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HIS 281: Africa to 1800
Crops
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HIS 281: Africa to 1800: Crops
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Crops
Article Review
EndNote
The Assignment
3-4 page paper and 5-7 minute presentation on a crop
Questions to consider:
What is it?
Where did it come from?
If it is not indigenous to Africa, how did it get there?
When?
How is it used?
Is there anything interesting about it?
Crop Notes
Guide to aid you through the research process.
Search Hints
Find all the possible names of your crop, including common western name, scientific name, binomial name, and other synonyms
Possible useful fields could be agriculture, anthropology, history, economics, global affairs, health and wellness, the possibilities are expansive
Add site:.edu or site:.gov to find resources from universities and government agencies
Search can be expanded with operators such as ""() AND OR NOT
Example: ("okra" OR "abelmoschus esculentus") AND Africa
Example: ("enset" OR "ensete" OR "abyssinian banana" OR "ensete ventricosum") AND origin
Helpful Resources
Britannica Academic
Encyclopedias are always a great to place to start on unknown things.
Credo
Background information to start your research.
Lost Crops of Africa Volume 1: Grains
A useful ebook for african rice, finger millet, fonio, pearl millet, sorghum, tef and more.
Lost Crops of Africa Volume 2: Vegetables
Cowpea, enset and okra.
WISE Westminster
Our own library has a number of useful ebooks to search through.
Other Places to Look
If crop is based in one or two countries look for a USDA alternative
Cookbooks, they'll have more anecdotal "fun facts"
Science Citation Index
Introductions to science research based papers may provide some insight.
Gale Primary Sources
Some interesting historical pieces that may give insight to how the crop was viewed during the given time period.
Boolean Search
Book Hunt
Library Map
WISE
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