Research Methods in Sociology

1. Research Methods in Sociology Library resources, and how to access them.

2. Mahoney Library Resources available: • Primary resources: Documents containing firsthand information or original data from resources such as newspaper articles, diaries, interviews etc. Used in compiling data for original research. • Secondary resources: Professional,scholarly research involved in analyzing, evaluating and synthesizing primary source materials to advance a particular academic discipline. Found in books, journals, conference reports & other sources. These sources make up literature reviews, the first task of a researcher. • Tertiary resources: Encyclopedias and other reference works based on secondary sources providing a general overview and conventional understanding of a topic. Valuable for an introduction into a topic, at the beginning of the research process.

3. Mahoney Library The research process:First step: Topic selection Process that continues throughout your research. Encyclopedia of Sociology 5 v. (2nd ed. 2000 )R301.03EN196. Excellent , if dated starting point with essays providing good introductions to various topics. Research Starters – Sociology Comprehensive, summary guides written by subject experts with bibliographies and links to scholarly articles for further research.

4. Mahoney Library The research process: Three components of the research process • Searching for resources • Locating the full text of the documents • Evaluating the content Some full text databases allow you to carry out all three operations within a single search. Do not limit yourself only to the results of searches that allow you to carry out all three operations at once. You may miss key resources for you topic by doing so.

5. Mahoney Library Searching for resources:Navigating the new library homepage. To access the library page from the new college website, click on Academics and then Mahoney Library on the left side of the page The library website, redesigned to be more user friendly and better organized. Coolcat:catalog Evaluate sources: Databasesalphabetically or by subject. Locate full text. Subject guides: New central access point to resources for a particular academic discipline. Newspapers encyclopedias Borrow from another library Quick links: Popular sites Ask Online:

6. Mahoney Library Subject Guides Click on the Sociology link to access the guide.

7. Mahoney Library Searching for resources: Coolcat Shared catalog for Mahoney Library and the FDU libraries. Coolcat Library catalog for searching for books, videos and other resources by author, title or subject. CSE students have borrowing privileges at both Mahoney and FDU libraries. Setting limits icon Select Simple or Advanced search Select the kind of search you wish to perform (Author, title, subject, etc.) from the dropdown screen on the right of the page. Setting limits: You can limit your results in a number of ways, such as a specific date range, or to items in Mahoney Library by clicking on the limits icon in the lower right hand corner of the page. • Set your limits before entering search terms. • Select the way you wish to limit your search. • 3. Click on the Select Limits button to return to a blank search screen. . 3.

8. Mahoney Library Reviewing results of your searches • After your search, the results screen appears listing those items • found fitting your criteria. These may include items from FDU libraries. • At the top of the page will be listed your original search. • Below in the blue fields will be listed the titles of the works cited for your search. • Below the titles is listed the location of the item and whether it is available. Status: Coolcat will indicate whether the book is checked out or on the shelf. Call number:specific number assigned to every book and video in the library collection. It is based on the subject of the item and is essential for finding resources in the collection. Location: Specific library and floor where the book can be found. Mahoney Library

9. Opening up the record If more than one library owns the item, open up the record to see which libraries own the item, what the call number is, and whether the item has been checked out. • Click on the title of the item to open up the record. • The title appears at the top of the page with data about the record below. • 3. Libraries owning the item appears below with call numbers to locate the item. • 4. Click on the Additional information link for access to items like the table of contents, • book reviews, summaries and other useful information. Mahoney Library

10. Sociological Abstracts:Database providing the most comprehensive coverage for sociology. Edit search Records marked I.Searching functionality A. Basic searches (keyword, title, abstract etc.) listed first. B. Words next to eachother searched as a phrase. C. Wildcard (*). Asterisk can stand in for letters (ie: Teen* = teenager, teens, etc.). D. Date range set as needed. Abstract Check to mark records Subject headings II. Retrieving results A. Mark records: # of records marked for retrieval B. Abstracts & subject headings available. C. Edit search: Returns to search screen. III. Opening up the record. A. Click on the title to open up the record. B. Subject headings can be combined to do new searches. C. Full abstract is now available. Mahoney Library

11. Mahoney Library Searching for resources:Bibliographies. Listings of citations identifying key resources for professional researchers in their work . • Bibliographies should appear in all scholarly research. Be suspicious of any document without one. • Think of them as recommended reading lists on particular topics compiled by scholars in the field. • Bibliographies can provide access • to conference reports and other documents that may not show up • on the databases. • Bibliographies provide a valuable alternative to database searching for scholarly works. Major limitation of bibliographies: Some of the citations can be dated.

12. Mahoney Library Searching bibliographies inSociological Abstracts 2. Click on the References link when it appears below the record. 1. From the search screen, Select RE (for references) from the dropdown menu and enter your search terms. 3. Click the Cited by link for articles listing the current record in their bibliographies. a. Having multiple records listed under the Cited by link is a good indication of the importance of the article. 4. A new list of records will now appear with their own References and Cited by links. References Cited by

13. Mahoney Library Retrieving resources:Linking to the full text from Sociological Abstracts. Sociological Abstracts provides the most comprehensive coverage for sociology, but it is not a full text database. To see if the full text is available through any of our other databases, click on Search for full text. 1. This takes you to a listing all databases with full text access to the journal and range of coverage. 2. Select a database providing the range of coverage needed. 3. You can then link to the database chosen, with a listing of volumes and/or years available. 4. Click on the volume or year to reveal all the issues available. 5. Click on the particular issue you need to access the article you are looking for.

14. Mahoney Library Retrieving resources: Finding the full text from just a citation. If you found a citation and want to see if we have access to the full text, click on the Electronic and Print Journals link on the library home page. • Type in the title of the journal (not the title of the article) and click on the search button. • You will be taken to a results screen listing the databases, and/or our print collection that provides coverage of the journal. • Follow the same procedures outlined • earlier on finding the full text of articles in • databases.

15. Mahoney Library Retrieving resources: Searching library collections through WorldCat. If a book or journal is unavailable at our library, find out which libraries own the item by searching WorldCat, a worldwide collection of catalogs. Libraries underlined and in blue indicate links to their online catalog, to check if the item is available. 1. Click on the WorldCat link found in the dropdown menu under Quick Links on the library home page. 2. This will take you to the WorldCat search screen. Type in the title of the publication and select title from the dropdown screen. 3. Click on the item type (Books or Serials most likely) and click search. 4. WorldCat will generate a list of records. Scroll down to find the record that you are looking for. 5. Click on the Libraries Worldwide link to find libraries that own this item. 6. A new screen will appear listing all the libraries that own the item you are searching for.

16. Mahoney Library Retrieving full text of documents through inter-library loan If you can’t to locate a book or article through the library’s databases or print collection, you can always request the document throughInter-library Loan. Inter-library loan provides access to books and articles belonging to other libraries. Through reciprical borrowing, the library provides access to almost any document a student may need in her research. Borrow from Another library: Library page link to Inter-library loan. Inter-library loan request forms • Click on the Borrow from Another Library • link from the library home page. • Under “InterLibrary Loan – Submit your Request Below” click Book Request FormorJournal article request form. • Fill out the form and click on the submit • button. The library will call or email you • when your item arrives. You may also visit the nearest library possessing the document to get it yourself. To borrow a book fill out an ALA form at Mahoney Library (see a librarian for assistance)

17. Mahoney Library Evaluating information Criteria for evaluating information. 1. All information should come from secondary sources. 2.Accuracy – Depth of information. a. Peer review is a useful tool for identifying scholarly work. 3.Currency. Up-to-date information. a. Information should date back no further than five to ten years. 4.Information should be written from a Sociological perspective. a. Scholarly publications should identify the author, his/her affiliations, etc. which will tell you whether he/she is a practicing sociologist. b. If you are unsure of the publication, Ulrichsweb is a database available that identifies and evaluates periodicals c. If all else fails, try doing a Google search on the author to identify him/her. You as the researcher will be the final arbiter of whether a document is worthy of inclusion into your research. These other tools are useful markers, by only you can make that final decision.