Research Guides: Creative Writing: Writing For Accuracy

Books in the MSU Catalog

Searching for primary sources (e.g. diaries or memoirs, letters, original writings, etc.)? Here are some helpful hints for finding a primary source within the library stacks. Search the catalog with a keyword and one of these subject headings:

Encyclopedias can also provide information on various historical details. They are helpful when trying to imagine yourself from the perspective of someone not from your own time/place/culture.

Search the online catalog for "encyclopedias" and your topic of interest as subject terms, i.e. "encyclopedias and clothing."

Databases that help with Accuracy

African American Newspapers Series 1, 1827-1998
African American Newspapers Series 1, 1827-1998, provides online access to approximately 270 U.S. newspapers chronicling a century and a half of the African American experience. This unique collection features papers from more than 35 states including many rare and historically significant 19th century titles.
American Memory
American Memory provides free and open online access to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. The materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1789-1924 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress
Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia (EBSCO)
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.

Tutorial: http://support.ebsco.com/help/?int=ehost&lang=en&feature_id=Databases&TOC_ID=Always&SI=0&BU=0&GU=1&PS=0&dbs=funk
Gale Primary Sources
The Gale Primary Sources platform provides a combination of full-text primary source content, dependable metadata, and subject indexing in a single cross-search interface.
New York Public Library (NYPL) Digital Collections
Explore over 700,000 items digitized from The New York Public Library's collections. New materials added every day, featuring prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, streaming video, and more.
Project Gutenberg Online Catalog
Project Gutenberg offers over 53,000 free eBooks digitized from the original print versions. Most of the books have expired copyrights and therefore have no restrictions on use.

Tutorial: http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Category:How-To
Sanborn Maps 1867-1970
Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970, provide digital access to large-scale maps of American towns and cities. MSU has access to the map of Mississippi.

Explore Census Data