History Students of FIB Undip Gain Essential Tips on Exploring Digital Archives and International Journals

Faculty of Humanities, Diponegoro University (FIB Undip) held another Research and Historical Writing Training session as a continuation of the previous event on March 8, 2025. This session took place on Saturday, March 15, 2025, from 08:30 to 12:00 WIB and was attended by History Study Program students.

The training aimed to assist students in writing their thesis to ensure timely graduation. The event was opened by Dr. Tri Handayani, M.Si., who expressed her hopes that the training would be beneficial for the academic future of the students.

Training on Exploring Digital Archives

1. Understanding Digital Archives as Historical Sources

The first session was led by Khairana Zata Nugroho, M.Hum., who discussed the importance of digital archives as historical sources.

• What Are Digital Archives?
  Digital archives are historical documents that have been scanned and stored in digital format, making them more accessible to researchers.
• Digital Heuristics
  Digital archives, particularly old newspapers, serve as valuable historical sources that enhance archival openness.
• Examples of Digital Archive Websites:
  • Warung Arsip
  • NewspaperSG
  • Delpher
  • Historische Kranten
  • British Newspaper Archive
  • Trove
  • JSTOR and ProQuest (specifically for History students)

Apart from theory, participants were also taught how to access digital archives through websites and online databases to find relevant sources for their research.

Utilizing International Journals in Historical Research

The second session was conducted by Desi Susanti, M.Hum., who explained the significance of international journals as references in historical research.

1. Why Are Academic References Important?

1. Knowledge Foundation – References serve as the basis for understanding history scientifically.
2. Crucial Role – History relies heavily on credible written sources.
3. Database Access – Facilitates students in finding valid academic references.

2. Challenges in Using International Journals

1. Language Barriers – Academic articles often use complex scholarly language.
2. Search Skills – Students must learn to filter and select relevant sources.
3. Lack of Confidence – Many students hesitate to use international journals as primary references.

3. Strategies for Searching International Journals

• Using Boolean Operators:
  • AND – Combines two keywords for more specific results.
  • OR – Adds synonyms to broaden the search.
  • NOT – Excludes certain keywords for more relevant results.
• Accessing International Journals at Undip:
  1. Using Undip’s internet connection
  2. Logging in via Undip’s SSO portal
  3. Accessing journal databases such as Scopus, Google Scholar, and JSTOR

At the end of the session, students were given 15 minutes to search for digital journals and practice the search techniques they had learned.

Academic Support and Future Expectations

The training concluded with remarks from Prof. Dhanang, Head of the History Study Program at FIB Undip, who expressed his hope that this event would help students write their thesis more effectively.

Additionally, Prof. Dr. Alamsyah, M.Hum., Dean of FIB Undip, also conveyed his support. He emphasized that such training sessions should continue to be held to better prepare students for academic writing and research contributions.

The 2025 Research and Historical Writing Training provided in-depth insights into exploring digital archives and international journals. With guidance from expert lecturers, students are expected to complete their thesis on time with improved research quality.

Live Coverage by Zefanya Victoria Sahar (Student of History Study Program, FIB Undip, Class of 2022)