Research Databases-4

SOC 3110 Research Databases

Why use a database?

Research databases can help you quickly find and access scholarly articles (and sometimes other resources, like book chapters, dissertations, newspapers, and reports). Some databases are open and free to use, while others require a subscription purchased by your university or public library.

USU Libraries subscribes to many databases that will be helpful for your project. Starting your search from a library database not only helps you find great research, but also helps you avoid hitting paywalls by going through our library subscription instead. You can access these research tools on and off campus.

Suggested Databases

Every database has a different focus and offers a specialized collection of research. The following databases are recommended for all Sociology research topics.

Sociological Abstracts

Sociological Abstracts Links to an external site. is a collection of research resources in sociology and related social and behavioral sciences disciplines. This database is a gateway to literature in the field, including scholarly articles, reviews, dissertations, and more.

Check out the video below to learn how to use this database.

Scopus

Scopus Links to an external site.is a database that is multidisciplinary; it covers most fields of research (e.g., chemistry, sociology, political science, veterinary medicine, education, etc.). Unique to Scopus is that it only contains peer-reviewed Links to an external site. content. Often, students' research topics in SOC 3110 need to draw on literature outside of sociology, so Scopus can help you make sure you are bringing in important research done in other fields. In addition, Scopus keeps track of how many times articles have been cited, one indicator of their importance.

Check out the video below to learn how to use this database.

Other Databases

It's a good research practice to search in more than one place, and USU Libraries subscribes to a number of specialized databases focused on specific subjects and thematic areas.

You can explore all databases Links to an external site. or choose one of these popular ones for Sociology research depending on your topic:

What about Google Scholar?

Google Scholar can give you tons of results -- some of which are great, and some of which can miss the mark. If you want to use this database as a tool in your research toolkit, there's a few things to know.

One downside of Google Scholar is that you can't filter by source type. You can't get just articles, for example, and so you'll have books and other sources mixed in.

Another downside of Google Scholar is that there's no "peer-reviewed" filter. If you want to check to see if an article you find there is from a peer-reviewed journal, you'll have to check for yourself (luckily, we've got a how-to video Links to an external site. ready for you!).

One thing Google Scholar is great for is adding to your reference list once you've done some research. If you have an article you like, try searching it in Google Scholar. Click the "Cited By" button underneath the title. You'll then be taken to a list of articles published later that cited your original article.

Screenshot showing Google Scholar "cited by" feature

To learn more about Google Scholar, take a look at this guide Links to an external site.

 

Quick Check

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