Library Guides: Sociology: Starting Points

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At the library homepage the default search box will search hundreds of databases (see what's included). The online library catalog is called Oskicat and provides specifics about items in the physical collections and access points for digital resources. Melvyl searches libraries in the entire UC system, and also returns citations from a range of databases.

Journal Article Indexes and Collections

Sociological Abstracts
Indexes journals, books, dissertations, and reviews in the social sciences on sociological topics as well as selected anthropology, criminology, demography, law, social psychology, and urban development. [1952 - present]
Social Sciences Citation Index (Web of Knowledge)
Citations for journal articles spanning all Social Science disciplines; provides searching of footnoted citations. Specify Social Science Citation Index search only by deselecting other Indexes in "Limits". [1956 - present]

Indexes over 1,700 journals spanning 50 disciplines, as well as covering individually selected items from over 3,300 of the world's leading scientific and technical journals, and provides searching of footnoted citations. For more guidance on using this database see the following tutorials: Saving your search & setting alerts
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Online version of the 2015 edition of the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (IESBS).

The electronic version of the 26 volume IESBS set published in 2015. IESBS contains over 3900 articles spread over a broad list of subject areas, including psychology, neurology, evolution, artificial intelligence and human/computer interaction. For each subject, the focus is on “history, current trends, and future directions."
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences (IBSS)
Index of publications in the fields of economics, political science, sociology and anthropology from over 100 countries. [1981 - present]

More than 70 languages are represented, with 30% percent of records published in languages other than English.
Social Theory
Full text books and articles on the nature of social behavior and organization, by theorists such as Jean Baudrillard, Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Talcott Parsons, Mary Wollstonecraft and many others.

Features 48,300 pages of content by such major theorists as Jean Baudrillard, Ulrich Beck, Howard Becker, Nancy Chodorow, Emile Durkheim, Norbert Elias, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Erving Goffman, Karl Marx, Robert Merton, and Talcott Parsons, Mary Wollstonecraft and others. An advanced search interface allows sophisticated textual analyses of the included text.
EconLit
Indexing and abstracting for international economic journal articles, books, dissertations, book reviews, and working papers. [1969 - present]

The most comprehensive index to scholarly journal articles in economics. It also lists books and dissertations, and indexes articles within 'collective works' (books consisting of collections of essays or individual papers). Most citations include a searchable abstract.
JSTOR
Full-text access to over 1000 scholarly journals, including more than 2 million articles, from a wide range of disciplines. Current issues from journals (the most recent 3-5 years) are generally not available in JSTOR. [dates vary]

For more sophisticated search capabilities, go directly to JSTOR advanced search.

Connecting from Off Campus

You can access UCB Library resources from off campus using one of two simple methods:

Proxy Server
After you make a one-time change in your web browser settings, the proxy server will ask you to log in with a CalNet ID or Library PIN when you click on the link to a licensed resource. See the setup instructions, FAQ, and Troubleshooting pages to configure your browser.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)
After you install and run the VPN "client" software on your computer, you can log in with a CalNet ID to establish a secure connection with the campus network.

Definitions, Reference and the Annual Review

The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology by Bryan S. Turner (Editor)
Call Number: HM425.C36 2006 Doe Library Reference Hall
ISBN: 052183290X
Publication Date: 2006-08-14
The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology by George Ritzer (Editor)
Call Number: HM425.B53 2007 Doe Library Reference Hall
ISBN: 1405124334
Publication Date: 2007-01-23

Annual Review of Sociology
Compiles essays on significant developments in the field.

Campus Library Map

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Doe, Main Stacks, and Moffitt Library floorplans

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Statistics

Ready to use statistical sources, some with simple table and map creation functions. See also our guide for data and digital scholarship.

American Factfinder (U.S. Census Bureau)
Data from the US Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, the Economic Census, and more. (American Fact Finder)

"Searchable database used to find online source for accessing population, housing, economic and geographic data from the from the U.S. Census, including the Census of Population and Housing and the American Community Survey. After the 2000 census, the detailed census ""long form"" was replaced by the American Community Survey, a sample distributed to about 3% of households annually, as compared to the decennial census long form which went to 1 in 6 households every 10 years. The current version of American Factfinder contains 2010 and 2000 census data only. Historical versions of the census in PDF may be found on the Historical Census of Population and Housing site

. Selected historical tables and maps are also available from the Historical Census Browser at the University of Virginia. Current and historical census and mapping data is also available in an easy-to-use format via the commercial database Social Explorer
Statistical Abstract of the United States (ProQuest)
A comprehensive collection of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States, 1878 to present.

The United States Statistical Abstract (aka Stat Ab) is useful both as a convenient source for statistical reference, and as a guide to sources of more information, in print and on the Web (when available). Sources include the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, and many other Federal agencies and private organizations. Prior to 2012, the Stat Ab was provided free of charge. In 2012, Congress cancelled funding and ProQuest has continued producing the Stat Ab.
Data Planet
Provides easy access to a wide variety of economic, social, political, and marketing indicators. (DataPlanet - Data-Planet - Statistical Datasets)

Offers easy access to over 5,550 data sets from over 65 source providers and 16 subject categories, including banking, criminal justice, education,energy, food and agriculture, government, health, housing and construction,industry and commerce, labor and employment, natural resources and environment, income, cost of living, stocks, transportation, and more. Sources of data include federal, local, state and international governments and organizations. Allows for customization of the data by selecting subjects, and the ability to view your data in side-by-side tables, charts and maps. Also available to search using a ready reference interface.
Social Science Electronic Data Library (SSEDL)
Social science and health data archives plus an online data analysis system, covering a range of topics including AIDS, the disabled, the American family, aging, maternal drug use, child poverty, and alternative medicine. (Sociometrics Social Science Electronic Data Library)

A collection of more than 200 health and social science data sets. Also includes several teaching modules intended to demonstrate social science theories, concepts and hypothesis testing.

Jim Ronningen

Email Me

Contact:

Doe Library
(510) 642-4400 x1

Subjects:Demography, Journalism, Peace and Conflict Studies, Sociology

Secondary menu

Sociology: Starting Points

Introduction