Seminal Works
Seminal works are influential and groundbreaking studies that introduce important ideas or theories within a particular field. They are also known as landmark or pivotal studies, and are often frequently cited in other works.
Seminal works can:
- Offer a paradigm shift for the topic
- Open an entirely new research area
- Establish the background of a problem
- Connect current research to past research
- Offer the origin of theories, terms, and frameworks
- Create a higher level of understanding in the field
Seminal Works in Academic Search Complete
Select "References Available" on search screen
Look at "Times Cited in this Database"
Lists of Landmark Studies
Do a Google search for landmark studies in ____ (your topic)
Look for a list of the top cited papers on your topic
Copy the citation of the most cited - and relevant - sounding article and then search for it in Google scholar
Seminal Works in Google Scholar
Databases with strong sociological holdings
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowHas a little bit about everything also you can limit to "references" to find out how many times an article has been cited
- Sociological Collection This link opens in a new windowAll areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture and social structure.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowOur most comprehensive database. You can limit your results to the field of Sociology.
- Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new windowIncludes newspapers, magazines, and journals of the ethnic and minority press, providing researchers access to essential, often overlooked perspectives.
- Family & Society Studies Worldwide This link opens in a new windowTopics of Family Science, Human Ecology, Human Development, and Social Welfare.
- Education Research Complete This link opens in a new windowAll levels of education from early childhood to higher education, and all educational specialties, such as multilingual education, health education, and testing.
Search Tips
1. Use only the most essential keywords in our databases - NOT entire sentences
2. If you are not finding enough sources, consider using the alternate terms suggested by the databases
3. Seminal works are often older, so you may not locate them within the last 5-10 years
4. You can limit sources to "scholarly journals" and "peer-reviewed" to get the most authoritative sources
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