Subject Librarian
Marilee Birchfield
Contact:
803-777-4267
UofSC Network Username and Password
Access to library resources requires your Network username (your university email address before the "@") and password.
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Verifying Network Username, Resetting PasswordHelp for verifying your network username and resetting password.
Finding Background Information
Use these sources to gain familiarity with your topic, narrow your research question, provide context, and identify experts
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Find It @ UofSC LibrariesSearch for articles, books, and more or limit to UofSC Libraries collection.
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Oxford African American Studies CenterThousands of scholarly encyclopedia articles from titles like the Encyclopedia of African American History, Black Women in America, and the African American National Biography.
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Credo ReferenceUse to find quick facts, images or background information on various topics in dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Choosing a Topic
Taking the time to carefully choose and refine your topic can save you significant time and effort later in your research.
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How to Choose a TopicThis short video tells you the questions to ask and describes the process of choosing a workable research question.
Primary and Secondary Sources in History
Primary sources = Evidence
- Created during the time period or event you are studying, or produced by a participant (even if after the fact)
- Primary sources are defined by how they are used (i.e. as evidence for interpretation of the past) rather than by what they are (i.e. format or type of material)
Secondary sources = Analysis and interpretation
- Written by historians, scholars, and other researchers
- Secondary sources are based on the analysis and interpretation of primary evidence and other sources
Primary and Secondary Sources in Science
Primary sources = Original Research
- Written by the scientists(s) or researcher(s) who conducted the experiment or study
- Should include sections detailing how the research was performed such as methodology, results, and discussion/conclusions
Secondary sources = Summarize, Review or Compare
- Authors did not conduct the research studies which are mentioned or cited in the article themselves
- Purpose is to summarize, review, or compare the published research on a specific topic
Primary and Secondary Sources in Social Sciences
Primary sources = Original Research
- Written by the researcher(s) who performed the research study
- Should include sections detailing how the research was performed such as methodology, data, results, and discussion/conclusions
Secondary sources = Summarize, Review or Compare
- Authors did not conduct the research studies which are mentioned or cited in the article themselves
- Purpose is to summarize, review, or compare the published research on a specific topic
How Do I...?
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Get help with data managementLooking for help with data management plans, locating open data sets, data sharing, metadata and more? University Libraries has resources and services to help you throughout the research data lifecycle.