AH317: Morocco to Timbuktu: Art and Architecture at the Saharan Crossroads

Helpful Hints

Keep in mind:

• Try to research something you are genuinely interested in!
•  Start your search early, to explore what is available in Boston and to request items from other locations through Interlibrary Loan.
• Resources may exist, but in other languages, such as French, Portuguese, Swahili, Arabic.
• Information may be biased depending on who the author or the publisher is.
• It helps to start broadly. Consult general reference books on Africa to learn about the country and /or ethnic group you research. (Each African country has a unique history which continues to impact it today. Understanding the larger context will help as you narrow your research topic. )
• As you narrow your topic identify keywords that will help you in your research, such as names, events, and local terms.
• For example: “riad” is the term for a traditional Moroccan house with a courtyard.
• Keep in mind there may be variations in keywords.
• For example:  Touareg vs. Tuareg, Berber, Imazighen, Amazigh
• When you find a good resource, be sure to note the author (did they write other works on this topic?)  and consult the works cited and/or bibliography to see who they relied on for their research.