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Biography

This guide supports any class assignment that requires researching specific people's lives and contributions.

Biography Guide Introduction

Welcome to the Biography Guide! If you are pressed for time (meaning, if you are in a hurry!), then check out our "best bets" resources below.

However, we encourage you to explore further by checking out the tips and links in our Background Resources, Books, Articles , and Videos sections.

Not finding what you need, or need some extra coaching? Check out our "Research Help" page.

Best Bets

Our "all biography" database:

For books (both print and ebooks) and streaming video, search the HACC Catalog and ebooks on EBSCOHost:

TIP: When searching in the catalog for biographies: search for your person as a subject and combine their name with the word biography:

Example: Sonia Sotomayor Biography

Important Terms

Biographical Information can be found in the following types of sources:

Biography: "An account of a person's life written, composed, or produced by another."

Autobiography: "The biography of a person written by that person."

Memoir: "An account of the personal experiences of an author."

Correspondence: "Communication by the exchange of letters, e-mails, or other forms of written messages."

Diary: "A usually daily written record of personal experiences and observations; a journal."

Definitions credit:

The American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, edited by Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries, Houghton Mifflin, 5th edition, 2011. Credo Reference