Going to the sources : a guide to historical research and writing / Anthony Brundage.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

It's been almost 30 years since the first edition of Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing was first published. Newly revised and updated, the sixth edition of this bestselling guide helps students at all levels meet the challenge of writing their first (or their first "real") research paper.

Presenting various schools of thought, this useful tool explores the dynamic, nature, and professional history of research papers, and shows readers how to identify, find, and evaluate both primary and secondary sources for their own writing assignments.

This new edition addresses the shifting nature of historical study over the last twenty years. Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing includes:

A new section analyzing attempts by authors of historical works to identify and cultivate the appropriate public for their writings, from scholars appealing to a small circle of fellow specialists, to popular authors seeking mass readership A handy style guide for creating footnotes, endnotes, bibliographical entries, as well as a list of commonly used abbreviations

Advanced Placement high school and undergraduate college students taking history courses at every level will benefit from the engaging, thoughtful, and down-to-earth advice within this hands-on guide.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

As with earlier editions (e.g., 3rd ed., CH, Jan'03, 40-2548), in this fifth edition Brundage (emer., California Polytechnic Univ., Pomona) wants to foster excitement, allay apprehension, and make history enjoyable. He does this remarkably well. Starting with the "ever-changing shape" of the past and ending with the "open-ended nature" of history, he leads students through the nature and variety of available historical sources, and finding those sources in the online library catalog, printed and electronic indexes, and via abstracts, databases, and the Internet. He also stresses the use of additional media to complement textual sources. He pays particular attention to the historiographic essay. After providing information on source materials, he offers guidelines for writing a paper, covering topics such as note taking, structuring the paper, incorporating quotations, editing, and revising. Along with this structure, he includes several appendixes on bibliographies, major databases, and the use of endnotes and footnotes. He includes, as an example, an actual essay by one of his students, along with information on abbreviations used. This manual provides excellent assistance for beginners and more advanced students engaged in the research and writing process in history. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. D. D. Siles Taylorville Public Library