UWM Libraries Research and Course Guides: HIST 294 Seminar on Historical Method: Research Techniques: Planning Your Research

Workshop Links

Mind mapping and secondary sources workshop links

Workshop Slides | February 6, 2024

Blank Mind Map Worksheet
Download and print a copy of this mind mapping worksheet if you'd like to use it for your own research.

Mind Mapping and Keywords

Mind mapping to plan your research

This video demonstrates how to to use the mind-mapping technique to refine your research ideas and identify keywords.

Pre-search for topic development

Before you begin searching in library databases to find academic sources, it's useful to have some background information about your topic. This video demonstrates how to browse the web to find keywords and useful context that will help you locate scholarly sources.

Tertiary Sources for History Research

History Reference Source
History Reference Source offers full text from more than 2,500 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books, cover to cover full text for nearly 170 leading history periodicals, more than 112,000 historical documents, 113,000 biographies of historical figures, more than 112,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 80 hours of historical video.

Encyclopedia of Milwaukee
The Encyclopedia of Milwaukee project aims to provide comprehensive coverage of the history of Milwaukee. With a projected 740 entries, hundreds of illustrations, historical and contemporary maps, bibliographic materials, and the opportunity to interact with readers, the EMKE will be a first stop for researchers ranging from students to journalists to scholars and the general public.

The Encyclopedia of Milwaukee covers the four-county Milwaukee area, as recognized by the United States government: Milwaukee County, Ozaukee County, Washington County, and Waukesha County.

Searching with keywords

The way you enter search terms into a database makes a big difference in the results you see. This video demonstrates tips and tricks for searching with the keywords you've brainstormed.