Catalog
In the catalog we will find all of the full-length works--books, films,CDs, etc.--that might be related to our subject, as well as the titles of the journals (but not of individual articles.)
Full text online journals
This provides a list of thousands of journals that have digitized their articles for online access. Should we locate only thetitle or abstract of an article in our search we may return to this page and look for the full text online.
Reference sources
This provides access to dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs and manuals of style and usage. It is an invaluable resource for nearlyevery stage of our project from the initial digging to the finishing touches of the writing process.
Guide to subject resources
This highlights the subject listings of the online journals and databases for us. In a very general way we can narrow down thenumber of journals we must choose from by selecting one of the subject options provided.If you become really lost you can always ask for help via e-mail by selecting Request Assistance. Your message will be sent to a staff member and youwill receive a reply within a few hours, but usually sooner. Be as specific as you can in your message; the clearer your inquiry, the easier it will be to assistyou.
How to determine which databases to search
We will begin by limiting the pool of databases by subject. We will use databases with full text articles, abstracts of articles or only titles ofarticles. We will then take our findings and search for all of the available resources on our subject, Douglas Sladen
Keep a research diary
As you collect your list of journals, databases, microfilm, etc. you should carefully note what you find and where you find it.Opening a word document with the title of a journal database, Historical Abstracts for example, will provide you with a place to cut and paste. Alternatively, you canuse a bibliographic tool such as EndNote or the free, web-based Zotero .
Narrowing the pool of databases
Select the Guide to Subject Resources option from the list to the right of the text box. You will find a list of subjectcategories that the online journals have been filed under; there are several that may provide useful journals for our subject. Humanities lists English Literature,History of the British Empire and World History.We know that Douglas Sladen was publishing from London, that Cairo was occupied by the British Empire in 1911 and that both of these cities would fallinto the category of World History as subjects of study. We could begin with any one of these subjects. In the next category, Interdisciplinary Studies, we have MiddleEastern Studies listed as a separate category within which Cairo would certainly fall. The History of the British Empire seems to be the category most inclusive forour purposes, so we will begin there.