You're a historian, so you're known for citing concientiously and citing everything. Keeping track of everything you've looked at may sound like an arduous task, but luckily there are tools to help you save bibliographic information with notes that will even insert Chicago Manual of Style citations into your word processer.
Behold, citation management applications!
These are just a few out there. Be sure to attend library workshops to get hands-on training.
The Office of Thesis & Dissertation Format Review provides the approved thesis/dissertaion templates to ensure compliance with University formatting guidelines. They also offer workshops on using the templates, the submission process, necessary forms, and best practices before you begin writing.
Be sure to become familiar with the templates, attend formatting workshops, and use the templates as your write to ensure a smooth submission process.
The MSU Libraries offers a variety of workshops not just for conducting your research, but also producing and sharing it
Visit "Instruction" section of the Ask a Librarian page for more information.
If you're interested in topics or tools that are not listed, get in touch with your History Research Librarian.