Research Guides: AMST 407: Colonialism and Critical Theory: Finding Sources

Research Help

Emery Shriver
American Studies Librarian

mes4@williams.edu
413-597-4716

Pronouns: he/they

Where should I look?

Most research is interdisciplinary, but many library research tools are subject- or discipline-specific. So how do you know which one to use? Here are some questions that can help:

Who might have something to say on this topic?
Identifying which disciplines are concerned with your topic can help you choose a research tool.
Whose voices do I want to hear?
A given subject, like sexuality or capitalism, can be examined through a variety of critical frameworks, or lenses. Deciding which "lens" you want to use can help you decide where to look for sources.
What time period am I interested in?
Is your research question focused on the past, present, or future? Some research tools are better for finding historical sources, and others are better for contemporary topics.
Do I have to choose a discipline?
If you're not sure, there are research tools that are multidisciplinary. You can start there and then narrow your search if necessary.

Choosing a Research Tool

If you know what type of source or which "lens" you want to use to frame your research, browse the library list of research tools by subject or source type:

A-Z List of Online Resources
Use the drop-down menu to see this list by subject or source type.

If you're not sure where to start, try starting your research in a multidisciplinary research tool. You'll get all types of sources from a variety of disciplines, and can narrow your search from there. Recommended multidisciplinary research tools:

Academic OneFile Select (Gale) This link opens in a new window
Publication Dates: 1980-Present
Includes articles from magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals. Multidisciplinary coverage. Good place to start a research project.
Google Scholar This link opens in a new window
Provides access to scholarly articles, books, conference papers, and more. Modify your Google Scholar settings to access library-provided full text.
ProQuest This link opens in a new window
Searches across a wide variety of types of sources including scholarly journals, magazines, historical and current newspapers, dissertations, and more. Coverage is multidisciplinary. Great place to start a research project.

Search the Library Catalog:

Finding Archival/Primary Sources

Archive Finder This link opens in a new window
Describes collections of primary source materials housed in repositories in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland. Searchable by keyword for topics, creators, etc.
ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window
Indexes major museum and archive collections in the United States and throughout the world. Searchable by collection topic or by location.
HathiTrust Digital Library This link opens in a new window
Access public domain books and journals from U.S. research libraries digitized by Google, Internet Archive, and other digitization partnerships.

Full list of the library's primary sources databases