HIST 2237 History of Terrorism - Dr. Jaffe: Introduction

Welcome to the class research guide for Dr. Jaffe's History of Terrorism course. 

This guide contains information on how to conduct history-related research and using the COD Library resources.  

If you need additional help, please contact the History Librarian or stop by the Reference Desk. You can also contact a Reference Librarian online: Ask A Librarian.

Image:  Oklahoma City National Memorial. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. quest.eb.com/images/139_2016442. Accessed 10 Sept 2025.

Agenda 

• Take notes!
• Getting Help
• Off campus access 
• Searching for sources
  • Background
  • Primary
  • Secondary 
• Work on your individual projects

(Suggested) Steps for conducting research in History.  

There are many entry points in joining a conversation about history.  You might find a book, article, film, a primary source, something from a text book - all of these sources can provide a point of entry into a topic.  But first, you need to find your topic!

If you need an introduction to, or background information on, a topic

If you already have a vague idea about your topic, for example, terrorist events in Europe, you'll want to do some preliminary search for background information.  

Background Information - Searching

Encyclopedias are often your best friend for getting background information on a topic.

• Use encyclopedias available from the COD Library, such as Credo and Encyclopedia Britannica,  These are EXCELLENT sources that are written by scholars with academic credentials.  For example, I used Credo to research terrorism and the Olympic games in Munich in 1972 and learned that a terrorist group called Black September kidnapped several athletes and demanded the release of 200 Arab prisoners held in Israel.  
• Search Wikipedia -  While this site can be updated by anyone, it can be useful to find ideas related to your topic as well sources used by the authors. 
• Books - search the COD Library for books that give an overview of your topic.  

Resources for your paper

Once you have some background on your topic, then start to gather resources for your paper.  In searching for secondary sources, use the COD Library to find articles and books on your specific topic.  

Suggested Primary Resources - newspapers and magazines provide information about the events at the time the events took place.  

• NY Times 1980-present
• NY Times Time Machine - Coverage 1851-2002
• Chicago Tribune
• Time Magazine
• The Guardian - coverage starting in 1992
• U.S. Newsstream Collection - Coverage starting in 1980

Suggested Secondary resources include:

• JSTOR - an archive of scholarly articles only on nearly every academic discipline 
• Academic Search Ultimate  - another multi-disciplinary database that has both scholarly and popular articles, including newspaper articles, and some multi-media sources
• Library catalog - find books and video related to your topic

Sample Research Questions, narrow and broad:

Question specific to an event (narrow):  

• How did Black September's goals and ways of attacking change from 1971 to 1974, and what long-term effects did it have on Palestinian groups and global terrorism? 
• Concepts/Keywords:  1972 Olympics; Black September; goals; terrorism; Palestinian; Massacre; Munich;   

Broad question:

• How have the reasons, goals, and methods of terrorist groups attacking big international events, like the Olympics, changed over time?
• Concepts/Keywords:  Terrorism; goals; international (or Global) events; global incidents; causes