A GUIDE TO LIBRARY RESOURCES FOR YOUR SOCIOLOGY 100 RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Welcome! This site has been created to assist you in exploring library resources for your research on social movements for Sociology 100 (Special Section for James Scholars). Our library is one of the largest in the world and it can be a bit overwhelming at first. We will try to make things a little easier for you, but don't hesitate to ask questions.

ASK-A-LIBRARIAN FOR HELP WITH YOUR RESEARCH

Use our Ask-A-Libarian Service to chat (online), email, phone, or find a reference librarian. You can also type in the box to the right to instant message us.

For individual help with your research, don't hesitate to contact me:

Annie Paprocki
Office hours: by appointment.
Office: Education and Social Science Library, 100 Main Library
Email: acpaproc@illinois.edu

Or fill out an Individual Research Consultation Form to sign up for a one-on-one appointment with a reference librarian to learn about the best databases, search strategies and information sources for your upcoming project or paper.

FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND

We have over 40 departmental libraries on our campus. The libraries you will find most important for this class are the Education and Social Science Library, the History Library and the Undergraduate Library. The first two are located in the Main Library building. You might also hear it referred to as the Graduate Library, but that's a misnomer, so don't let it stop you from coming in here and taking advantage of the resources we can provide. It's your library, too!

LIBRARY HOURS

Education and Social Science Library, 100 Main Library, Spring Semester 2005:

M-Th: 8:30 am-11:00 pm
Fr: 8:30 am-6:00 pm
Sa: 11:00 am-5:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 pm-11:00 pm

Hours and contact information for all UIUC Libraries.

RESERVES

The reserve readings for this (and other) classes are available online via Course Reserves.

FINDING BOOKS

Online Library Catalog - Look here to find books, magazines or journals containing articles that you need, DVDs, and many other resources. In addition to the 10 million volumes we have on this campus, you can connect to 43 other libraries in Illinois and request books be sent to you.
When you find something you want in the catalog, write down the following:

Location - in which library the item is kept (or libraries, if we have multiple copies)
Call Number - this number is essential for finding the item on the shelf
Status - is it available for you to check out?
WorldCat and Interlibrary Loan - The places to verify citations for books and request books and articles you cannot find elsewhere.
Hint: Catalogs are used for two purposes: (1) If you know exactly what you are looking for - an exact title or author - you can use the catalog to locate your material (this works for book titles and journal titles); (2) You can also use catalogs to discover material that might be helpful to you by doing subject and keyword searching.

FINDING ARTICLES

Journal articles are one of the primary means of communicating research and ideas in academia. They can be an important component of your research paper and give you some insight into ongoing debates and conversations about your topic.

Finding articles is a two-step process:

First, find the citation to the articles you want. You can use bibliographies or suggested readings lists, or you can search for the topic you are interested in by using one of the article databases listed below. If you get stuck, ask your professor or a contact a librarian for help getting started.
Next, find the actual text of the articles you want. Some of our journals are online, but most still live on the shelves. If the article is not available electronically, you will need to use the Online Library Catalog to look up the source of the citation you have retrieved from the article database.

WHICH DATABASES WILL WORK BEST FOR THIS CLASS?

InfoTrac's Academic Index - Some newspapers, general and scholarly periodicals, and some full text documents.
JSTOR (Journal Storage) - An excellent source for searching the full text of older journal articles. Hint: Select the subject area form the list at the bottom of the search page, then enter your search terms.
LexisNexis Academic Universe - A good source for news, business, and legal information, with full text and abstracts. Includes foreign news sources, major U.S. newspapers, regional U.S. news, radio and tv transcripts, and many other sources. Newspapers are updated several times daily, and wire services hourly.
Sociological Abstracts - The preeminent database for citations to scholarly journals in sociology. Indexes and abstracts over 2,600 journals and other serial publications, plus conference papers, books, and dissertations. Covers 1963-present, updated monthly.
Online Research Resources - The complete list of electronic databases that the UIUC Library purchases. If you don't find what you need using the resources listed above, try browsing this list for resources in your subject area.

WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GO FOR INFORMATION?

Library of Congress's American Memory digital collections are a rich collection of primary source material relating to U.S history and culture. This site provides access to over 7 million digital items, including photographs, newspapers, sound recordings, field notes, manuscripts, cartoons, letters, legal documents, and more. Try searching the "Social Sciences" collection.

Social Movements and Culture is a gateway to all sorts of infromation on contemporary social movements ranging from Globalization to Gay/Les/Bi/Queer movements. It includes links to activist organization websites, as well as online articles, bibliographies, course syllabi, and glossary of theoretical approaches to undrstanding social movements. Hosted by the American Studies Department at Washington State University at Pullman.

There is a great big world of information out there on the Internet. It may or may not be helpful to you. Before you try searching for materials, it might help you to decide what exactly you are looking for. A super site to help you learn about assessing information on the Internet can be found at Evaluating Internet Sites 101.

CITING SOURCES IN YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY

Quick Style Guide for Students Writing Sociology Papers - Using ASA citation style
ASA Format - Guide to the American Sociological Association citation style (from Cal State University, Los Angeles).
UIUC's Reference Library Guides to Style Manuals - Information about how to cite both print and online materials.

MORE TIPS ON USING THE LIBRARY

Library Research Guide for Sociology - A guide to sociology-related sources in the Education and Social Science Library.
How Do I Find...? - A great source on how-to find materials in the UIUC Libraries.
Research Process - A step-by-step guide to research that takes you through the entire process, from choosing your topic to citing sources.
Learn to Use the Library - Want to learn more about using the Library? This site is your gateway to workshops, handouts, and other learning opportunities.