Introduction to Sociology

Need help with your research? Contact:

Jen Jarson
Social Sciences Reference Librarian
phone: x3552
email: jarson [at] muhlenberg [dot] edu
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Need help after hours?
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Online Sunday-Thursday 2pm-10pm.
See Ask a Librarian for more information.

Selected Reference Materials

Borgatta, Edgar F. and Rhonda J. V. Montgomery, Eds. 2000. Encyclopedia of Sociology, 2nd ed. New York, NY: Macmillan.
Reference 301.03 E56of v.1-5

Elliott, Anthony and Larry Ray, Eds. 2003. Key Contemporary Social Theorists. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Reference 300.922 E46k

Levinson, David L. 2002. Education and Sociology: An Encyclopedia. New York: Routledge.
Reference 306.43 E56o

Marshall, Gordon. 1994. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Sociology. New York: Oxford University Press.
Reference 301.03 M368c

Ritzer, George, Ed. 2005. Encyclopedia of Social Theory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Reference 301.01 E56o v.1-2

Smelser, Neil J. and Paul B. Baltes, Eds. 2001. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences. New York: Elsevier.
Reference 300.3 I61e v.1-26

Trexler Library may also have reference works related to your particular social issue. To find them, search the catalog or ask for help. Examples include:

Arnett, Jeffrey Jensen, Ed. Encyclopedia of Children, Adolescents, and the Media. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2007.
Reference 302.23083 E56o v.1-2

Bankston, Carl L., Ed. Racial and Ethnic Relations in America. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press, 2000.
Reference 305.800973 R121a v.1-3

Davis, Thomas J. Race Relations in America: A Reference Guide with Primary Documents. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2006.
Reference 305.800973 D264r

Newton, David E. Violence and the Media: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 1996.
Reference Collection 303.6 N562v

Finding Books

TREXLER LIBRARY

Search the Trexler Library Catalog to find out what books, government publications, journals, videos, etc. the library owns.

GETTING THERE:      Use the shortcut search box on the Library Homepage or
                                Library Homepage  --  Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box)  -- 
                                Trexler Library Catalog

  • For tips on searching the catalog, use the Help link above the search boxes.

OTHER LIBRARIES

  • WorldCat. To find books held by other libraries, search WorldCat, a database of over 60 million library records from around the country and world. Use the ILL button to request a book from another library. (ILL can take 10-14 days.)

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage  --  Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box)  -- 
                               Other Library Catalogs -- WorldCat

  • E-ZBorrow. For quick delivery of books from many Pennsylvania and area academic libraries (including University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, University of Pittsburgh, and many more), use E-ZBorrow. (E-ZBorrow takes 2-4 business days.)

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage  --  Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box)  -- 
                               Other Library Catalogs -- E-ZBorrow

TIP: Because E-ZBorrow books can arrive so quickly, check the E-ZBorrow catalog for any books you find in WorldCat. If not available there, then request via the ILL button in Worldcat.

  • LVAIC. You can borrow books directly from LVAIC (Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges) Libraries.

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage  --  Books, Videos, Music, ... (in Find box)  -- 
                               Regional Libraries  -- LVAIC Libraries

For more information on Interlibrary Loan options, see http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/more/ill/index.html or ask for help.

GETTING THERE:      Library Homepage  --  ILL (in the Services & Forms box)

Articles: Databases & Indexes

SEARCHING FOR ARTICLES

See a list of all databases at via the Library Homepage  --  Articles A-Z (in the Find box).

START WITH...

Sociological Abstracts (SocAbs)
Sociology.

JSTOR
Searchable collections of full-text journals. JSTOR contains the full text of 24 Sociology journals and many others from a wide variety of possibly relevant disciplines.


FIND MORE WITH...
Depending on the nature of your social issue/research question, these databases may be useful.

Business Source Elite
Business and Economics.

Communication and Mass Media Complete
Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies.

ERIC
Education.

PAIS
Political Science.

MLA
Literature, Languages, and Film.


MORE INTERDISCIPLINARY DATABASES...
NOTE: In addition to some scholarly resources, these databases also have popular resources. They may be useful for finding a "popular account" related to your social issue.

Academic Search Premier
Large and diverse database that covers most academic disciplines, including Sociology and Ethnic Studies. Contains both scholarly and non-academic resources. Includes many articles in full text.

LexisNexis Academic
Major source for finding U.S. and international newspapers. Also includes an "Ethnic News" search.

OmniFile (WilsonWeb)
A full text "mega" database comprised of various smaller databases from separate academic disciplines. Its general scope includes general sciences, humanities, The Reader's Guide, social sciences, and business.

GETTING THE ARTICLES

  1. When searching for articles, you may find the full-text of an article linked in the database.

  2. If not, you need to search the Trexler Library Catalog to see if we own the journal in which the article is published.
    • Most databases have a Text at Trexler link embedded. Click the link to check our holdings.
    • Otherwise, search the catalog by journal title. Verify that we have online, print, or microform access to the year/volume you need.

  3. If we do not own the journal you need, request the article via Interlibrary Loan.
    • Some databases have a Request on Interlibrary Loan link embedded. Click the link to fill out the form. Click Submit.
    • Otherwise, use the Interlibrary Loan Journal Article Request Form (Library Homepage  --  ILL (in the Services & Forms box)  --  Articles request form). Fill out the form with as much information as possible. Ask for help, if you have questions.

Statistical Sources

American Factfinder (U.S. Census Bureau)
http://factfinder.census.gov/
Easy-to-use census data/maps.

Bureau of Statistics, Treasury Department. 2006. Statistical Abstract of the United States. Washington: G.P.O.
Statistics Reference 317.3 U58s 2002
Note: Various other editions, dating back to 1886, are also available in the Government Documents section at C 3.134:886 - C 3.134:2004/2005.

FedStats
http://www.fedstats.gov/
Gateway to statistics for U.S. Federal agencies

Kurian, George Thomas. 1994. Datapedia of the United States, 1790-2000: America Year by Year. Lanham, MD: Bernan Press.
Statistics Reference 317.3 K96d
Note: An updated version (published 2004) of this volume is on order.

LexisNexis Statistical Universe
Note: This is a searchable database of statistical tables, accessible via the Library Homepage  --  Articles A-Z (in the Find box).

Statistical Resources on the Web (University of Michigan Library, Documents Center)
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html

U.S. Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/
        Census 2000 Gateway (http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html)
        Census 1990 Gateway (http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen1990.html)
        Paper versions of the decennial census (1850-1990) are available in the Government Documents Census Section on Level A.

Citing Your Sources

For help using ASA (American Sociological Association) Style, consult the following resources:

American Sociological Association. 1997. ASA style guide, 2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: American Sociological Association.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.0663 A512a (at Reference Desk)

ASA Style Guide (California State University, Los Angeles)
http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html

Quick Style Guide (American Sociological Association)
http://www.asanet.org/page.ww?name=Quick+Style+Guide§ion=Sociology+Depts

For help using APA (American Psychological Association) Style, consult the following resources:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.).  (2001).  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.06615 p976m 2001 (at Reference Desk)

Concise Rules of APA Style.  (2005).  Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.06615 C744r (at Reference Desk)

Trexler Library handout on using APA style: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/reshelp/apa_example.pdf.
This and other style guide handouts available from the library website.  Library Homepage --  Research Help --  Citation Guides.

Try NoodleBib Express for a quick tutorial on APA Style: http://www.noodletools.com/login.php.

© Muhlenberg College
Last modified: 4 February 2008