The following reference resources can help you get a basic overview of a topic and help you identify key terms to use when searching both the Library Catalog and the Databases. Reference Resources are a great place to start if you are having trouble picking a topic, narrowing your topic down or you would like to learn more about your topic area. The librarians at the reference desk are happy to assist you with the topic selection process.

The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology : a user's guide to sociological language Reference HM17 .J64 1995 A Critical Dictionary of Sociology Reference HM17 .B6813 1989 Encyclopedia of Sociology Reference HM425 .E52 2000 v.1-v.5 Violence in America Reference HN90.V5 V5474 1999 v.1-v.3

Criminal Justice and Criminology : Concepts and Terms Reference HV7411 .C74 2002 Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice Reference HV6017 .E52 2002 Survey of Social Science. Sociology series Reference HM17 .S86 1994 v.1-v.5 Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Sourcebook Reference HV6626.2 .D66 2000

Search for materials in Randall Library by using the online Library Catalog located on the Randall Library homepage [http://library.uncw.edu]. Searching the Library Catalog will give you call numbers and locations for books, maps, N. C. documents, U.S. Government documents, special collections, microforms, music scores, periodicals titles, audiovisual materials, reserve materials and the Curriculum Materials Center materials help in the Library.
 

Article Databases/Indexes

Article databases/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.

An alphabetical title listing of article databases/indexes can be found on the Library homepage by choosing "Database and Article Searching" located in the left side of the page.

What are "Academic" or "Scholarly" Periodicals?
Here are some of the basics of scholarly periodicals:

AUDIENCE	Scholarly and professional
AUTHOR	Academic credentials, they do not make living as writers.
APPEARANCE	Dull, few ads often sponsored by an academic society
CONTENT (TOPIC & DOCUMENTATION)	Highly specialized; many footnotes and/or charts and graphs
LANGUAGE (VOCABULARY)	Learned reading level--specialized vocabulary.

Relevant Academic Journals with direct links to the UNCW Catalog:

American Sociological Review (ASR)
American Journal of Sociology (AJS)
Crime and Delinquency
Social Forces
British Journal of Criminology
Social Problems
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency
Deviant Behavior
Policing
Criminology
Criminal Justice and Behavior
Justice Quarterly
The Prison Journal
Law and Society Review
Journal of Drug Issues
Theoretical Criminology

Article Databases for a Literature Review of the Social Science Academic Literature

Sociological Abstracts Guide to Sociological Abstracts

Indexes and abstracts from sociology journals (1963-current)  and dissertations from (1988-current.) contains information from over 2500 journals in 30 different languages from about 55 countries. It covers sociology and related disciplines by including bibliographic citations and abstracts and enhanced dissertation citations

PAIS International

Citations to public policy, economics, government, law, etc. (1972-current) It is a bibliographic index to the literature of public policy, social policy, and the social sciences in general. Journal articles; books; government documents; statistical compilations; committee reports; directories; serials; reports of public, intergovernmental, and private organizations; and most other forms of printed literature from all over the world are indexed.

Reminder: 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.

Additional Article Databases (non-Social Science specific) for a Literature Review

Academic Search Elite & MasterFile - EBSCOhost indexing: 1984+ selected full text: 1990+

These two databases offer citations and abstracts for over 5,000 journals covering the areas of social sciences, humanities, general science, education and multi-cultural journals. To restrict a search to peer reviewed journals, you must choose the "Advanced Search" option and check Peer Reviewed in the "Special limiters" box located at the bottom of the advanced search screen. These databases do NOT allow a search to be  restricted to just the Social Science literature.

InfoTrac Onefile indexing: 1980+

Citations and abstracts from over 6,300 periodicals that cover a wide range of topics, including the social sciences. To restrict a search to refereed journals, us the Limit the current search options located at the bottom of the screen and check off the "to refereed publications" option. InfoTrac do not allow a search to be restricted to just the Social Science literature.

Helpful Information

Off Campus Access to Library Resources
UNCW students, faculty and staff may access electronic resources off campus.  In order to access  resources from off-campus, patrons must identify themselves as UNCW affiliates by entering your name, University ID number and your library PIN.  Please see the Off Campus Access link located on the library homepage for complete instructions or go directly to the URL: http://library.uncwil.edu/offcampus.html.

Inter-Library Loan Services
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free service to UNCW students, faculty, staff and administration through which research materials (articles, books, etc.) not owned by Randall Library may be borrowed from other library collections. Allow up to 10 working days for delivery of materials. Photocopies are mailed to the address listed in your library record and and Pickup notices are emailed to your UNCW account.  To request an item via ILL, go to the Library Homepage and under "Services" click on "Interlibrary Loan" and follow the instructions.

Last Update: August 28, 2006

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