Starting your research

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visitors are kindly advised that this website includes images, sounds and names of people who have passed.

All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified. Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.

Key to library resources

	In the Library (or anywhere with a Library card for NSW residents)
	Only in the Library
	Publicly available

Use these eresources to find:

Introductory information on your topic
Definitions of key terms
Context of events

Cambridge Histories Online [eresource]
Start exploring your research topic with these full-text ebooks, which provide overviews and detailed information on historical events (eg. Cambridge History of the First World War) and specific countries (eg. Cambridge History of Russia). You can navigate through chapters, search within an ebook, and use Ctrl+F to find your key terms in a chapter.
Oxford Reference [eresource]
Consult specialist encyclopaedias, dictionaries and reference works from Oxford University Press for detailed definitions, people, events and historical context. Titles include Oxford Companion to Australian History, Oxford Companion to World War II and Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages.
Cambridge Companions [eresource]
Find authoritative introductions to historic personalities and periods of history. Includes titles on: Gandhi, Medieval English Culture, Malcolm X, Modern Japanese Culture and Martin Luther.
Other areas covered include philosophy, religion, literature and cultural studies. You can navigate through chapters, search within an ebook, and use Ctrl F to find your key terms in a chapter.
Gale in Context: World History [eresource]
Browse overviews of historical events, periods, cultures and conflicts, and search for articles from academic journals and magazines.
Encyclopædia Britannica Online [eresource]
Search for introductory information on your topic (eg. World War 1, Nazi Party or Cold War). Choose from three reading levels - Kids, Teen or Adult. You can also find videos, images and selected ebooks and websites for additional information.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography [eresource]
Find biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the year 2001.
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online
Find informative descriptions of significant people in Australian history, from all walks of life including prime ministers, governors-general, authors, engineers, teachers, thieves, prostitutes and murderers – a cross-section of Australian society.

Search tips for using eresources

Use “quotation marks” for exact phrase searching eg. "American civil war"
Use AND, OR, NOT between your search terms
Use asterisks * for wildcards - alternative endings of words eg. nazi* = nazi, nazis and nazism
Select Full Text search options to find only full text articles
Vary your search terms: try synonyms for your topic words or events eg. Easter Rising = Easter Rebellion
Refine your results by limiting to scholarly or peer-reviewed (for academic level journals evaluated by experts)

Watch your spelling – both for accuracy and American spelling variations.

Railway Square, ca. 1945 [PXA 907 Box 16]