Sociology 101
Introduction to Sociology
Professor: Kimberly Simmons
Librarian: Leanne Pander
Fall 2004
Library Catalog
The Library Catalog section of the Library Gateway is the primary instrument for accessing the collections of the Bowdoin College Libraries. Included are bibliographic records for books, periodical titles, archives materials, videorecordings, and sound recordings. Also listed are some of the government documents and Special Collections materials. In the Library Catalog, you may search for an item by its Author (including editors, illustrators, translators, and corporate authors); Title (including series titles and alternate titles); or one of several other access points, such as call number or words in title. For best results in Subject searching, use the standardized subject headings found in the large red Library of Congress Subject Headings books. For example, the term INEQUALITY is not a valid subject heading; the "official" heading is EQUALITY. Subject headings may be subdivided into more specific categories, such as place and subtopic (SOCIAL STRATIFICATION—UNITED STATES--HISTORY). Sometimes, searching by WORD will turn up references you would not have found easily by subject, especially with "jargon" words or new terms.
Periodicals, Print and Electronic
Periodical titles are listed in the Library Catalog. Periodicals (which may also be called journals, magazines, or serials) are shelved alphabetically by title. Unbound issues (generally, just the current year) are located on the first floor. Back issues are bound and are shelved in the basement of the Library. Science titles are in Hatch Science Library.
Individual articles are not listed in the Library Catalog, but you may use the Library Gateway to connect to a variety of periodical indexes, described below. These are searchable by subject, author, keyword, etc., and contain citations, abstracts, and sometimes the full text of articles.
To determine whether the Bowdoin Library subscribes to a specific journal, check the Library Catalog/ Find Journals search; this will show if we own the journal in print and/or electronic format.
Many Sociology journals are available online, as well as in print form. More than 30 are included in the JSTOR system, which reproduces the full text of the journals from their first volume, with a "moving window" of three to five years (i.e. the current years are NOT in the database). Sociology journals in JSTOR
What If Bowdoin Doesn’t Own the Book or Journal You Need?
- For Books, Check Maine InfoNet:
- This is the statewide catalog listing the holdings of Colby, Bates, the University
of Maine, and other Maine libraries, as well as Bowdoin. You can request books
(not articles) directly online; they will be delivered to the H-L Library Circulation
Desk in a couple of days.
- For Books Not Available through Info Net, and for ALL Journal Articles, use
Interlibrary Loan (ILL): - Through this service, libraries all over the world cooperate by sharing books
and journal articles. Register for an ILL account through the Library Gateway.
Always fill out ILL request forms completely, and include the “Source
of Citation;” i.e., exactly where you found the information about the
article. Allow one to two weeks to receive your materials.
Indexes & Databases
These sources provide subject and author access to articles in periodicals and other current publications. They differ in the selection of journals covered and in the way they present their information. Although some duplication will be found among the various indexes, it is worthwhile to try several for a thorough literature search on any topic.
Unless otherwise noted, the indexes listed below are accessed electronically through the Indexes & Databases section of the Library Gateway. Print indexes are shelved in alphabetical order in the Reference Department Index Area.
- Lexis/Nexis Academic (dates vary; 1980’s +)
- Contains the full text of articles from worldwide newspapers, magazines,
news wires and trade journals. Starting dates vary for different publications;
current information is updated daily.
- Academic Search Premier 1980+
-
This electronic database covers over 2,000 English-language periodicals in
social sciences, humanities, and science, as well as general interest magazines.
The years covered vary for different periodicals, but generally go from the
mid-1980's to the present. Selected periodicals have articles reproduced in
full-text; other references include abstracts of articles.
-
Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective, 1907-1984.
(see also print version, Social Sciences Index 1974+; formerly SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES INDEX, 1965-1974; INTERNATIONAL INDEX TO PERIODICALS, 1907-1965) -
Indexes a wide range of key international, English-language periodicals in
the social science and humanities disciplines.
- Sociological Abstracts 1963+
-
Indexes the literature of sociology from 1,800 journals published worldwide;
also includes abstracts of papers presented at sociological conferences and
citations for relevant dissertations since 1984.