Librarian
Tying In Your Major
Find databases that may help you connect your research to your major. Search using keywords related to your topic and this semester's theme.
Using this Guide
This guide was intended to direct you to resources relevant to your ENG 104 assignments this semester. Source annotations provide information and tell how a source might be useful for a given type of topic.
- Use the Researching Other Topics box for database suggestions for your broad topic area. The topics come from the running list of topics your professor gave you.
- If you want to tie your topic to your major, see the Tying In Your Major box in the lower left column of this page. The links will take you to a list of databases related to different subject areas.
Tip: See the Database Search Strategy tab in the left column to discover a research method that will help you improve your database searches.
Researching Altruism, Empathy, Civility, and Rule Following
The theme of your assignments this semester is prosocial behavior which is being defined as behavior that benefits society. According to the Research Paper assignment your professor created, this will involve looking at arguments concerning altruism, civility, and rule following. The databases listed below are a good place to start.
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowThis database provides access to reference sources such as encyclopedias. Encyclopedia articles can be a great place to start because they give you a basic understanding of the topic which is beneficial at this stage. This database has many authoritative articles on/ or related to prosocial behavior, altruism, empathy, etc. which discuss what these terms mean, their origins in human behavior, and their function and benefits in society. To limit to encyclopedias select "reference library" under "by content set" in the left column of the results list and press "submit".
- APA PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new windowAlthough this is a subject specific database, it will be helpful for many other topics too from a psychological perspective. It will be helpful for researching the psychological aspects empathy altruism, and the effects of social media on society.
- APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new windowAlthough this does not have the text for all of the articles, it searches across more journals than APA PsycARTICLES.
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowGood for researching these topics from sociological standpoint. The database indexes mostly peer reviewed journals and provides a lot of full text. The peer reviewed limit can be found in the left column on the results list.
- Philosopher's Index This link opens in a new windowExplore what philosophy and religion have to say about these topics. The text for many articles is included on the results list. When it is not, look for the blue MultiLink button.
Researching Other Topics
Note: The databases above will also be useful for some of the topics below, so consult them as well.
Any Topic
The two databases immediately below will be useful for research on any these topics. So consider them along with the ones below them.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowHas a lot of full text and covers a lot of subject areas. If you need peer reviewed journals click on the database's results list and select "Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals" from the left hand column of the results list.
- JSTOR This link opens in a new windowLike Academic Search Complete, this database covers many topics. All of its articles come from scholarly or peer reviewed sources.
Biology/ Sciences
- Biological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowGood for questions related to a biological understanding of prosocial behavior. Use the blue MultiLink button to find the text for the articles. Sometimes there is a "Free Full Text from Publisher" button. The articles are predominately from peer reviewed journals.
Business
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new windowResearch how marketers attract socially conscious consumers, business sustainability, the affect of boycotts and other social efforts on company behavior. You might start with a broad searches like, "socially conscious consumers," "sustainability," or "boycotts."
Criminal Justice
- PAIS International This link opens in a new windowThis database allows you to discover articles related to a variety of public policy issues, including prison and justice reform. Use the blue MultiLink button on the results list to locate the text of articles. The "peer reviewed" limit can be found in the left column of your results list.
- National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Virtual Library This link opens in a new windowThis key database for Criminal Justice and Criminology may be useful for topics related to prison and justice reform. The database has a fair number of articles with text available from within the database. When the text is not available, click on the "find a library" button below the article record and then the green "continue" button. Next select "Stay on www.worldcat.org" and then "MultiLink BSU."
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowSince sociology studies human interaction, this database will allow you to find articles about topics related criminal justice and criminology.
Education
- ERIC (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowExplore questions such as "does teaching empathy work?" and "does multicultural education prepare teachers for the classroom?". You will find the peer reviewed limit in the left column. Although there is some full text in the database, you will need to use the blue MultiLink button on the results list to find the text of some articles. Like many databases, ERIC includes subject headings or descriptors. Look at the "descriptors" in an articles record for good terms which you can use to revise your search.
Initiatives designed to promote empathy/awareness/change
The databases in the Researching Altruism, Empathy, Civility, and Rule Following box above will be helpful for this topic too.
- America: History & Life This link opens in a new windowResearch the history of the civil right's and other human right movements in the U.S. Also learn more about the important figures in these movements as well as the historical context. This database contains a variety of materials, not all of it is peer reviewed. Select "academic journals" under "source types" in the left column of the results list. Doing so enhances the chances of finding peer reviewed articles.
- History Reference Center This link opens in a new windowThis would be useful for researching activities which did not occur in the U.S. and for looking at trends worldwide. Also learn more about the important figure in these movements as well as the historical context. This database has a variety of sources. Checking "academic journals" under "source types" in the left column of the results list will enhance the possibility of finding peer reviewed journals.
- Nexis Uni This link opens in a new windowNewspaper articles and editorials may be helpful for this topic. NexisUni includes the text articles from newspapers around the world. Search for news about a particular organization or search for editorials related a social issue. To limit to editorials click on "all Nexis Uni" on the left side of the larger search box, select "news" and then Editorials & Opinions under "article type."
Public Health and Safety
- MEDLINE with Full Text This link opens in a new windowContains articles that address both the health and social aspects of public health crisis. Selecting "academic journals" will enhance the possibility of finding articles in peer reviewed journals.
- America: History & Life This link opens in a new windowFind articles related to the history of public health crisis like the 1918 flu epidemic. See also Historical Abstracts. This database contains a variety of materials, not all of it is peer reviewed. Select "academic journals" under "source types" in the left column of the results list. Doing so enhances the chances of finding peer reviewed articles.
- Historical Abstracts (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowResearch topics related to public health crisis in world history. Select "academic journals" under "source types" in the left column of the results list. Doing so enhances the chances of finding peer reviewed articles.
Social Media Influence
- APA PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new windowThis database, along with APA PsycARTICLES will provide articles that relate to psychological aspects of social media use, social media addiction, and their affect on human behavior. You might consider using a specific social media platform (e.g. Twitter, Facebook) as a search term.
- Sociological Abstracts This link opens in a new windowThis database will assist you in locating articles about social media as it relates to sociology. You may want to select "peer reviewed" below the search box in this database. Selecting "scholarly journals" under "source type" in the left column of the results list will enhances the chances of finding peer reviewed articles. You might consider using a specific social media platform (e.g. Twitter, Facebook) as a search term.
- Communication & Mass Media Complete This link opens in a new windowUseful for topics related social media and communication style, and social media use. Selecting "academic journals" under "source types" in the left column of the results list will enhance the chances of finding peer reviewed articles. You might consider using a specific social media platform (e.g. Twitter, Facebook) as a search term.