Table of Contents

• Research Basics
• Journal Article Databases
• Evaluating and Presenting Information
• Other Skills/Resources

Research Basics

Library Website Help

• Getting Started (video)
  • This video presents an introduction to the Odum Library webpage.
• Anywhere Access
  • Log in to Anywhere Access to use library resources while off-campus.
• Live Chat
  • The Live Chat page brings together every possible way to contact a Reference Librarian.  Contact methods include online chat, text message, email, phone, or visiting us in person during normal reference desk hours.

Search Techniques and Strategy

• Boolean, Truncation & Wildcard (guide)
  • This guide will help you learn advanced searching techniques.
• Constructing a Search Strategy (guide)
  • This guide takes the techniques described in the previous guide and helps you search more effectively with them.
• Getting Your Hands on the Articles (guide)
  • This guide helps you find full text articles, even if they are not included in your specific database.
• Further Library Guides (and help)

Reference Materials

You will find print reference sources in both the main reference collection and the "reference alcove." Please ask the Reference Librarian on duty at the reference desk for assistance in finding materials.

• eReference Shelf (online encyclopedia).

Journal Article Databases

Sociology-Specific Databases

Note: The GALILEO icon indicates that the database is provided by our GALILEO subscription; no icon means it is locally purchased by VSU.

• SocINDEX with Full Text
  • SocINDEX is an EBSCO database that provides access to a multitude of full-text sociology articles.
• Social Services Abstracts
• Sociological Abstracts
  • For both Sociological and Social Services Abstracts, be sure to check the citation for a "Full Text Linking" link before clicking on the "Find It" button.  The "Find It" button does not recognize links outside of the database to full text.
• Sociological Collection
  • Sociological Collection is a ProQuest sociology database with full-text articles.
• Social Science Research Network
  • SSRN is an open-access database that provides abstracts for Social Sciences eJournals that cover over 400 different Social Sciences subject areas.

Other Helpful Databases

For this project, you are only able to look in sociological databases, but for future sociology projects that include a broad base of subject material, here are some recommended library resources:

• Academic Search Complete (at EBSCOhost)
• Research Library (at ProQuest)
• JSTOR
• Criminal Justice Periodical Index
• Family & Society Studies Worldwide
• eHRAF World Cultures

• Is an article from a peer-reviewed journal? Use Ulrich's and look for the referee's shirt!

Other Skills/Resources

Finding Books

• GIL-Find Tutorial (video)
• GIL Universal Catalog / GIL Express (guide)
  • The GIL Universal Catalog allows you to search for library books across the University System of Georgia.  GIL Express allows you to have those books delivered to any USG library within 2-5 days.
• WorldCat
  • WorldCat is a catalog for library holdings throughout the world.  You can search for a particular book here and find detailed information about it, which you can then use for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) forms.  While using this FirstSearch version of WorldCat, you can click on the "Find It" button within a record and then send WorldCat information to our ILL system automatically. 

Dissertations & Theses

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
• OpenDOAR

Citation Style Help

• Formatting in ASA Style (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
• Odum Library Citation Guides
• Research & Documentation Online (from dianahacker.com)
• VSU Student Success Center
  • The VSU Student Success Center can provide in-person assistance and tutoring for citation help.

Quiz

Please click the question mark (below) to enter the Quiz.