Social Work/Sociology 4362: (Dr. Mo Cuevas) Social Research
Purpose: To acquaint you with print and electronic materials from Cornette Library that will make it easier to do research on sociology and social work issues.
Reference Sources
- Excellent place to start research
- Provide background information
- Include basic information sources like dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, chronologies, and research guides
Print sources
- Cornette Library has many subject encyclopedias, guides, and other reference sources in print that provide material for social research purposes. Some of the most helpful include:
- Reader's guide to the social sciences
- H31 .R43 2001 (Reference)
- Alphabetical bibliography for social science issues. See thematic list at the beginning of each volume for topics in sociology
- Evaluating information : a guide for users of social science research
- H62 .K378 1998 (Loan)
- Focuses on broad elements common to social research, and suggests criteria for evaluating research articles.
- Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice
- HV6017 .E52 2002 (Reference)
- Provides historical perspective, pro/con, and legal status. Includes domestic violence, crime causation, etc.
- Encyclopedia of Social Work
- HV35 .S6 1995 (Reference)
- Multi-volume set with basic concepts and public policy. Index in last volume. Cornette Library also has the 1997 supplement. Earlier editions are shelved in the loan collection.
- Encyclopedia of Sociology
- HM425 .E5 2000 (Reference)
- Multi-volume set, with description of basic concepts. Index in last volume. Cornette Library has both the 2000 and the 1992 edition.
- Handbook of Family Measurement Techniques
- HQ728 .H267 2001 (Reference)
- Contains abstracts about, and instruments for, measurement of parameters such as bonding, family relationships, etc.
Electronic Sources
- Reference books and other source material available in full-text from netLibrary. Particularly helpful items include:
- The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology : A User's Guide to Sociological Language
- Online dictionary of terms used in professional literature.
- Blackwell Companion to Social Theory
- Introduction to major developments in social theory.
- Blackwell Companion to Social Work
- British perspective on issues in Social Work practice and theory.
- Making a Difference: The Practice of Sociology
- Two sections in this compliation of essays are "On doing applied research" and "The raised eyebrow: Assumptions in evaluation research"
- Required Reading Sociology's Most Influential Books
- Reviews books published since 1972 that are most influential in the field.
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Books
- Provide general overview of a field, or exhaustive coverage of a niche area
- Cornette Library's Online Catalog
- Find books, government documents, journals, etc. available through Cornette Library.
- Search by known author or title addams, jane
- Search by keyword united states minorities
- Search by general LC subject heading social work with minorities
- Add geographic or time constraints social work with minorities--united states
- Find subject headings in the red Library of Congress Subject Headings near the Reference computers in the Library or search the online Library of Congress Authorities Catalog.
- netLibrary
- 27,000+ full-text books
- Search by keyword, author, title, or subject
- WorldCat
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- Online catalog for libraries around the world
- Search by keyword, subject, title, author, etc.
- Request items through Interlibrary Loan (allow at least two weeks for items to arrive)
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Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles
Provide current information
- Library shelves contain more than 1500 bound and current journals
- Microform (film or fiche) 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 sources are more authoritative .
- All sources should be evaluated for reliability of content before use.
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 the library catalog, or the list of online journals.
- Use Interlibrary Loan to request articles inaccessible through Cornette library. Allow up to 1 week for articles to arrive.
Need Help?
- Ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or Periodicals Desk (second floor).
- Call 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open.
- Or use the online form to e-mail a question.
Sociology and Social Work Resources
- Social Work Abstracts Plus
- Designed specifically for social work issues, abstracts major journals in the field.
enabled. Opens in a new window, so some pop-up blockers will prevent the database from opening. - PsycINFO
- Created by the American Psychological Association, but addresses many issues of concern to social workers and sociologists. Try searches with "Social Work" and "Social Casework" or "Sociology" as part of the criteria. enabled.
General Resources
- Academic Search Premier
- Multi-disciplinary resource, covering social science, humanities, ethnic studies, etc. 3,000+ sources.
- LexisNexis Academic
- Business emphasis includes excellent coverage of case law, welfare policy, health issues, etc. 5,900+ sources.
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
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Government Documents
Cornette Library collects United States federal and Texas state documents on many topics.
- Most U.S. documents published since 1994 are listed in the Cornette Library's Online Catalog.
- For older documents, you will need to use the Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications.
- We also have British Parliamentary Papers from 1731-1978/79 in microform.
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.).
- Dates available include:
- Documents/Reference (1913-present)
- Online via FirstSearch (1976-present)
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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
General Subject Site
- Julian Dierkes' Comprehensive Guide to Sociology On-Line
- Created and maintained by one professional sociologist. Provides links and annotations to professional associations, journals, sociology departments, web logs, mailing lists, etc.
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.
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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 2001-2002 Code of Student Life). 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.
American Psychological Association
- Dr. Cuevas requires you to use APA Citation style
- A copy of the newest edition of Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is located at the Reference Desk
- Additional assistance with citing electronic publications is available from the APA online site, which is accessible from Cornette Library's Citation Basics page.
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Your Comments
- Suggestions for improvements?
- Particularly helpful items?
- Please email Mary Jarvis.
Thank you.
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