Research Guides: Sociology : Articles

Databases

After selecting your topic, identify three main concepts and synonyms to begin your search. Apply your keywords in the appropriate subject database.

PsycINFO
Psychology articles, books, and dissertations.
It is produced by the American Psychological Association.
Academic Search Complete
Full articles, citations, summaries and more from academic journals covering most subjects.
Full-text varies from 2000-present
Social Services Abstracts
Summaries and citations for sources related to social work, human services, and related areas.
Date Range: 1968-Present
America: History and Life with Full Text
Articles and book chapters providing historical and cultural coverage of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present.
Publication Coverage: 1895 to the present.
JSTOR
Full articles from major research journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
Coverage of most journals starts from the beginning and excludes the most recent three to five years.

When reviewing your search results, check to make sure you have the publication type you need for your assignement.
Scholarly Sources	Popular Sources	Trade Publications
Written by professors, researchers, or experts	Written by journalists	Written by journalists and experts
Lengthy, plain looking	Brief, flashy articles	Lots of color
Specialized terminology (jargon)	Intended for a general audience	Written for a specific audience, such as a professionals in a field
Often peer reviewed	No formal review	May or may not be peer reviewed
Few or no advertisements	Contains ads	Includes ads related to the profession
Contains references	Sometimes has references	May or may not include references
Examples: The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Communication	Examples: New York Times, Forbes, People	Examples: MacWorld, audioXpress, Nursing Times