Gender 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
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.
- About Gender
Free Online
About Gender is a website dedicated to the "non-directive, non-judgmental and non-political" study of gender. Sponsored by a non-profit publishing group, Derby TV/TS Group, About Gender includes well-cited articles ranging from the general to the specific, focusing on such aspects of gender studies as Psychoanalysis, Psychology, Genetics, Neurobiology, Ethology, etc. It is a project in development, so not all sections have content. In addition to numerous research papers, there are also glossaries, bibliographies for further reading (see The Bookshelf), as well as links for further research.
- Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender
Level 1 Reference HQ16 .E52 2007
The articles in this four-volume work explore the interconnections and differences between the concepts "sex" and "gender." It is intended as a work of general reference and is suited to all audiences, from the novice to the expert. Entries, covering topics such as Advertising, G.I. Joe and Virginia Woolf, range from one to several pages long, are cross-referenced and include extensive bibliographies. An alphabetical list of articles, author credentials and a thematic outline are included in volume 1. Volume 4 features an index.
- Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender
Level 1 Reference HQ1115 .E43 2001
This two volume encyclopedia deals with sex similarities and differences and the impact of society on gender. The articles are written by experts in the field and may be of particular interest to those professionals working in nursing, social work, medicine, and law. This resource focuses on the psychology of women and gender, with articles discussing many issues such as public policy, social justice, etc.
TIP: Most entries include glossaries, charts, tables, graphs, and more, including detailed bibliographies of both books and articles for further reading.
- gender INN
Free Online
This is a database where you can locate books and essay collections pertaining to feminist theory, feminist literary criticism, and gender studies focusing on British and American literature. Also included here are works of feminist literature on pedagogy, sociology, history, and psychology. NOTE: Journal articles are only included in special cases. Do a basic or advanced keyword search to find titles that, in some cases, date all the way back to 1910. To see if Simmons own a particular book do a Title search in our catalog or check Worldcat here.
TIP: You can see a list of the keywords you can use by selecting Advanced Query and then clicking on Use the Index.
- GenderStats: Database of Gender Statistics
Free Online
Sponsored by the World Bank's Gender and Development Group, "The purpose of this database is to provide a one-stop source of statistics and indicators disaggregated by gender." To use the site, first select a region or country from their drop-down menu, and then pull up specific statistics relating to thematic data such as opportunity, empowerment, vulnerability, or education, among many others. The database provides useful external links; ways to compare multiple countries and regions side by side; and the ability to export data into Excel or other spreadsheet software.
TIP: If you want to find one specific statistic, and not have to read through an entire chart, select Data Query Systems, and follow the steps!
- International Handbook on Gender Roles
Level 1 Reference HQ1075 .I58 1993
This volume is a collection of essays by native authors about their country's gender roles. Organized alphabetically by country, each essay is broken up into sections corresponding to different life stages (childhood, adulthood, etc.) to better compare the differing circumstances of each gender at those times. Each entry also contains a list of relevant citations for further research, and other useful statistical guides or materials.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- About Gender
Free Online
About Gender is a website dedicated to the "non-directive, non-judgmental and non-political" study of gender. Sponsored by a non-profit publishing group, Derby TV/TS Group, About Gender includes well-cited articles ranging from the general to the specific, focusing on such aspects of gender studies as Psychoanalysis, Psychology, Genetics, Neurobiology, Ethology, etc. It is a project in development, so not all sections have content. In addition to numerous research papers, there are also glossaries, bibliographies for further reading (see The Bookshelf), as well as links for further research.
- LGBT Life
Simmons Eresource
The database includes comprehensive indexing and abstract coverage as well as a specialized LGBT Thesaurus containing over 6,400 terms. Full text content available includes The Advocate, Gay Parent Magazine, Girlfriends, GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian & Gay Studies, James White Review, ISNA News, Ladder, Lesbian Tide, New York Blade, ONE, Tangents, Washington Blade, and many more.
- 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 Gender Studies information on the free web.
Use this Gender 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 Gender 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
