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Guide to Sociology Resources
The following is a selected list of resources for starting research in Sociology. For further assistance, contact
Allison Carr, Social Sciences Librarian.
Course Guides
SOC 105Introduction to Justice Studies (Poole)
SOC 360Quantitative Research Methods (Atherton)
SOC 480Seminar in Comparative Sociology (Poole)

[ All Sociology course guides ]

See also Criminology

Getting Started
Books
Journal Articles
Web Sites
Citing your Sources
 

Getting Started

These sources can help you identify a topic for your research. Some provide an overview of a specific issue and suggest other materials which might be useful for your research. Others help you to notice a topic that might be of interest to you.

Encyclopedia of Sociology
REFERENCE HM425 .E5 2000

Encyclopedia of American Social History
REFERENCE HN 57 .E58 1993

Encyclopedia of Marriage and the Family
REFERENCE HQ 9 .E52 1995
 

Books

To search for books, you need to use a library catalog. Depending on how much time you have, you have a couple of options.

Books at Cal State San Marcos

Library Catalog
Search our local collection of about 250,000 books.

Other Options

Circuit (1-3 day delivery)
Search the collections of other San Diego area libraries -- about 3,000,000 books. Find and request books directly online; pick them up at our Library in 1-3 days.

WorldCat (5-10 day delivery)
Search the collections of libraries world-wide -- about 52,000,000 books. Find a book in this database, and fill-out an Interlibrary Loan delivery request. Book will be delivered to Library for pickup.
 

Journal Articles

To look for articles in journals, you will need to start with a research database. The following databases provide abstracts of articles from thousands of journals and other sources, often providing full-text. You can also browse a list of electronic journals for Sociology.

VIDEO: Learn how to find articles (approx. 6 min.) Flash Player Required - Download Here

 

Most Useful

Sociological Abstracts
Provides access to the latest international findings in theoretical and applied sociology, social science, and political science.
Coverage: 1963→current

Social Services Abstracts
Abstracts of current research focused on social work, human services, and related areas, including social welfare, social policy, and community development.
Coverage: 1980→current

JSTOR
Contains (EXCEPT for the latest five years) core scholarly journals in sociology, history, economics, political science, mathematics, African-American & Asian studies, literature, humanities, music, and biological, health & general sciences.
Coverage: 1838→2003

Also Useful

PAIS
An important index to political, economic, and social issues in current debate.
Coverage: 1972→current

PsycINFO
Available via EbscoHost: A comprehensive international database of psychology, covering the academic, research, and practice literature in psychology from over 45 countries in more than 30 languages.
Coverage: 1887→current

Womens Studies International
Includes over 204,000 records drawn from a variety of essential women's studies databases.
Coverage: 1972→current

Academic Search Premier
This scholarly collection offers information in nearly every area of academic study including: computer sciences, engineering, physics, chemistry, language and linguistics, arts & literature, medical sciences, ethnic studies, and many more.
Coverage: 1975→current

GPO: U.S. Government Printing Office
Abstracts from all types of U.S. government documents, including Congressional reports, hearings, debates, and records.
Coverage: 1976→current

ScienceDirect
Provides full text access to over 1,000 journals covering all fields of science.
Coverage: 1995→current

Project Muse
Full-text coverage for hundreds of scholarly journals in the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics
Coverage: 1993→current

Blackwell
Blackwell includes over 800 journals in Arts, Business, Health Sciences Humanities, Social Behavioral Sciences, and Science and Technology.
Coverage: current

Sage Journals Online
Sage Journals Online includes over 460 journals in Business, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology and Medicine.
Coverage: current
 

Web Sites

There are a number of useful sociology Web sites. Make sure you evaluate each site for accuracy and authority.
 
 
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