-Brainstorm different search terms that relate to your topic (try to think of broader concepts that relate to your topic, and more specific concepts that relate to your topic; surround your topic!)
-Don't forget to try multiple searches using different combinations of search terms AND try multiple searches in different places (different databases, catalogs, Internet, etc.)
-Try to get an understanding of the scholarly conversation relating to your topic that has already occurred, then figure out how you can add to that scholarly conversation.
-Keep a record of what search terms you use, and keep track of each source you are considering using. Keeping your research organized will save you time and effort!
(https://library.louisville.edu/research-diy/keywords)
Don't forget to utilize the different ways of searching MLA Bibliography!
Jstor is an excellent full text archive of humanities, social science and business journals and includes a large number of history journals.