1. Research Tutorial
Step One: Choose a Topic
Whether you have been assigned a prompt or set
free to write on any related subject, the first step
is always the same: choose a topic!
Hint: Pick something that interests you!
For this tutorial we have chosen the topic of
triremes in the Persian Wars.

2. Step Two: General Reference
Before giving into bad habits, typing “Triremes in the Persian War” into
Google, and reading a Wikipedia article, know that there is a better,
more effective way to start your research!
The Scribner Library has a collection of reputable encyclopedias and
dictionaries designed just for Classics where you can gain a
fundamental understanding of your topic.
You do not even need to take the stairs!
The Reference collection is located on the first floor.
The General Reference tab presents you with three good places to start.
Let‟s try the Oxford Classical Dictionary DE5 .O9 2003

3. Step Two: General Reference
Here is the entry for “Trireme” in the
Oxford Classical Dictionary
We learned the basic structure of the ship,
how the oarsmen were organized, that
most scholars attribute its invention to the
Phoenicians or Egyptians, and, among
other important facts, that the Athenians
mastered the use of the ship during the 5th
century BCE. This seems like a great start.
The dictionary entry also points you
to other resources – in this instance, two
books – which are available either in the
Scribner Library collection or through
Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad)

4. Step Two: General Reference
There are also digital reference works
such as the online Britannica
Here is the entry using the search term
“trireme”
This article points us to another
article on the Battle of Salamis in 480
BCE during the Persian War
The article also gives us useful key
words and characters, such as
Themistocles, Aristides, and
Artemisia

5. Step Three: Into the Stacks
Much of the scholarship you need and
the keys to finding useful materials
elsewhere are located right in the
Scribner Library stacks.
A search in the LUCY Catalogue provides
three options: a keyword search,
an advanced search, or
a simple search.
Let‟s use a keyword search with our term
“trireme”
We get three results
We know that Herodotus wrote on
the Persian Wars so let‟s start there

6. Step Three: Into the Stacks
At first glance Herodotus‟ Histories
may not seem to be the best
resource, since the search located works with
“trireme” in the title, but a quick look at the
table of contents reveals a specific
appendix titled
“Trireme Warfare in Herodotus”
by Nicolle Hirshfeld
The appendix is useful in and of itself with
great information, pictures, maps, and
diagrams, but it also provides tips on where
else to search embedded within the footnotes.
She suggests the same book referenced by the
Oxford Classical Dictionary
Hirshfeld also makes reference to
helpful journal articles
Her footnotes provide
references to triremes in the primary sources
(here, in Herodotus‟ Histories)

7. Step Three: Into the Stacks
Both the Oxford Classical Dictionary and
Hirschfeld‟s appendix article
make reference to
Morrison, J.S, & J.F. Coates, The
Athenian Trireme: The History and
Reconstruction of an Ancient Greek
Warship. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1986.
Our LUCY Catalogue search showed that
the Scribner Library does not have this
resource, but we can get it through
Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad or ILL).
The link to ILL is located on the Scribner
Library home page under My Account.
You will need to enter your Skidmore
username and password.
Then click on the type of resource you
want to request, in our case “Book,” and
fill in as much information as possible.

8. Step Four: Databases
The same footnote that points to
the Morrison book also suggests a
review by D. Potter, published in
Bryn Mawr Classical Review, of a
book by R.T. Wallinga, Xerxes’
Greek Adventure: The naval
perspective.
A link to The Bryn Mawr Classical
Review is found under the
Database tab on the Classics
Research home page.
Use the number provided to
find the right review …
and here‟s the review!

9. Step Four: Databases
The Hirschfeld article suggested
a journal article published in
Classical Antiquity.
You can directly access
Journals through the
Lucy Scribner Library
Journals tab at
the top of your screen.
Using the search box, type the
title of the journal we are
looking for:
“Classical Antiquity”
and click Search!

10. Step Four: Databases
You‟ll get a screen
that looks like this
Choose which database contains the article
you are looking for based on publication
date.
In our case each database contains the
article, but for some searches you may find
only one database contains the right
article. The Scribner Library Journals
search does this „guess and check‟ for you.
Our article is from 1988, so we can
choose the first JSTOR link.
This will bring you directly to the JSTOR
database where you have access to every
volume of this publication.
Using date and page numbers, you can
find the one you need!

11. Step Five: Primary Sources
The Hirschfeld appendix uses
primary sources extensively,
specifically Herodotus‟ Histories.
The Primary Sources tab on the
Classics Research homepage
provides links to online
collections of primary sources in
Greek, Latin, and English.
The Perseus Digital Library is a
great resource for the study of
primary texts and provides original
Greek or Latin, as well as English
translations.
Use the links to “Popular Texts” or
search for the text using the search
box at the top of the page

12. Step Five: Primary Sources
The reference we are looking for is
Herodotus’ Histories (1.166).
Perseus provides both the
Greek and English versions

13. Step Six: Art and Archaeology
Finally, we know from the
Britannica and Oxford Classical
Dictionary entries, the Hirschfeld
appendix, and other resources
we’ve found along the way that
there is a wealth of archaeological
evidence for triremes as well as a
modern reconstruction to support
our findings.
Using the database ARTstor, a
search for “trireme” yields
multiple results.

14. Step Six: Art and Archaeology
Museum collections are other good
resources for art and archaeological
materials. Links are provided
under the Museums tab.
A quick search of the MFA-
Boston collections yields
Different search terms
may yield better results.
A modified search
(keyword: sailing)
of the Metropolitan Museum of
Art-New York, produces

15. Step Seven: Keep Digging
Using the skills you have learned, the resources provided by the Scribner
Library and the Classics Research page, keep looking for books, journal
articles and relevant bibliographies.
Be sure to return to books we skipped over. Our LUCY Catalogue search
for “trireme” produced three texts. You can use the techniques applied to the
Hirschfeld appendix with the remaining two texts to find more sources. Also, examine
the titles and tables of contents of books shelved near these sources (a “shelf read”)
to find other relevant information.
Try using other search terms that we found along the way – for example, the
“Battle of Salamis.” A LUCY Catalogue search returns another three books
worth examining!
Have fun and good luck!
Researched and designed by Elizabeth Kiggins „12