Going to the Sources: A Guide to Historical Research and Writing

by Anthony Brundage

The updated fifth edition of "Going to the Sources" presents a practical guide to historical research and writing for all students of history. Focuses on the basics of historians' craft, introducing students to concepts including refining a topic, selecting sources, and engaging critically with their reading. Appendices illustrate style for footnotes, endnotes, and bibliographical entries, as well as a list of commonly used abbreviations. Features a new chapter on the use of non-textual sources for historians, including a case study discussion of the historical importance of D. W. Griffith's film "The Birth of a Nation"Addresses how to bring the critical assessment skills of reading to bear on film and other non-textual sources Includes a student-written historiographical essay, with marginal notes for instruction.

Genres: History, Writing, Nonfiction, School, Grad School, Reference

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Reece · Rating 4 out of 5]

The greater chunk of this book details strategies for research and writing of history.

For anyone who is interested in either of those actions, this is a must-read. Terrific, brief, and informative. Brundage expresses a passion for teaching others that makes this little book into a charismatic manual rather than the dry collection of chapters that others might expect it to be.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was a required book for one of my classes this term. I found it to be pretty boring, but it was useful for a few of the assignments I have coming up. The best thing I can say about it is that it was around 100 pages and I finished it.

[Sara]

I’m not all too sure why I read this, but it was fine. Like really just fine, nothing more. I would have rocked a bibliography index card collection on my keychain back then.

[Tommy /|\ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brundage's book is not nearly as detailed as Presnell's - however, its written from a far more approachable perspective. Where Presnell gets overly technical, Brundage writes from a down-to-earth perspective. Very accessible format for the under-graduate student, but may not have enough information to be helpful for the graduate student. However, given that Brundage's defined audience IS the under-graduate - his methodology is a home-run in that regard.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the first chapter especially, detailing the various recent schools of history. Also very good on sources, etc. Well written, lively, brisk and efficient. I hope my interdisciplinary students see this text as far more than a formal "history" text (as it is named)--I sure do. Great resources for lit reviews, humanities research at large.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a guide, it's extremely useful for improving your skills in historical researching and writing. My main issue with the book is as other reviewers have mentioned, a lot of the information is somewhat outdated by today's digital standards.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was one chapter I found to be useful in finding sources, but for the most part, much of the advice is more for academics already in academia as opposed to people outside of academia who want to do research. Not a bad book, but the advice is either obvious, dated, or limited.

[Classic · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting introduction to the study of history which took me an embarrassingly long time to read.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looks like I will be reading this for a third time as it’s the assigned book for my next class.

[Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this for two grad school classes. It provided some good insights, some outdated ones, but overall was well written. 3.5 stars

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this for class. It was okay.

[Nico · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good resources for undergrads, though it could use updating. It's unrealistic to expect undergrads to use index cards when there are so many digital solutions available.

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a research guide this is now outdated, due to the advent of the internet, but the sections on different schools of thought and how to write different types of paper are still useful guides for beginning historians.

[She Reads What? · Rating 2 out of 5]

Useful. I work in a library, so some of the information was repetitive (it was required for a graduate history research class) but it was very user friendly, unlike a lot of books geared towards telling someone how to do their research.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty useful guide to doing research.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring and superficial

[Jaime Rispoli-Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wish I had read this as an undergraduate. Would have saved myself a lot of time spent figuring out what worked via trial and error...

[Husna]

strictly for undergraduates.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a Senior Seminar class for my bachelors in history.
The book was rather interesting and kept me wanting to read more so I would give it a rating of 4 stars.