Medievalist Starter Kit

Here are some sites that are either geared toward beginners or give a general overview of medieval topics. Medieval studies is a very large field and it can be daunting to new students. If you don't know where to start, or just want a basic overview of medieval studies, check out some of these sites. An asterisk indicates my personal favorites.

* Archive Research Guidance (University of Nottingham) A good basic introduction to archival research and how to do it, with a section on medieval manuscripts.

* Getting Started with Medieval Manuscripts (University of Georgia at Athens) A good collection of links and guides for beginning studying manuscripts from Professor Cynthia Turner Camp of UGA.

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History – Medieval Art (Metropolitan Museum of Art) Start here if you’re interested in the art of the Middle Ages.

* Internet Medieval Sourcebook (Fordham University) The best general medieval primary sourcebook online, divided into topics and eras. 

Lectures on the Middle Ages (Dr. Lynn H. Nelson, emeritus University of Kansas) Browse these for an overview of medieval topics and periods.

Medieval Academy of America style sheet Guide for citing medieval texts, as used in the Medieval Academy of America’s journal Speculum.

* Middle English Texts Series Online (University of Rochester) One of the best sites to start reading Middle English texts.

* What Every Medievalist Should Know (On-Line Reference Book for Medieval Studies) A bibliography, organized thematically, of books that will serve as an introduction to medieval studies.