From Research Question to Keywords
Search Databases
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Start by searching for scholarly articles using your original keywords in one of the databases listed below.
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Refine your results by limiting them to "full-text" and articles published within the last 15 years.
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Run the search again in the same database, but this time incorporate synonyms or related terms, using "OR" to connect them.
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Expand your search by trying different keyword combinations in other databases.
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Use "cite forward" in Google Scholar or ScienceDirect to find newer articles that have cited the ones you found.
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Citation mine by checking the reference lists of recent articles for additional relevant sources.
Databases:
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowThis is a generalist database and it has some sources for almost any topic
- Sociological Collection This link opens in a new windowSociological Collection offers information in all areas of sociology, including social behavior, human tendencies, interaction, relationships, community development, culture and social structure.
- Google ScholarGoogle Scholar has a vast collection of articles, however it lacks a peer-review filter, unlike library databases.
To find related, newer research in Google Scholar:
Find a useful article.
Click "Cited by" beneath it. This lists articles that cite your original article.
Select an article from this list. It's likely relevant and builds on your original article's research.
- 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.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowThis database also has sources on every possible topic, and provides the option to limit to just "Sociology" articles only
