Course research guide
San Antonio Missions / Alamo
This guide provides titles of and links to library resources that can help you with your literature assignment. Here's a link to the Search Sheet. Have fun with your search, and let me know if you have questions or need help at any time! |
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Special Research Alert!
- The SAC Library owns Niles' National Register, containing political, historical, geographical, scientifical, statistical, economical, and biographical documents, essays and facts: together with notices of the art and manufactures, and a record of the events of the times. (whew!) This resource is located on the 4th floor of MLC, in the Periodicals room Microfiche collection. We have v. 1 (1811) - v. 76 (1849).
- Having trouble finding a specific book on your topic? Just browse in the general call number area for items about the missions in San Antonio. Look at the table of contents and index for books in that general area. Remember to use a variety of keywords when looking in the index, such as: music or instruments or liturgy. Use the subject headings listed for the Books & Media search below to find your call number areas. Also, don't forget to browse the items listed under Reference.
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
I. Define Topic - reference sources in section III. below can help you with this part!
What topic are you researching?
List what you know about your topic -- who, what, when, where, why, and how:
What would you like to find out about your topic? What questions do you have? What are your learning issues?
II. Devise Strategy - create a flexible search plan, list key words/names
If you're researching a particular topic, such as "san antonio missions", then you need to list as many synonyms and related key words as possible. Use the list of words to create multiple combinations with the word AND in order to have a successful search:
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| missions |
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texas |
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social life |
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| alamo |
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san antonio |
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customs |
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| san juan |
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acequia |
So...what's the difference between KEYWORD v. SUBJECT searching?
Keyword
search = to combine key words or for more specific search; finds items that
contain your keywords
Subject
search = for broad search or when you know terminology; finds items that
are about that topic
TIPS:
- Use symbols such as the * at the end of key words to pick up alternate endings. (colon* = colonial, colony, colonists, etc.)
- Use keyword and subject searching together: start with a keyword search,
find an item that's relevant, then look for subject headings within item descriptions and incorporate
those subject words into your search strategy.
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
III. Search Sources
A. REFERENCE sources - Looking for background information or facts?
Sources labeled Ref are in print and available at the SAC Library, 2nd floor reference room. You can also check your local library catalog to see if they own a copy. Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE. (What does the login page look like?)
| Online database | Screen captures -- clickable! |
Gale Virtual Reference Library (includes Colonial America Reference Library 6v, 2000 and New Catholic Encyclopedia 15v, 2003 and Dictionary of American History 3rd ed., 10v, 2003) |
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History Resource Center: U.S. or World (includes reference, primary sources & articles) |
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| Location & Call No. | Reference Source Title |
| Ref D20 .H543 | History in Dispute (20 v.) |
| Ref F390 .H33 1999 | Encyclopedia of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution |
| Ref F386 .G74 1998 | Battlefields of Texas (also online in netLibrary eBooks) |
| Ref F390 .P5 | Texas Under Arms (also available on 3rd floor to check out) |
| Ref F390 .G84 1990 | Alamo Defenders (also online in netLibrary eBooks) |
| Ref F387 .H57 1974 | Texas Catalog: a list of measured drawings, photographs... |
| Ref E 76.2 .A45 1995 | American Indians (3 v.) |
| Ref E77 .A496 2003 | American Indian History (2 v.) |
| Ref E184.A1 E58 1994 | Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism (6 v.) |
| Ref E77 .W195 1985 | Atlas of the North American Indian |
| Ref E93 .N32 2002 | Native Americans |
| Ref E77 .H25 | Handbook of North American Indians (v. 4-15, 17) |
| Ref E98.M4 L96 1998 | Encyclopedia of Native American Healing |
| Ref E98.M4 L98 1998 | Encyclopedia of Native American Shamanism |
| Ref E45 .E53 1993 | Encyclopedia of the North American Colonies (3 v.) |
| Ref E45 .E49 1999 | Encyclopedia of North American History (11 v.) |
| Ref BL2525 .Q44 2001 | Encyclopedia of American Religious History (2 v.) |
| Ref DP56 .H57 1992 | Historical dictionary of the Spanish Empire, 1402-1975 |
| Ref E184.S75 E587 2005 | Encyclopedia Latina (5 v.) |
| Ref GT3930 .T48 2003 | Holiday Symbols and Customs |
| Ref GR111 .M49 C37 2001 | Chicano Folklore |
| Ref GR111.M49 C37 2000 | Dictionary of Chicano Folklore |
| Ref E184.S75 L357 1996 | Latino Encyclopedia (6 v.) |
| Ref E184 .S75 O97 2005 | Oxford Encyclopedia of Latinos & Latinas in the U.S. (4 v.) |
| Ref F394.S28 A2 1996 | Saving San Antonio (also available on 3rd floor to check out) |
| Ref F387 .F67 1984 | The Alamo and other Texas Missions to Remember |
| Ref F386 .W32 1994 | Documents of Texas History |
| Ref F387 .H56 1992 | Hispanic Texas: a historical guide |
| Ref E18.75 .M374 1998 | Wars of the Americas |
| Ref F384 .N48 1996 | New Handbook of Texas (6 v.; also free via web from UT) - background info on all missions and Indian tribes |
| Ref HQ1410 .E53 2002 | Encyclopedia of Women in American History (3 v.) |
| Ref N7910 .N6 F73 2001 | A Land So Remote (3 v.; Spanish colonial decorative arts, weapons, etc.) |
| Ref U820.S7 B74 | Spanish Military Weapons in Colonial America, 1700-1821 |
| Ref E98.J48 B38 2000 | Encyclopedia of Native American Jewelry |
| Ref E98.A7 W49 2000 | Continuum Encyclopedia of Native Art |
| Ref E98.C8 P37 1994 | Encyclopedia of American Indian Costume |
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
B. BOOKS, VIDEOS, other items - Looking for in-depth information?
- Remember the old timey Card Catalog? There were 3 ways you could search it: Author, Title, SUBJECT
- With the online Catalog, start with a Keyword, then look for Subject headings.
- Alamo (San Antonio, Tex.) -- Siege, 1836
- missions--texas
- indians of north america--texas
- texas--history--to 1846
- missionaries
- spain--colonies--america
- spanish mission buildings
- indians of north america--missions
- indians, treatment of
- catholic church--missions
- catholic church--america--missions
- catholic church--education
- texas--antiquities
- architecture, spanish colonial
- art, spanish colonial
- san antonio river
- Indians of North America--Social life and customs
- san antonio (tex.)--antiquities
- missions, spanish
- southwest, new--history
- america--discovery and exploration--spanish
- america--civilization--spanish influences
- mestizos--america
- spain--race relations
- indians of north america--southwest, new
- north america--history--colonial period
- old san antonio road (tex.)
- el camino real de tierra adentro national historic trail (n.m. and tex.)
- Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794?-1876
- Tourism--Texas--San Antonio--Religious aspects--Christianity
- indians of north america--missions
- botany--texas
- franciscans--missions
- Texas--History--To 1846--Sources (diaries, accounts!)
- NetLibrary (eBooks) - search by Keyword or Full Text; use quotes "for phrases"
- How to check out books & eBooks
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
C. ARTICLES - Looking for current information or need to highlight a specific issue?
Online databases require a login from off-campus.You can get login info HERE. (What does the login page look like?)
- America: History and Life (history; not all full-text articles; includes Southwestern Historical Quarterly)
- JSTOR (history, humanities)
- Project Muse (humanities)
- History Cooperative
(history)
- More...
NOTE: If the full-text of the article isn't available online use the SAC Journal Locator. For example, a non-full-text item from America History and Life on the acequia is from the Southwestern Historical Quarterly. Type that title into the Journal Locator to find out if the library has this journal full-text somewhere else online or in paper in the 4th floor Periodicals. There are quite a few articles on San Antonio Missions from the Southwestern Historical Quarterly.
WorldCat will also tell you which library in Texas or around the World has a journal, magazine, or book.
| I. Define Topic | II. Devise Strategy | III. Search: Reference, Books, Articles, Web | IV. Evaluate & Cite |
D. FREE WEB SITES
- SAC Library Web Guide: Texas History - by Ralph Domas, SAC Librarian
- SAC Library Web Guide: U.S. History - by Ralph Domas, SAC Librarian
- Primary Sources on the Web: http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/
- MAPS: Perry Castenada Library Map Collection > Texas: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/texas.html
IV. Evaluate and Cite your sources
Is Free Web Stuff OK to Use for Research?
Use the guidelines from the Evaluate web page above to evaluate one of the following web pages that contain information on the relationship between the Indians and the Colonists/Missionaries in Texas/San Antonio:
A: http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Projects/indians.html
B: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/SS/uqs12.html
C: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/texas/missions.htm
- 1. Who is the author or sponsor?
- 2. What date was the information published and/or updated?
- 3. Are there any special features such as a "works cited" to back up the information?
- 4. What is the overall purpose and tone?
- 5. What type of actual content are you getting?
- 6. Based on your answers to questions 1-5, do you still feel confident in using the source for your particular research needs? Why or why not?
