Feminism
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.
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Reference and Background Information
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.
- The Dictionary of Feminist Theory
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .H86 1995
A dictionary that discusses concepts in contemporary feminist thought and feminist thinkers, examining topics such as Christian Feminism, Consciousness-Raising, Family Wage, First Wave, Matriarchy, Pornography, and Sexual Politics. Entries range from 35 words to 500 words, and includes bibliography.
- Documents from the Women's Liberation Movement
Free Online
An online archive that documents various aspects of the Women's Liberation Movement within the United States, specifically focusing on the radical movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Researcher may search by subject categories or by keywords. Subjects within this collection vary, ranging from theoretical writings, to plays, to the minutes of an actual grassroots group.
- Encyclopedia of Feminist Theories
Simmons Eresource
A multidisciplinary guide to the major ideas of feminist thought.
- A Feminist Dictionary
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .K73 1985
A reference source that defines feminist terminology and feminist meanings assigned to other words. A Feminist Dictionary is useful as a dictionary, as well as a historical document, which illustrates themes in the women's movement over the past 200 years and will serve as an excellent source for quotations.
- Feminist Theory Website
Free Online
This website provides research materials and information focused around women's conditions and struggles internationally. Sectioned into three parts, the site discusses various fields within feminist theory, different forms of national and ethic feminisms, and individual feminists. This site is updated and expanded regularly.
- Greenwood Encyclopedia of Women's Issues Worldwide
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .G74 2003
An encyclopedia that provides an overview of the issues faced by women in particular geographical areas. These areas are arranged into six geographical regions: Asia and Oceania, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, North America and the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Historical Dictionary of Feminism
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .B65 2004
Use this source to find detailed definitions of the people, ideas, and events that helped shape feminism's history. There are terms that one easily associates with feminism, such as abortion, but there are also definitions of concepts and people not commonly associated with feminism, such as Karl Marx and the Social Security Act. Almost all definitions are cross referenced, and there is a detailed chronology, acronym guide, and extensive bibliography for additional information.
- Historical Dictionary of Feminist Philosophy
Level 1 Reference HQ1190 .G36 2006
Provides definitions of key feminist concepts and people, such as separatism and radical feminism, and defines them according to the philosophies of the Feminist Movement. The definitions discuss many areas of philosophy and contemporary culture, and define them clearly and with a great deal of detail and analysis.
- Political and Historical Encyclopedia of Women
Level 1 Reference HQ1236.5.E85 E52 2003
This scholarly text is split into three sections: "Are Women Capable of Governing?"; "The Age of Revolutions"; and "Struggles for Democracy." Within these sections are lengthy essays discussing the different issues surrounding these topics.
- The Routledge Critical Dictionary of Feminism and Postfeminism
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .R68 2000
This reference work is partially a dictionary of feminism related terms, concepts, and people. But it is also a critical reader of many feminist subject areas, and provides in depth analysis of subject areas such as Feminism and Film. Key terms appear are in bold print so that the user can look them up in the dictionary portion of this book.
- Significant Contemporary American Feminists: A Biographical Sourcebook
Level 1 Reference HQ1412 .S56 1999
Provides biographical information, historical analysis, and detailed bibliographic information about fifty important feminists such as Alice Walker and Betty Friedan. This is an excellent source to start researching important feminists, because of the many different books and articles it suggests for further reading.
- Supreme Court Cases on Gender and Sexual Equality
Level 1 Reference KF4758.A7 A96 2002
A source rather self explanatory by title, this reference book documents Supreme Court Cases on the subject of gender and sexual equality from years 1787 to 2001. Contents are split into section, such as Civil and Social Rights and Duties, Sexual Harassment and Violence, and Other Gender and Sexual Orientation Cases. Includes a helpful appendix of The Constitution of the United States of America, as well as a table of cases, bibliography, and keyword index.
- VoS Gender and Sexuality
Free Online
VoS stands for The Voice of the Shuttle and is a resource for anyone doing research on Gender and Sexuality. VoS is sponsored by the English Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara. It acts as a directory for finding reputable, free online resources related to gender and sexuality. There are sections that deal specifically with:
- The site is an index to encyclopedias, websites, teaching resources, journals and zines, and much more.
- Women and Social Movements in the United States 1600-2000
Simmons Eresource
"This Worldwide Web site is intended to serve as a resource for students and scholars of U.S. history and U.S. women's history. Organized around the history of women in social movements in the U.S. between 1600 and 2000, the website seeks to advance scholarly debates and understanding at the same time that it makes the insights of women's history accessible to teachers and students at universities, colleges, and high schools." The site brings together books, images, documents, scholarly essays, commentaries, and bibliographies that document women’s reform activities.
- Women’s Issues
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .W6425 1997
This is an encyclopedia which contains articles on a wide variety of topics, including terms, personages, organizations, historical events and contemporary women’s issues. Though the focus is women in the United States, many entries provide a Canadian perspective.
- The Women's Movement Today: An Encyclopedia of Third-Wave Feminism
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .W644 2006
This two-volume work examines the newest voices of the feminist movement. Volume one is comprised of essays on topics ranging from Asian American Feminism to Zines. Volume two contains primary documents published throughout the 1990's and early 2000's that outline the rise and varying facets of Third Wave feminism. Indexes, a list of sources and thematic topic groupings are provided.
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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.
- Contemporary Women's Issues
Simmons Eresource
This resource focuses on a range of topics relevant to women's studies and issues including pay and gender equity, reproductive rights, health, family life, politics, and more. The database searches more than 2000 resources from non-profit groups as well as government and international agencies in 150 countries.
TIP: Use the Advanced Search to combine search terms and set limits on publication year, geographic regions, or publication types (reports, newsletters, bibliographies, fact sheets, etc).
- GenderWatch
Simmons Eresource
GenderWatch is a full text database of unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With its archival material, dating back to 1970 in some cases, GenderWatch is a repository of an important historical perspective on the evolution of the women's movement and the changes in gender roles. Publications include scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, and NGO, government and special reports.
TIP: Click on the 'Continue' button to begin searching or choose one of the hyperlinks on the right for more information.
- Viva: a Bibliography of Women's History in Historical and Women's Studies Journals
Free Online
Viva is a current bibliography of women's and gender history in historical and women's studies journals. Articles in English, French, German, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages are selected from 180 European, American, Canadian, Asian, Australian and New Zealand journals. Sponsored by the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, this free database contains a bibliography of titles from 1975 to 2006.
Search tips:
- Enter search terms by clicking "Search" in the left-hand column. From here you can also select Advanced Search, which allows you to limit your search by time period.
- Articles can be browsed by year of publication from 1995-2006.
- To see if Simmons has access to these articles, search for the "Journal Title" using the online catalog.
- Studies on Women Abstracts
Level 1 Reference Ref HQ1180 .S78
This sixteen volume reference set includes abstracts of articles written about all aspects of women's studies, from medical articles to literary criticism to world and domestic politics, as well as a great deal of other important topics.
- Women Studies Abstracts
Level 1 Reference Ref HQ1180 .W6
This is a quarterly publication that lists abstracts of scholarly and popular articles pertaining to all women's studies related topics, such as abortion rights and science and technology. The Simmons College Library collection ranges from 1974-2004.This is a great resource for assistance with researching important women's studies issues.
- Women's Studies Index
Level 1 Reference HQ1180 .W65
Discontinued in 2002, the Women's Studies Index is better for doing historical research than it is for finding current articles. It indexes both popular and scholarly articles focusing on issues of concern to women from more than 70 periodicals. Search by author or subject all in one convenient alphabetical list.
TIP: The Index includes numerous references to book reviews that can be used as a handy bibliography for gender studies resources.
- 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.
Searching the Web
Simmons librarians have created a customized search engine that allows you
to find Feminism information on the free web.
Use this Feminism 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 Feminism 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
