Library Research Guide for ASRC 505: Teaching About Africa
(http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/faculty/asrc505.html)

Compiled by Eric Kofi Acree, Librarian
ea18@cornell.edu/255-5229/Africana Library

Research Process|Reference Resources|Electronic Resources|
Citing Sources|Helpful Links

Research Process:

• Selected Reference Resources (Reference, Africana Library):

  Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience, AFR Reference DT 14 .A37435 2005 (4 volumes)

  Africa. Ref. DT 3 .A249x 2002 (4 volumes)

  Africa South of the Sahara. Ref. DT 351 A25
  Comprehensive view of countries comprising Sub-Saharan Africa. Includes coverage of international organizations, research bodies, and major agricultural and mineral commodities.

  Black Africa: A Comparative Handbook. 1989. Ref. DT 352.8 M85 1989
  Surveys Sub-Saharan Africa's economic, demographic, and political structure.

  Encyclopedia of African History and Culture. Ref. DT 3 P27x 2001
  Five volume set which chronologically divides Africa's history into five major eras; v. 1. Ancient Africa (prehistory to 500 CE) -- v. 2. African kingdoms (500 to 1500) -- v. 3. From conquest to colonialization (1500 to 1850) -- v. 4. The colonial era (1850-1960) -- v. 5. Independent Africa (1960-present).

  Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century African History. Ref.DT 29 .E53

  Middle East and North Africa. Ref. DS 49 M62
  Comprehensive view of countries comprising the Middle East and North Africa. Includes coverage of international organizations, research bodies, and major agricultural and mineral commodities.
  

To find out if the print resources are available in other Cornell libraries, do a title search in CU Library Catalog.

• Selected Electronic Resources:
• CU Library Catalog (Books)
• Electronic Indexes--Journal/Magazine/Newspapers (Periodicals):
• African Studies Database
• CQ Researcher
• Periodical Abstracts (Journal and Magazine Articles):
• JSTOR (Journal Articles)
• PsycINFO (Journal Articles)
• Education Abstracts
• ERIC
• Ethnic Newswatch (Journal, Magazine, Newspaper Articles)
• Factiva (Newspaper Articles)
• LexisNexis Academic (Newspaper Articles)
• MLA Bibliography (Journal Articles)
• PAIS
• Find Databases

• Citing Sources:
  
  • APA citation style
  • MLA citation style
  • The Chicago Manual of Style -- Ref Z 253 .C53
  • Electronic Version. Writer's Handbook - Chicago Style
    http://www.wisc.edu/writetest/Handbook/DocChicago.html
    
  • RefWorks
    
  • Remember that citing your sources gives credit to the ideas of others and adds veracity (truth) to your research and readings.
    

  When to cite:
  If you quote an author, even if you are only borrowing a single key word, you need to tell your reader the origin of the quotation

  You also need to cite a source:
  if you restate an idea, thesis, or opinion stated by an author
  if you restate an expert's theory or opinion
  if you use facts that are not common knowledge
  if you need to provide an informational or explanatory note
  
  (http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/secondary/howto/cited/cited01.html)

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• Helpful Links:
  • How to distinguish scholarly from non-scholarly
    http://www.library.cornell.edu/t/help/res_strategy/evaluating/scholar.html
    
  • Types of Periodicals http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/guides/periodicals.htm
    
  • Critically Analyzing Information Sources
    http://www.library.cornell.edu/t/help/res_strategy/evaluating/analyze.html
    
  • Evaluating Web Resources
    http://www.library.cornell.edu/t/help/res_strategy/evaluating/evaluate.html
    
  • Cornell University Library Guides http://campusgw.library.cornell.edu/services/guides.html
    
  • Library Instruction Evalution Form
    http://www.library.cornell.edu/africana/forms/evaluation.html