Download China - Cleveland HS Library

Pathfinder for China
1. For general background information, use an encyclopedia, such as World Book Encyclopedia or New
Book of Knowledge.
2. Generate a set of keywords or terms, such as:
China
China – History
Also look under the specific topics: Great Wall of China, silk, gunpowder, Silk Road, Marco
Polo, emperors, Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, Sung Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, Qin Shi
Huangdi, manufacturing of paper, compass, wood-block printing, meritocracy
3. For specific facts, use specialized reference books, such as:
Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism
4. For current information search for periodicals a magazine index, such as EBSCO.
5. For general information from LAUSD subscription databases (reliable internet sites), try:
ABC-Clio (World History)
Britannica Online
Facts on File
Grolier Online
World Book Online
6. For current information, also check the internet. Remember to evaluate what you find because quality
varies greatly from site to site. Some good websites include:
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/features/silkroad/main.html (Silk Road information)
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/greatwall/ (Great Wall, links to other China info)
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/han.html (Han Dynasty
and information on other dynasties)
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/china/early_imperial_china/han.html (Chinese
inventions)
7. For in-depth information, examine books. Use your keywords to locate books through the library’s
catalog. Some good Dewey Decimal Classification Numbers include:
950, 951
931
677
595.78
738.2
623.4
352.23
921s
290s
China – History
Ancient Civilizations – China
Silk (fabric)
Silkworms
Porcelain
Gunpowder
Kings and rulers
Biographies (under topic’s last name)
Taoism (299.5), Buddhism (294.3), Confucianism (181, 299.5)