Student Research Guide WQ24/ The Gutenberg Press and its Impacts on Lower and Middle Class Societies in Western Europe

Takeaways:

• The Gutenberg press aided Martin Luther and other reformers by increasing the speed and width of the dissemination of information during the Protestant Reformation.
• The Gutenberg press made it easier for scientists and researchers to share their discoveries with each other.
• The Gutenberg press made books and religious text more accessible for lower and middle class societies because it lowered costs due to labor and more could be produced at a faster rate.
• The Gutenberg press helped increase literacy rates across Western Europe.
• The Gutenberg press helped provide materials for Sunday School and other religious education.

Advice for Future Researchers:

• Look for sources in databases like Jstor, Academic Search Complete, History Reference Center, etc.
• Use Google Scholar to broaden your search while still getting quality sources.
• Look for the credentials of sources that you use.
• Don't get discouraged if you don't find what you need right away. You made need to be more creative with search terms.

Reflection on Research Experience:

I feel like overall my research went pretty smoothly. In the beginning it was hard to know what I was looking for, but eventually it came together and became easier to find good sources that were relevant to my topic. I really enjoyed researching the impacts that the press had on the Protestant Reformation. I feel that because I had a historical medium, there wasn't a lot of bias written on the press and only facts.