Skip to Main Content
Library Research Guides
Trinity College
Library & Information Technology Services

AMST-336/INTS-355 U.S. Colonialism Past & Present (Nebolon)

Fall 2024

Keywords

Keywords are important search terms to have for databases and online search resources. They can be unique identifiers or themes. Combine keywords and try synonyms and related terms and concepts to narrow your searching into more focused, and hopefully relevant results!

For your research, consider the following ideas for potential keywords:

• The name(s) of your place or object, landmarks, buildings etc.
• Past and/or present events associated with your landmark, object. 
• Themes: colonialism, race, ethnicity, empire, gender, culture.
 

Primary Sources

Primary sources are original evidence produced and created by participants in a specific event or time period, witnesses to an event or period in history or their own personal lives in the distant or recent past.

•Some examples of primary sources include: photographs, material objects, advertisements, film and audio recordings, news and newspaper articles, letters, memoirs, and other literary works.

•You can discover many primary sources by using secondary sources which analyze and interpret your primary source evidence.

Important tip 1: Many times indigenous voices are underrepresented and missing from primary source records. In contexts where colonialism and imperialism are present, the dominant voice of the colonial/imperial power will construct the narrative. Dig deeper to discover the primary sources of indigenous peoples which have survived

Important tip 2:  Take note of changes in language over time, in word usage and in spelling when searching for information in primary source databases and archives. Words may be misspelled within documents.

Secondary Sources

Secondary or peer-reviewed/scholarly sources provide context and analysis for your research projects.

They have the following characteristics:

  • They are primarily books and journal articles written by scholars and experts in a field of study. 
  • They undergo an editing and draft review process with other experts and/or peers in their field to ensure the research methods are sound. 
  • They contain a thesis/argument, supported by analysis and interpretation of primary source evidence and original research.
  • They have notes, references and bibliographies, and works cited to give credit to the sources the author used and also for the reader to track additional sources about the topic.
  • Always a little "behind the times"  for current events due to the editorial process of review.

Important tip: Any secondary sources article is ONE interpretation or analysis, and meant to be part of an ongoing scholarly conversation.