Research Guide for ESL091 (Sharpe): Oral Presentation on Immigrant Groups in the U.S.
 |
Prepared by Elinor Appel Library worksheet (this will open in a new window) NSCC Library (this will open in a new window)
Image licensed under Creative Commons by finna dat on Flickr. |
Books
Books can help you answer the following questions on your assignment:
- How many came?
- Why did they come? What were they looking for?
- What kinds of problems did they face?
- When did they come?
- What kinds of problems and challenges did they face here?
You can find your information in chapters from books like:
|
These are reference books so they can't be checked out, but talk to me if you'd like a chapter copied. |
|
Or you can find information in books on your topic, such as:
|
Books like these are upstairs and can be checked out for 2 weeks with your student ID card. |
 |
A good online book for your research is American
Immigration: A Student Companion,
which you can access through eLibrary (a library
database) or by clicking on the title link or cover. To log into resources in library databases from off campus, type in your last name and Student ID number. |
If you need help looking for books on your topic, please ask a librarian -- we are always happy to help!
Websites are often your best source of current (up to date) information. Websites are also a good source for recent statistics (how many, when).
These websites can help you answer the following questions:
- How many came (are here now)? American Fact Finder, US Census
- Where did they move to in the U.S.? American Ethnic Geography
- Have they been successful in this country? American Fact Finder, US Census (look at statistics on education and income)
More websites for your research:
- America: The Living Mosaic - find information about your immigrant group in the left navigation bar
- Encyclopaedia of USA History: Immigration to the USA 1860 - 1960 - scroll down to countries of origin
- "On the Trail of the Immigrant" - use this source for old photos (1906) of immigrants entering the USA
- Migration Information Source, United States - articles about current immigration issues in America
But there are also many uninformative websites online. In
order to find good information on the Internet, use these tips we tried
in class:
 |
Limit searches by domain (edu = education; gov = government). |
 |
Put phrases in quotes. |
- Limit your search to websites from educational or government domains: site:edu or site:gov.
- Search for information on the Internet Public Library (IPL) or Librarians' Internet Index (LII).
- For images, try the Library of Congress's online collection Immigration/American Expansion along with Google Images and Flickr.
Research can take time. If you need help, come to the Reference Desk, or contact me directly. The easiest way is to find me here:
For help practicing your speech, tutors in The Loft can help you.