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A Guide to...Local History: Worcester & Beyond

Collecting Research

Notetaking

It's very important to keep track of your resources and findings throughout your research process. There are many ways to do this -- the most important thing is to find a process that works for you, and that allows you to share your findings with others. 

Whatever your process, make sure that you find a way to: 

  1. Keep track of which notes (and especially quotations) came from which source;
  2. Note detailed directions like page numbers, where included, so that you can find the information again later; and
  3. Record all of the information needed to cite each source that you consult, even if you aren't sure yet whether you will use it. 
     

 

Notetaking for Genealogical/Local History Research

Here are some note-taking suggestions from genealogists that you might find helpful!

Citation Managers (for traditional "published" sources)

RefWorks isn't the only option -- if you prefer, you can use one of these third-party citation managers (but note that your use of them is governed by their terms of service, and that we have limited control/troubleshooting ability!)

Collecting Unpublished and Multimedia Sources 

For "non-traditional' sources like images, websites, etc. -- traditional reference tools don't always work particularly well. However, there are other tools available which are better suited for storing and organizing these types of sources. As with note-taking, there are many possibilities beyond this list -- these are just a few suggestions.

As a note: it's generally a good idea to download or print images or pages that you encounter in your research (along with contextual info for citations) so that you don't have to worry about tracking them down again later! 

Recommended:

Other Options: 

And of course, you can also organize saved files in programs/apps like...

Citing Research

Chicago Style Citation 

The Chicago Manual of Style is the format most commonly used in historical research -- specifically, the Notes-Bibliography version. 

Basic Citation Format

Book with a single author

Footnote: Wally Carew, A Farewell to Glory: The Rise an Fall of an Epic Football Rivalry: Boston College vs. Holy Cross (Worcester, MA: Ambassador Books, 2003), 10. 

Bibliography: Carew, Wally. A Farewell to Glory: The Rise an Fall of an Epic Football Rivalry: Boston College vs. Holy Cross. Worcester, MA: Ambassador Books, 2003. 
 

Journal article from an online database

Footnote: James G. Hersberg, "The War in Afghanistan and the Iran-Contra Affair: Missing Links?" Cold War History 3, no. 3 (2003): 24.

Bibliography: Hershberg, James G. "The War in Afghanistan and the Iran-Contra Affair: Missing Links?" Cold War History 3, no. 3(2003): 23-48. doi:10.1080/14682740312331391608.
 

Newspaper article from an online database

Footnote: "The Titanic Disaster," The London Times, Apr 16, 1912, p. 9, London Times Digital Archive.

Bibliography: "The Titanic Disaster." The London Times, Apr 16, 1912. London Times Digital Archive.
 

Image from an online archive

Footnote: Timothy H. Sullivan, Group on J.J. Smith's Planation, Beaufort, S.C., 1862, photograph, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., http://www.slaveryimages.org/s/slaveryimages/item/1367. 

Bibliography: Sullivan, Timothy H. Group on J.J. Smith's Planation, Beaufort, S.C. 1862. Photograph. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. http://www.slaveryimages.org/s/slaveryimages/item/1367.

Chicago Style Resources

Citing Indigenous Knowledge

Most "standard" citation styles are inadequate for citing forms of indigenous knowledge. For example, TikToker @indigenouslibrarian notes that, "if you're gifted a Cree song by an elder, that unrecorded oral teaching would be cited as a 'personal communication,' on par with a causal, short phone call. This erases the collective authority and the complexity of this gift." See her full video. 

Templates for Citing Indigenous Knowledge

created by Lorisia MacLeod (James Smith Cree Nation)

Other Resources

Other Special Citations

Depending on the nature of your research, you may find yourself citing some very specialized types of sources that are not covered by normal citation manuals. Here are some resources to help you in creating thorough citations for these types of sources: