The following library databases are excellent resources for finding journal articles containing reports of sociological research studies (original research). Remember to look out for the terminology and features typically found in these reports: Method; Sample; Charts & Graphs; Results; Discussion; and References. You can also find magazine articles in Academic Search Premier and the Social Sciences (Proquest).
Sociology, social work, human services, criminal justice, anthropology, and cultural studies. Peer-reviewed journals, magazines, book chapters and conference proceedings.
Scholarly, peer-reviewed articles in anthropology, criminology, cultural studies, human services, sociology, political science and public welfare.
Articles from scholarly journals, magazines and book chapters, in topics of communication, mass media and related fields of cultural studies, film studies, marketing and business.
Peer-reviewed articles from scholarly journals in business, engineering, medicine, humanities, and social sciences.
Articles from scholarly journals, magazines and newspapers covering every area of academic study and news.
....and if it is a scholarly journal article, is it reporting on original research? Use the chart below to help you decide....
| Consider the... | Scholarly Publications are... | Trade Publications are... | Popular Publications are... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length of Articles |
Lengthy, often more than 10 pages, and include areas such as abstracts, methods, results, and discussions. |
Short, fewer than 10 pages, and often lacking structural subsections. | Short, fewer than 10 pages, and lack structural subsections. |
| Audience | Written for academics or professionals with advanced language. | Written for people in specific trades, industries, or professions, as well as interested non-specialists. | Written for the general public in non-specialized language. |
| Authority & Expertise | Written by academics, specialists, or researchers in the field. | Written by industry professionals, sometimes journalists with subject expertise; author credentials are usually provided. | Written by journalists or professional writers. |
| Bibliography | Well researched and includes information about their sources in an area called References, Works Cited, or Footnotes so a reader can consult the material that the author used. | References may be provided in a brief bibliography, but are not required. | Sometimes researched, but sources are seldom included with the article. A good editor will check the writer's sources. |
| Frequency | Published monthly, quarterly, or yearly. | Published weekly or monthly. | Published daily, weekly, or monthly. |
| Inclusions | Not decorated with images and only have specialized advertising if any is included. They will also include reviews of the literature, charts, data, and tables along with descriptions of how their research was conducted. | Articles may include decorative photographs and graphic layouts similar to popular publications. They may include advertisements for products, but they will typically be relevant to that field or industry. | Print versions may be full of decorative photographs, illustrations, and text. They also include a lot of product advertisements. |
| Subjects | Confined to a single, specific aspect of a subject area such as music theory, European political science, film studies, language development, or stem cell research. | Confined to a particular field or industry with the intent to provide practical information about current news, trends, and products. | Often inclusive of many subjects, such as in Time, People, and Newsweek, or focused on a single subject with the intention of entertaining such as in Wired or Sports Illustrated. |
| Vocabulary | Written with technical or specialized vocabulary unique to a subject area. | Written with specialized terminology or jargon of the field, but not as technical as a scholarly publication. | Written in conventional or conversational language, appropriate for most readers |
| Publication Process | Sent to experts in the subject who review the article to evaluate credibility and accuracy before being published. This process is known as "peer-review". | Articles are evaluated by editorial staff who may be subject experts, but articles are not peer-reviewed. | Sent to an editor who may know nothing of the topic. The editor might use a fact-checker, who also may not be familiar with the topic, to verify some information. |
Use one of the sociology-focused databases to find an article on your topic. Fill in as much information as you can on the spreadsheet linked below.
