Ethnic Studies 111 - Kronbeck

Fictional Autobiography Project - Research Guide

The following information will help you look for primary and secondary sources on immigrants arriving to the United States from Europe. These sources will include reference sources for background information as well as books, library databases, and web sites containing primary sources. Remember that a librarian is available to help you if you need more guidance.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Go to the GCC Library Catalog and use Library of Congress (LC) subject headings to locate books containing both secondary and primary sources. You can also use these same LC subject headings to search online in other library catalogs such as Los Angeles Public Library or Glendale Public. Some examples of Library of Congress subject headings related to the topic of immigrants and immigration are:

  • Aliens United States
  • Emigration and immigration
  • Emigration and immigration – History
  • Emigration and immigration in literature
  • Emigration and immigration – Literary Collections
  • Emigration and immigration law -- Soviet Union
  • Emigration and immigration in literature
  • Immigrants – United States—History
  • Immigrants – United States—History – 19th century
  • Immigrants – United States—History – 20th century
  • Immigrants – United States—History – 21 century
  • Immigrants – United States – Interviews
  • Immigrants – United States – Social conditions – 20th century
  • Immigrants – United States – Social conditions – Anecdote
  • Immigrants’ writings, American
  • Minorities – United States
  • Minorities – United States -- History

Examples of Subject Heading for Specific Ethnicities:

  • Armenian Americans
  • Armenia – Emigration and immigration – History
  • French American -- Migrations
  • Irish Americans -- History
  • Russian Americans -- Cultural Assimilation
  • Spaniards – United States – History

Many countries will not have detailed subject headings. If this is the case for your immigrant group, look up the country of origin and then choose the subject heading that would be most appropriate for your research group.

  • Denmark – History
  • Switzerland – Civilization – 20th century – Encyclopedias
  • Hungary-

Subject Headings for Specific Historical Cultural Events:

  • Famines Ireland History 19th Century
  • Genocide Europe History 19th century
  • Genocide Europe History 20th century
  • Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945) Germany Personal Narrative
  • Ireland History Famine, 1846-1852
  • [Country Name] Emigration and Immigration
    Example: Ireland Emigration and Immigration
  • [Country Name] Americans
    Example: Polish Americans
  • [Group] United States
    Example: Poles United States

Keywords

Use keywords to search for information in databases and on the Web. Below are some examples of keywords related to the topic of European Immigration:

  • assimilation
  • acculturation
  • diaspora
  • France (use name of the country you are looking for)
  • genocide  (use the specific historical event)
  • emigration
  • illegal aliens
  • refugees
  • immigrant
  • immigration
  • migration
  • Italians (use the specific cultural group name)

Primary Sources Search in Library Catalog

To find primary sources in the library’s catalog, enter a keyword describing the ethnic group you are working on and one of the following words:

  • “life histories”                  Screenshot of Catalog
  • “life stories”
  • oral history
  • personal narrative
  • interviews
  • memoir
  • diary
  • sources
  • correspondence

Below is an excellent website from UC Berkeley that explains in more detail how to search for primary sources in library catalogs and other online sources. The link provides a good refresher on what primary sources are and how to find them.

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/instruct/guides/primarysources.html

Reference Books

Reference books are books you can use in the library, but can't check out. You'll find them downstairs on the main floor of the library. Reference books are sometimes the best resources available, so make sure to take a look at what's available. You can photocopy what you need if necessary. Below are some reference books (including their call numbers) available in the GCC library collection related to your assignment:

American Immigrant Cultures: Builders of a Nation
REF 305.800973 A512a

Atlas of American Migration
REF 304.80973 F584a

Encyclopedia of American Immigration
REF 304.87303 E56

Encyclopedia of Ellis Island
REF 304.87303 E56

Facts about American Immigration
REF 304.873B885f

Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America
REF 305.8 G151

Immigration in U.S. History
REF 304.87303 I33

Multiculturalism in the United States: a Comparative Guide to Acculturation and Ethnicity
REF 305.8 M961, 2005; also available as an Electronic Book

Reference Library of European America
REF 973.04 R332

The Settling of North America : the Atlas of the Great Migrations into North America from the Ice Age to the Present
REF 304.8 S495

Primary Sources in GCC Databases

LA Times Historical (1881-1986) -- Following are hints for searching the Historical LA Times database:

  1. This is a fulltext database. Also note the dates that it covers.
  2. The default is Advanced Search
  3. Enter a couple of keywords for your topic

New York Times Historical (1851-2005) -- Following are hints for searching other news sources in the Historical New York Times database:

  1. You may also limit by Document Type for interview, letter, etc.

  2. If you want to see what the “official terms” or subject headings for your topic might be, select the Topics tab, and enter your terms. For example, enter California and review the subject headings
  • Use an * to search for roots of terms to the right of the search box.  For example, typing in camp* will bring back camp, camps, campaign, but also campfire. Alternatively, you may enter camp and camps on two different lines and selecting the or operator between them.
  • Use a ? for variations such as plurals of a word.  For example, wom?n, to find woman, women, or even womyn.

Web Sites that Contain Primary Sources

http://www.ellisisland.org/

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook28.html#European%20Immigration

http://www.genealogy.com/58_donna.html

http://www.archive.org/details/memlifeoldrussia00stenrich

http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/immig/polish.html

http://www.memory.loc.gov/learn/educators/workshop/european/wimmlink.html

http://www.migrationinformation.org/datahub/usimmigration.cfm

 

Ethnic Studies 111 Research Assignment

 

Compiled by ibrogmus 03/09; Revised schin 03/09

Last Updated 3/20/09 jw

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