SOCI 1301 (Dr. Kunz): Introduction to Sociology
Purpose: To acquaint you with materials in Cornette Library and on the World Wide Web that will make it easier to do sociological research.
Reference Sources
- Excellent place to start research.
- Provide background information.
- Include basic information sources like dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, chronologies, and research guides.
Subject Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
- Provide in-depth, scholarly articles, focused on a specific subject or discipline. Often include bibliographies.
- American Masculinities: A Historical Encyclopedia
- HQ1090.3 .A453 2003 (Reference)
- Articles on the changing role and image of men in American history, individual biographical sketches, and bibliographies.
- Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology: A User's Guide to Sociological Language
- HM425 .J64 2000 (netLibrary)
- Paragraph length definitions of terms, plus sketches of major sociological thinkers and titles of their major works.
- Encyclopedia of Sociology
- HM425 .E5 2000 (Reference)
- Five volume set discusses major concepts of sociology with index and bibliographies.
- Encyclopedia of Urban America: The Cities and Suburbs
- HT123 .E5 1998 (Reference)
- Two-volume set which focuses on the history and social issues of American cities. Bibliographies for each article, index in second volume.
- Sociology Basics
- HM425 .S63 2000 (netLibrary)
- Major concepts classed by school and field of study, terms defined and overview provided.
- Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life
- GN333 .W67 1998 (Reference)
- Descriptions of major social rituals and interactions for cultures around the world.
- Related disciplines
- See also Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice, Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, Encyclopedia of Psychology, Encyclopedia of Social Work, Encyclopedia of Television, and Encyclopedia of Terrorism
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Books & Journal Titles
- Cornette Library's online catalog
- Includes books, government documents, videos, journal titles, etc. available throughout the Library. Suggested techniques to find journal titles include:
- Journal Title Browse feature with first word sociolog?
- Subject keywords: sociology periodicals.
- Add limit association, for professionally sponsored publications.
Books can be located with keyword or subject searches. Titles and authors can also be searched.
To determine the most appropriate subject headings for your search, refer to the red Library of Congress Subject Headings near the Reference computers in the Library or search the online Library of Congress Authorities Catalog.
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Articles
Current and in-depth information
- Library shelves contain more than 1500 bound and current journals.
- Microform (film or fiche) (second floor) available for dozens of leading newspapers, as well as other periodicals.
- Databases index articles found in journals and magazines.
- Citation only;
- Citation and a short summary of the article (abstract);
- Full text;
- General, covering many kinds of topics, and specialized, for specific disciplines.
Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Professional Journals
Distinction between scholarly journals and magazines is important because:
- Your instructor may specify "use only scholarly" sources,
- Various citation styles treat journals and magazines differently,
- Material in a journal is automatically considered more authoritative than a magazine, and peer-reviewed journals are considered the most authoritative.
- Using scholarly sources makes it easier to evaluate the quality of an article.
Professional journals are scholarly journals that are published by a professional association or organization.
Individually, most of the following criteria are guidelines. Some publications won't fit exactly. Select the classification that matches more of the criteria.
Check with your instructor if you are not sure of the classification of a particular source.
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How to Access Databases
- On-campus: In the library or HELC.
- Off-campus: Login with your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).
- Database citations not in full-text may be located in Cornette Library's online catalog, or the list of online journals.
- Use Interlibrary Loan to request articles inaccessible through Cornette library. Allow up to 1 week (3 weeks for books) for articles to arrive.
Which database?
- Academic Search Complete
- Contains abstracts and citations for a broad range of topics, with substantial full-text. Over 3,000 peer-reviewed sources.
- Electronic Journal of Sociology
- Online, refereed journal, 3 levels of review.
- Ulrich's Periodical Directory
- Contains publication details such as publisher, if scholarly, if refereed, publication schedule, and more.
Logo
- Displays in most of our databases. Links from a citation to one or more of the following:
- One or more links to full-text of the cited article,
- A link to a pre-set search of the Cornette Library catalog for the cited item,
- A link to a pre-filled Interlibrary Loan request form for the article, or
- A link to various help options.
- For more information see the tutorial Using SFX to Link to Articles
Need Help?
- Ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or Periodicals Desk (second floor).
- Call 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open.
- Use the "Ask A Librarian" page for electronic reference support.
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Government Documents
Cornette Library collects United States federal and Texas state documents on many topics.
- Census reports from 2000 are available online at American FactFinder.
- Earlier Census material is on library shelves.
- Most U.S. documents published since 1994 are listed in the Cornette Library's online catalog.
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications
- Indexes all United States government documents made available through the Government Printing Office.
- Includes Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records; judiciary materials; documents issued by executive departments (Defense, State, Labor, Office of the President, etc.).
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Web Sites
- The World Wide Web is an excellent source of information.
- Not everything found on the Web is accurate.
- You must evaluate information on the Web.
Professional Associations
- American Sociological Association - Journals & Publications
- Lists Association publications. Main site also contains information about employment, ethics, careers, and much more.
- APA Journals
- Alphabetical title listing of journals published by the American Psychological Association.
Web Guides
- Searchable lists of annotated web sites, discussion lists, and electronic journals that have met specific selection criteria.
- Scout Report Archives
- Scholarly. Keyword or advanced search. Results listed by relevance.
- INFOMINE Scholarly Internet Resource Collections
- Scholarly. Keyword search or browse by general subject area. Can limit to free sites.
- ipl2 - "Information You Can Trust" (merger of Internet Public Library and Librarians' Index to the Internet)
- General public interest. Keyword search, or browse by general topic and subtopic.
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Citing Your Sources
Why must I cite the sources I use for research projects?
- To give credit to the author of the information you use.
- To avoid plagiarism (WTAMU Code of Student Life: Appendix I-Academic Integrity Code). Plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in a failing grade or worse!
- So that others can verify the information.
- To assist others in doing their own research.
APA Manual
- Dr. Kunz requires you to use the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fifth Edition.
- A copy of the APA manual is located at the Reference Desk.
- Additional assistance is available from our Citation Basics web page.
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Your Comments
- Suggestions for improvements?
- Particularly helpful items?
- Please email Linda Chenoweth.
Thank you.
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