This page is designed to answer questions for students who are taking courses in History.  In it you will find research tips and help on essay- and paper-writing.

I’m writing a paper and need to find source material.  Can you help me?

     Sure. One place to begin would be with the Francis Marion University library catalog.  If you can’t find what you want there, you might try some larger libraries, like the University of South Carolina and the Library of Congress.

     You also might want to check the web, though keep in mind that some web sites are based more on innuendo and hearsay than solid evidence.  However, there are some that you might find useful.  Google maintains a large number of links to History-related web sites.  If you need information on a person’s life, you might try the Biography Channel.  The National Archives and Records Administration has interesting (and ever-changing) electronic history exhibits, and many of the presidential libraries place on-line primary documents.  You might check out the History Channel. Finally, take a look at Best of History Web Sites, which provides links to dozens of web sites, divided by era and topic.

     It’s possible that the paper you are writing will require you to use primary resources. To learn more about what primary resources are and find sites that will direct you to primary sources in U.S. and world history, see the “Primary Source Materials” section of the History Department web site.

I’ve got to both write the paper and study for an essay exam.  Help!

     Don’t worry, help is on the way! Here are some web sites to help you with preparing for an essay exam and to help you write a book review and a term paper.  If your paper requires you to use Turabian-style footnotes, endnotes, or bibliographic citations, check out this web site.

     It’s absolutely vital if writing a paper to avoid plagiarism.  The Writing Center of Hamilton College tells you what plagiarism is and how to avoid it.  The FMU Student Handbook also provides information on plagiarism.

     Finally, you might contact the FMU Writing Center. The Writing Center can provide you with valuable assistance in putting your paper together.