Cultural Studies
From Simmons Library Research Guides
We have selected these resources to help you find relevant information on your research topic. Please contact a librarian for help using the resources listed in this guide or for help with your research process.
Contents |
Reference and Background Information
Use the Simmons Eresource called [http://0-refuniv.odyssi.com.library.simmons.edu/ Reference Universe] to search for information about your topic in all of our Reference sources.
or, search for Reference sources that contain information about your specific research topic here:
You may also consult the resources below for overviews of the topic that you have chosen to research. Use these resources to help you to put your topic in context and give you the big picture of what information exists about your topic. These resources may have bibliographies at the end of each entry that can help further your research.
- CultureGrams
Level 1 Reference GT150 .C85 2002
CultureGrams World Edition is divided into 4 volumes: The Americas; Europe; Africa; Asia & Oceania. The articles "give you a framework for understanding how other people live and think" (Intro., v). Reports are organized by country (for similar reports organized by cultural region see the Worldmark Encyclopedia). Each report covers a country's history and geography, climate, people, customs and trends, language and literature, arts and traditions, religion(s), world views, and more. Toward the back of each volume you will find Country Data Tables that include Capitals as well as Population, Area, and Development data, followed by a Glossary of Cultural Terms. This resource can be used by students doing country and cultural research as well as by teachers or instructors looking for material to help students prepare for debates, presentations, research papers, reports, etc.
- The Dictionary of Global Culture
Level 1 Reference CB9 .D53 1997
This is a collection of key terms from various global cultures, selected carefully to reflect an international, rather than a purely Western, perspective. Each entry is long and contains a detailed explanation of that terms cultural relevance. Users should note that it is not an easy text to search, while entries are organized alphabetically, there is no table of contents, no index, and little cross-referencing and entries can either be listed in English or in their native language.
- Dictionary of Race, Ethnicity and Culture
Level 1 Reference GN495.6 .D53 2003
This book is a dictionary of terms relating to race, ethnicity or culture, from aborigine to Zionism. Most entries are long in addition to a simple definition include a historical background and origin for each term as well as related social issues. There is also an index in the back of the text for quick searching and cross referencing.
- Encyclopedia of World Cultures
Level 1 Reference GN307 .E53
This ten volume set of encyclopedias are organized by region, and contain long and in-depth entries on various world cultures, including information on that cultures marriage practices, religious beliefs, demographics, linguistic affiliations, and more. Each volume also includes maps and indexed filmographies.
- The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy
Level 1 Reference AG5 .H757 2002 and Free Online
You can access this source three ways: in print form at the library, in e-book form through the library's web page, and free through Bartleby.com. No matter what format you use, this dictionary will help you learn about almost everything that has had an impact on our culture, from the Bible to technology. All of the definitions are categorized, making it easy to become fluent cultural subjects.
- Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life
Level 1 Reference GN333 .W67 1998
The encyclopedia explores the way of life of over 500 cultural groups worldwide. This resource focuses on the traditions, living conditions, and personalities of many of the world's culture groups, with emphasis on how people in these groups live today, rather than in the past.
Finding Articles
Below are suggested databases and indexes for articles on the topic that you have chosen to research. These databases include articles from newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals. Articles are shorter and more narrowly focused than books or reference materials so you should use them after you have narrowed your topic.
- Academic Search Complete
Simmons Eresource
Academic Search Complete is a great place to start your search for both popular and scholarly articles, no matter what your topic is! It contains journals from almost every topic and is designed specifically for academic institutions. It provides more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, 4,400 of which are peer-reviewed journals. This resource also features content as far back as 1865.
- Academic Onefile
Simmons Eresource
Academic Onefile contains 8,000 academic journals, the majority in full-text, available in HTML and PDF formats. In addition it contains hundreds of podcasts and transcripts from NPR, CNN, and the CBC.
- Expanded Academic ASAP
Simmons Eresource
From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access scholarly journals, news magazines, and newspapers - many with full text and images. Updated daily.
TIP: Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search!
- JSTOR
Simmons Eresource
JSTOR offers both multidisciplinary and discipline-specific collections. Provides full-text backfiles of many core scholarly journals, some dating back to the 1800s. However, JSTOR is not the database for current issues as it focuses on older journals.
- Project MUSE
Simmons Eresource
Offers nearly 250 quality journal titles from 40 scholarly publishers. As one of the academic community's primary electronic periodicals resources, Project MUSE covers the fields of literature and criticism, history, the visual and performing arts, cultural studies, education, political science, gender studies, economics, and many others. Project MUSE is setting the standard for scholarly electronic journals in the humanities and social science.
- Social Sciences Index
Simmons E-resource
A database of abstracts and full-text articles from several social science publications. Updated weekly.
- Sociological Abstracts
Simmons Eresource
A key resource for finding published research in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. The database draws information from an international selection of over 2,600 journals and other serial publications, plus conference papers, books, and dissertations. Use the Advanced Search for a more precise search.
- Social Science Citation Index -- ISI Web of Science
Simmons Eresource
This resource finds article citations and abstracts from almost two thousand scholarly journals related to the social sciences, and the fields that make up the social sciences, such as economics and political science.
Note: Full text of the cited articles is not available through Social Science Citation Index. Click the link that says "Check for Full-Text Availability" to determine if the library has access to the article. Remember, if we do not have the entire article, it can be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Searching the Web
Simmons librarians have created a customized search engine that allows you
to find Cultural Studies information on the free web.
Use this Cultural Studies Google Custom Search Engine box to search all select, quality free web sites at the
same time:
You may also wish to go directly to, or bookmark, the Cultural Studies Google Custom Search Engine
Tips for Searching the Internet:
- Use the advanced search function, which is available from most search engines:
- Google - See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Ask - Click "Advanced." See also "Advanced Search Tips"
- Live (MSN) - See also "Options"
- Exalead - See also "Exalead FAQ"
- Yahoo! Search
- Limit your search to .edu and .gov sites. These often provide quality research, statistics, and commentary. Sites ending in .org often have good information, too, but are likely to espouse a strong stance or bias on the issues they cover and may not be objective.
- Try Scandoo, which presents search results from Google, Yahoo! Search, or Live (MSN) with an evaluation about the objectivity, credibility, and overall reliability of the site.
- Consider using a directory of pre-screened, annotated sites:
Writing Style and Citation
For more information on style and citation for this discipline, please contact the Simmons College Writing Center
You may also consider consulting these resources:
- Writing Resources
Free Online
The Writing Center provides online resources for citing your research. If you are unsure of which citation style to use, consult your professor and consider the following:- Use APA (American Psychological Association) when your topic is in the Social Sciences
- Use ASA (American Sociological Association) when your topic is in Sociology
- Use MLA (Modern Language Association) when your topic is in the Humanities
- Use Chicago/Turabian when your topic is in Literature, History or the Arts
- Use CSE (Council of Science Editors) when your topic is in the Sciences
- RefWorks
Simmons Eresource
RefWorks is a great program for organizing articles, books, and other materials you need for research. You can also use RefWorks to create bibliographies, create in text citations in your paper (Write-N-Cite), and share your research with others. Access RefWorks from the A-Z list of resources on the library's web page, and then follow the instructions to create your own username and password. We hold RefWorks Clinics throughout the semester. For more information, ask a reference librarian
