment organized by the Society of Architectural Historians and the University of Virginia Press. It contains histories, photographs, and maps for many structures and places. These are mostly buildings, but as you explore SAH Archipedia you will also find landscapes, infrastructure, monuments, artwork, and more.

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

U.S. Studies and African Studies Librarian

Adriana Cásarez

she/her

Email Me

Subjects: African American Studies, African and African Diaspora Studies, American Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American and Indigenous Studies