searching sociology databases (sc2205 sociology of family)

Hayati AbdulResource Librarian (Sociology)

NUS Librariesclbha@nus.edu.sg

ObjectivesTo show you how to :

Conduct a search for scholarly materials via Sociology databases

Scopus Sociological Abstracts

Access E-NewspapersFactivaLexisNexis Academic

Search catalogue, LINC

OutlineSources for ResearchSearch Strategy

Boolean Operators & more

Search Databases, E-NewspapersLINCGetting Help

Scholarly journalsEvaluate Sources

Interpret References

Sources of information

Scholarly JournalsResearch

type

Mostly original

Article selection

Authors

Intended audience

Writing style

Appearance

References

Purpose

Academics,researchers,graduates &

undergraduates

Academics & researchers in the field

“Peer reviewed“ by scholars

Make original research available

to scholarly world

Contain bibliographies, footnotes & works cited

Serious withgraphs, charts

to illustrate concepts

Full of terminology,

Formal

Evaluate Sources

• Author’s experience• Any institutional affiliation?

Is it a reputable publisher, society or association?

• Methods of research?• Are there means to verify the data?

Is there a range of viewpoints to support / reinforce arguments ?

Is it the latest? How frequent is the update?

• Peer reviewed• how often has it be cited by others?

Scholarly publication

7 evaluationcriteria Authority

& credibility of sources

Academic merit of sources

Accuracy of factual information

Comprehensiveness of information

Relevance of information

Currency of information

Is it relevant to your topic/subject?

Interpret referencesJournal article

Teo, Y. 2010. "Shaping the Singapore family, producing the state and society." Economy and Society 39(3):337-359.

Article title

Author

Journal title

Year

Volume(issue no.)Pages

Interpret referencesBook chapter

Chan, P.C.W. 2010. "Shared values of Singapore: sexual minority rights as Singaporean value“. Pp. 9-26 in Protection of sexual minorities since Stonewall: progress and stalemate in developed and developing countries , edited by Phil C.W. Chan. London: Routledge.

Author ofBook chapter

Publication year

Title of book chapterPages

Sourcetitle

Place ofpublication

Source editor

PublisherPublisher

Boolean OperatorsTruncation

Parentheses

Build your searchList keywords, synonyms to describe your topic:

E.g. Challenges of parenting among single dadssingle dad = single fatherparenting= nurture, child rearing, parenthood

Refine or broaden search using:Boolean operatorsTruncation/wildcard featuresParentheses ( )

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Boolean operators AND

OR

NOT

Single fathers parenting

family life family structure

Parenting

styles

Academic outcomes

Both terms must appear

Both terms must appear

One term may appearbut not the other

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AND

O R

(To narrow search)

(To broaden search)

TruncationFor variation in spelling

blog** =bloggingging, bloggergers, blogs s parent** = parenthoodhood, parentinging, parentss

Note: Different databases use different wildcard symbols examples:

$ ? !$ ? !Check database guides, help menu...

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Parentheses ( )Use ( ) for grouping words or phrases that are to be processed first, examples:

((low income OR single)) AND families

= low income families single parent families

((teen** OR adolescenadolescen*)*) AND pregnancy

= teenage pregnancy adolescent pregnancy

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SCOPUSSOCIOLOGICAL ABSTRACTS

Several ways to access databases from Library Portal

Sociology Databases

MultidisciplinaryIndexing database (no full text)Usually offers links to full text Good design, useful tools and easy to useCan search across Sociological Abstracts

Scopus

April 12, 2023 17

Let’s searchSingle mum versus single dad!Who makes a better a parent?

single father,single mother

children

single father AND single mother AND parent* AND children

parent*

Search Scopus

Enter Search terms

Select Social Sciences

Scopus Search Results

View full-text

Check source title in LINC

View abstract via

Sociological Abstracts

Click to sort by relevance

May refine results by Source, Author, Year, Document type, Subject Area

Output ResultsOutput selected records

Mark

Records

Create Bibliography - QuickBib

Create a Bibliography - QuickBib

Let’s searchAsian values and

state of the Singapore family

Asian values, cultural values

singapore

(asian values OR cultural values OR social values )

AND family AND singapore

family

Search Scopus

Let’s search…Unpaid work, such as caring for children and

housework, is often the women’s responsibility. Why?

unpaid work,

unpaid labour

women AND (unpaid work OR unpaid labour) AND

(caring AND children) OR childcare

childcare

caringwomen children

Let’s search

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Tips for searching ScopusBasic Search

Search defaults to Article title, Abstract & Keywords fields Refine results to narrow search.Combine via Search HistoryIntegration with CSA databases including

Sociological Abstracts

Select to read abstract via Sociological Abstracts where you may continue to search.

Advanced SearchAdvanced Search Command Line search not really recommended.

Sociology Databases Sociological Abstracts

Good for literature review in SociologyProvides indexes & abstracts to journal articles, book chapters, conference papers & dissertations.Coverage, 1979-

Culture, social structure, social differentiation, social psychology, sociology of the arts, business, education, studies in violence and power …

Search LINC for full-texts

Let’s searchDiscuss the ways in which globalization

affects family life?

globali*

family life

globali*AND family life

Ways to access Sociological Abstracts

Access Sociological Abstracts

Search Sociological Abstracts

Enter search terms

Can search by specific field e.g.

keyword from drop-down list

Sociological Abstracts Search Results

Sort by relevance

View full record

Mark Records

Output selected records

Results displayed by publication types

Full Record

Check publication type

Search source title in LINC

Descriptors are subject headings

Let’s search…For better or for worse:

young adults’ perceptions on marriage and social well-being

well-being

marriage

marriage AND well-being AND young adults

young adults

Let’s search…

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Advanced SearchAdvanced SearchRecommended for complex searchesUse Boolean operators from the drop-down listsUse drop-down menus to select specific fields:

Anywhere, Keywords, Author, Title, Descriptors…Check for relevant keywords to help refine search

Quick SearchQuick Search Recommended for searching single words or phrasesSearches for terms occurring anywhere including reference if availableEnter Boolean operators & parentheses in search box.

Search Tips for Sociological Abstracts

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Search Tips for Sociological AbstractsLimitsLimits

By date, latest update, journal articles, language

Search resultsDisplayed by All Publication TypesMay sort by Most recent or or Relevance

To refocus searchSelect Edit Search

QuickBibCreate bibliography in ASA, APA styles…

FactivaLexisNexis Academic

Ways to access Factiva or LexisNexis Academic

E-NewspapersFactiva

To search for/browse:Local, international or global news stories on a daily basis, or by selecting particular dates

New York Times, Asian Wall Street Journal, Bangkok Post…

Stories from a specific news source e.g. Straits Times…News stories by subjects (e.g. equity markets, airlines, investment analysis, international news feedsLatest headlines from a selected country’s newspapers.

Let’s searchThe impact of Singapore’s

family-oriented policies on the individual

pro-family,family

oriented

singapore

(pro family OR family oriented)AND (government OR polic*) AND

singapore

government, polic*

Search Factiva

Factiva Search Results

LexisNexis Academic News

English and non-English language newspapers and news magazines, TV and radio program transcripts, wire services, blogs, trade publications, and public opinion research.

Legal informationBusiness information:

Directories, trade publications, industry research reports, etc.

Country information Country risk reports, BBC news summaries, Global Insight, etc.

Let’s searchWhat can the state do to bring about

higher rates of marriage and childbearing?

fertility, births,

marriage

singapore

( fertility OR births OR marriage)AND government AND singapore

government

LexisNexis Academic - Easy Search

LexisNexis Search Results

LexisNexis Full-text

LexisNexis – News Search

LexisNexis – News Search

LexisNexis – News Search

LexisNexis Results List

News Search – Full-text

Why Cite?Subject Guides

FAQLION

American Sociological Association Citation Style

GuidesAmerican Sociological Association. ASA style guideQuick style guide for students writing Sociology papersA guide to writing Sociology papers

Show research done

Help readers verify your Help readers verify your claimsclaims

Backup your Backup your argumentsarguments

Acknowledge intellectual debt

Why Why Cite?Cite?

Subject Guides

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