Proper research is the most important part of an On This Day article. Aim to gather your research from about three to eight different Web sites for a well-rounded perspective.

The Five Ws

Start your research by looking for answers to the five Ws:

• What happened?
• When did the event take place? Confirm the date by checking at least three reliable sources.
• Who are the important people in your story?
• Where did it happen?
• Why did it happen? What factors led up to the event? What were the consequences?

As you find answers to these questions on different Web sites, make sure to keep a list of the sites and specific Web addresses (URLs) you find so that you can cite them in your article. See How to Write an On This Day Article for more information.

As you review Web sites in your research, be selective about which ones are credible enough to use as sources for your On This Day article. Read the How to Evaluate Web Sites for an On This Day Article for more help.

Recommended Sites

FindingDulcinea has several excellent tools that can point you to historical information you can trust:

SweetSearch is a search engine that includes only sites that have been reviewed by a team of Internet researchers for content, quality and reliability. When you use SweetSearch, you won’t get sites that have more advertising than content, or sites that are trying to sell you a product. Instead, you’ll get results that are relevant from sites that are reliable.

The Web Guide to U.S. History offers a list of trustworthy Web sites on U.S. history. The links are organized by time period and come with a short description so you know what to expect from each site.

Similarly, the Web Guide to World History offers a list of trustworthy Web sites on World History.

For help getting better search results on your quest for information, read the article “Make Search Engines Work for You: Get Tips for Better Searches”

Want even more sites to choose from?

Consider using these Web sites to find reliable historical information:

• SweetSearch
• The History Channel
• Library of Congress
• National Archives
• Encyclopedia Britannica
• BBC: History
• Public Broadcasting Service
• Best of History Web Sites
• The History Place
• Annenberg Media
• Web Guide to U.S. History
• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law: Famous Trials
• Middle Tennessee State University: American Women’s History: A Research Guide
• Perseus Digital Library Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Internet Public Library
• CIA World Factbook
• Harvard University Library: Online Collections Program

Once you’ve researched your On This Day article, you’ll be ready to write it.  Check out our How to Write an On This Day Article page for help in assembling your research into an article.