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Class Guide: CRJ 370 - Minorities, Crime & Criminal Justice Policy
Reference Materials
These resources can help you become familiar with a topic and identify the key terms related to your topic. Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice
REF HV6017 .E52 2002 v.1-v.4 - in addition to find more items like this, simply go to the call number in the reference
collection.
Resources that would be extremely helpful whether you are an experienced researcher or just starting out are:
Criminal Justice Information: how to find it, how to use it - REF HV7419 .C75 1998
Criminal Justice Research in Libraries and on the Internet - REF HV7419 .N44 1997 Library Catalog
Search for materials in Randall Library by using the online Library Catalog located in the middle of the Randall Library homepage [http://library.uncw.edu]. Searching the Library Catalog will give you call numbers and locations for materials in the Library. Results list will provide titles of items found, click on the underlined title for the full record.
There are 3 important items to look at in the items record:
1. LOCATION - what collection the item is in determines the location and if the item can be checked out of the library. e.g.,
General Collection on the second floor can be checked out while the Reference Collection on the first floor can not be checked out.
2. CALL # - provides exact location of the item within the collection.
3. STATUS - "AVAILABLE" means item is on the shelf and "DUE" with the date it is due back to the library. Check out for undergraduates is 21 days and the Circulation desk is located next to the exit/entrance doors of the Library. You must have your university id card in order to check-out materials.
Article Databases/Indexes
Periodical indexes provide citations (e.g., author, title, a journal name, volume, issue, page numbers, etc.) to identify articles. Most indexes also include abstracts (summaries) and a small handful of online indexes provide selected full text of the actual article. The Library does not own every article cited in each index so remember to check the Library Catalog to verify if we own the journal the article was published in.
What's a Journal?
Periodicals or serials are anything that is published on a set time schedule: daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
Popular Literature : general audience, popular current interest topics, no specific knowledge of particular subject is required, articles are short and no references or bibliographies at end of articles, not all articles are signed by the author, typically printed on glossy paper, have numerous advertisements and color photographs, published by a commercial company. Can be purchased at grocery stores and bookstores. Examples: Time, Psychology Today
Scholarly Literature : devoted to a specific discipline of academia, specific audience with a specific knowledge of subject, articles are "signed," typically lengthy and have references (or bibliographies), articles are submitted to a lengthy peer review process, have scholarly book reviews, typically appear dull and boring, with few photographs, no general commercial advertisements, published by societies or associations. Cannot be found at grocery stores and bookstores. Examples: Criminology, Justice Quarterly
Professional Literature : Addresses the day-to-day problems of practitioners as distinct from the concerns of academics. Generally policy and action are the focus of articles. Examples: Corrections Today, Police Chief If you have questions regarding the classification of a particular title, you may ask a reference librarian, but the keep in mind that your instructor will be grading your paper, not a librarian. Additional information can be found at this webpage: http://library.uncwil.edu/is/types.html Databases are available through the Randall Library Homepage (http://library.uncw.edu) by choosing "Database and Article Searching". Databases are listed alphabetically.
Databases are listed by Discipline on the Subject Research Guides (http://library.uncw.edu/web/research/subjects/index.html), also located on the Randall Library Homepage. Before you start your search: List the ideas and concepts that describe your
search topic.
Narrow your topic. Remember, your goal is to
get a manageable number of useful records.
Think of as many search terms (concepts not
sentences) describing your topic as you can. You might find what you want
right away, but results can improve as you become more familiar with each
database.
Using AND to combine multiple search terms into a
single, more focused search request.
AND retrieves records with both search terms.
For example: minority groups and sentencing retrieves records with both minority groups and sentencing.
Criminal Justice Indexes and Abstracts
Criminal Justice Abstracts
Provides comprehensive coverage of the major journals in criminology and related disciplines, broad coverage of books, and access to reports from government and non-governmental agencies. (indexing: 1968+) NCJRS - National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts
Federally sponsored information clearinghouse for Federal, State, and local government reports, books, research reports, journal articles, and unpublished research dealing with research, policy, and practice related to criminal and juvenile justice and drug control. Other Indexes in the Social Sciences and Related Fields
Consider using some of the following databases depending upon your topic area. Each of these databases can provide an alternative view of some of the pressing issues in criminal justice.
ERIC
Index to journal articles and report literature in education and education related areas. Good place for delinquency and crimes in the school setting. (1966+) America: History and Life
U.S. and Canadian history, culture and current affairs from a scholarly perspective. Good source for the history of crime and criminal justice in the US. (1964+) PAIS International
Index to the literature of public policy, social policy, the social sciences in general and comparative studies of public issues such as legalization of drugs. (indexing: 1972+ ) PsychInfo
Indexes all areas of psychology and the behavioral sciences as well as related fields. Excellent source for research in the causes and effects of criminal behavior, rehabilitation and prison psychology, or any subject that relates to human behavior. (1887+) Social Services Abstracts
Contains more then 30,000 citations to materials on social work and related fields. Social work is concerned with the problems of crime, substance abuse and etc this index is a rich resource for criminal justice research. (1977+) Sociological Abstracts
Access to literature in sociology and related disciplines, both theoretical and applied. One of the best sources for finding information on criminology, sociology of law and the social problems related to crime. Includes abstracts of journal articles selected from over 2500 journals. (1963+) Interdisciplinary Databases
Academic Search Premier & Masterfile Premier - EBSCOHost
Indexing and abstracts of scholarly journals covering the social sciences, humanities, education and more. (indexing: 1984+, selected full-text: 1990+). Remember to use the "Guided Search" option and check off "Peer Reviewed" limiter for scholarly sources. Lexis-Nexis
"News" section will provide access to the full text of US as well as foreign newspapers.
"Legal Research" section provides full text federal, state & international legal materials. Internet Resources
The reliability and quality of information from Web sources has created much debate in the academic world. Researchers must always remember that the Web is a vast, unregulated information resource that ANYONE with the proper tools and a little money can create a site on the Web. When viewing a site for research purposes the three most important features to consider are:
Authority : Who's responsible for the page content? Are there any clues about that person's qualifications?
Content : Does it seem accurate? If you don't know much about the topic yet, consider these other questions. Are there citations to other works? Has the page been updated recently? Are there facts you could try to verify?
Audience/Objectivity : Who designed it? And for whom? Is there obvious (or not so obvious) bias? Is the page nothing more than a marketing tool? What level of audience is it designed for (e.g. children, adults, students, professionals)? Evaluating Web Resources Worksheet: http://library.uncw.edu/web/research/topic/evaluating.html
Last Update: March 29, 2006
These resources can help you become familiar with a topic and identify the key terms related to your topic. Encyclopedia of Crime & Justice
REF HV6017 .E52 2002 v.1-v.4 - in addition to find more items like this, simply go to the call number in the reference
collection.
Resources that would be extremely helpful whether you are an experienced researcher or just starting out are:
Criminal Justice Information: how to find it, how to use it - REF HV7419 .C75 1998
Criminal Justice Research in Libraries and on the Internet - REF HV7419 .N44 1997 Library Catalog
Search for materials in Randall Library by using the online Library Catalog located in the middle of the Randall Library homepage [http://library.uncw.edu]. Searching the Library Catalog will give you call numbers and locations for materials in the Library. Results list will provide titles of items found, click on the underlined title for the full record.
There are 3 important items to look at in the items record:
1. LOCATION - what collection the item is in determines the location and if the item can be checked out of the library. e.g.,
General Collection on the second floor can be checked out while the Reference Collection on the first floor can not be checked out.
2. CALL # - provides exact location of the item within the collection.
3. STATUS - "AVAILABLE" means item is on the shelf and "DUE" with the date it is due back to the library. Check out for undergraduates is 21 days and the Circulation desk is located next to the exit/entrance doors of the Library. You must have your university id card in order to check-out materials.
Article Databases/Indexes
Periodical indexes provide citations (e.g., author, title, a journal name, volume, issue, page numbers, etc.) to identify articles. Most indexes also include abstracts (summaries) and a small handful of online indexes provide selected full text of the actual article. The Library does not own every article cited in each index so remember to check the Library Catalog to verify if we own the journal the article was published in.
What's a Journal?
Periodicals or serials are anything that is published on a set time schedule: daily, weekly, monthly, etc.
Popular Literature : general audience, popular current interest topics, no specific knowledge of particular subject is required, articles are short and no references or bibliographies at end of articles, not all articles are signed by the author, typically printed on glossy paper, have numerous advertisements and color photographs, published by a commercial company. Can be purchased at grocery stores and bookstores. Examples: Time, Psychology Today
Scholarly Literature : devoted to a specific discipline of academia, specific audience with a specific knowledge of subject, articles are "signed," typically lengthy and have references (or bibliographies), articles are submitted to a lengthy peer review process, have scholarly book reviews, typically appear dull and boring, with few photographs, no general commercial advertisements, published by societies or associations. Cannot be found at grocery stores and bookstores. Examples: Criminology, Justice Quarterly
Professional Literature : Addresses the day-to-day problems of practitioners as distinct from the concerns of academics. Generally policy and action are the focus of articles. Examples: Corrections Today, Police Chief If you have questions regarding the classification of a particular title, you may ask a reference librarian, but the keep in mind that your instructor will be grading your paper, not a librarian. Additional information can be found at this webpage: http://library.uncwil.edu/is/types.html Databases are available through the Randall Library Homepage (http://library.uncw.edu) by choosing "Database and Article Searching". Databases are listed alphabetically.
Databases are listed by Discipline on the Subject Research Guides (http://library.uncw.edu/web/research/subjects/index.html), also located on the Randall Library Homepage. Before you start your search:
AND retrieves records with both search terms.
For example: minority groups and sentencing retrieves records with both minority groups and sentencing.
Criminal Justice Abstracts
Provides comprehensive coverage of the major journals in criminology and related disciplines, broad coverage of books, and access to reports from government and non-governmental agencies. (indexing: 1968+) NCJRS - National Criminal Justice Reference Service Abstracts
Federally sponsored information clearinghouse for Federal, State, and local government reports, books, research reports, journal articles, and unpublished research dealing with research, policy, and practice related to criminal and juvenile justice and drug control. Other Indexes in the Social Sciences and Related Fields
Consider using some of the following databases depending upon your topic area. Each of these databases can provide an alternative view of some of the pressing issues in criminal justice.
ERIC
Index to journal articles and report literature in education and education related areas. Good place for delinquency and crimes in the school setting. (1966+) America: History and Life
U.S. and Canadian history, culture and current affairs from a scholarly perspective. Good source for the history of crime and criminal justice in the US. (1964+) PAIS International
Index to the literature of public policy, social policy, the social sciences in general and comparative studies of public issues such as legalization of drugs. (indexing: 1972+ ) PsychInfo
Indexes all areas of psychology and the behavioral sciences as well as related fields. Excellent source for research in the causes and effects of criminal behavior, rehabilitation and prison psychology, or any subject that relates to human behavior. (1887+) Social Services Abstracts
Contains more then 30,000 citations to materials on social work and related fields. Social work is concerned with the problems of crime, substance abuse and etc this index is a rich resource for criminal justice research. (1977+) Sociological Abstracts
Access to literature in sociology and related disciplines, both theoretical and applied. One of the best sources for finding information on criminology, sociology of law and the social problems related to crime. Includes abstracts of journal articles selected from over 2500 journals. (1963+) Interdisciplinary Databases
Academic Search Premier & Masterfile Premier - EBSCOHost
Indexing and abstracts of scholarly journals covering the social sciences, humanities, education and more. (indexing: 1984+, selected full-text: 1990+). Remember to use the "Guided Search" option and check off "Peer Reviewed" limiter for scholarly sources. Lexis-Nexis
"News" section will provide access to the full text of US as well as foreign newspapers.
"Legal Research" section provides full text federal, state & international legal materials. Internet Resources
The reliability and quality of information from Web sources has created much debate in the academic world. Researchers must always remember that the Web is a vast, unregulated information resource that ANYONE with the proper tools and a little money can create a site on the Web. When viewing a site for research purposes the three most important features to consider are:
Authority : Who's responsible for the page content? Are there any clues about that person's qualifications?
Content : Does it seem accurate? If you don't know much about the topic yet, consider these other questions. Are there citations to other works? Has the page been updated recently? Are there facts you could try to verify?
Audience/Objectivity : Who designed it? And for whom? Is there obvious (or not so obvious) bias? Is the page nothing more than a marketing tool? What level of audience is it designed for (e.g. children, adults, students, professionals)? Evaluating Web Resources Worksheet: http://library.uncw.edu/web/research/topic/evaluating.html
Last Update: March 29, 2006