Finding journal articles
UIC Library provides hundreds of specialized databases -- one good starting strategy is to make the most of the strengths and weaknesses of two:
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Sociological AbstractsPro: Comprehensive, in-depth journal coverage
Con: Stiff, unfamiliar search language
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Google ScholarPros: Familiar, flexible search language; "Cited by" feature
Con: Haphazard journal coverage
Another option to find related articles is the "Cited Reference Search" in Web of Science.
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Web of ScienceAccess to the Web of Science Core Collection which is the largest citation database in science, engineering, medicine and technology; also the social sciences, arts and humanities are represented. This resource was acquired with funding from the Library/IT Assessment.
BrowZine App
Key background resources
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Sage Research Methods Online
Contains full text, Sage research methods books, handbooks, and encyclopedias. Includes videos and interactive mapping tools.
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International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 2nd editionComprehensive, scholarly background information on topics in the social and behavioral sciences with international scope.
Social data & polls
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ICPSR : Inter-University Consortium for Political & Social ResearchArchives of social science data for research and instruction.
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Qualitative Data RepositoryThe first domain repository in the United States dedicated to curating, archiving, preserving, and publishing digital data arising from qualitative and multi-method research in the social sciences.QDR is hosted by the Center for Qualitative and Multi-Method Inquiry, a unit of Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
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Roper Center for Public Opinion ResearchPublic opinion data and tools for bivariate and multivariate analysis. iPoll includes 500,000 questions and answers asked in the U.S. since 1935.
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SimplyAnalyticsSimplyMap is now SimplyAnalytics. Mapping application that allows users to customize interactive maps & reports using thousands of data variables. To save your searches, you need to sign up for an account using your UIC email address. Access restricted to 5 concurrent users.
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Social ExplorerSocial Explorer provides access to current and historical census data and demographic information. Create maps and reports to better illustrate, analyze and understand demography and social change.
UIC Library accounts
UIC Liaison Librarian for Sociology: Tell me about your research, I can help!
Quotable Quotes
"When the intellectual going gets tough, the tough become social scientists." -- Earl R. Babbie. 2010. The Practice of Social Research. 12th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage, 127.
"The well-trained sociologist may brave the rigors of the field or confront the most recalcitrant interviewees, but quail before the library." -- Barney G. Glaser and Anselm L. Strauss. 1967. The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine, 163.