Footnotes and bibliographies provide important leads to primary sources
Book reviews in journals usually assess a title in relationship to other scholarship on the same topic so are good bibliography sources
Scholarly articles and books with proper citations, represent a conversation among scholars. Using seocondary sources in your paper (and providing proper citation) includes you in this conversation and supports a dialogue between you and your readers.
Secondary sources can help shape and support your argument, or give you ideas to challenge.
Never be afraid to challenge a secondary source so long as you can back it up
Never use the excuse: "I couldn't find that book at Vassar"
Covers journal articles, book reviews, and essays in books about women, sexuality, and gender during the Middle Ages. Books written by a single author are not indexed