SCS 224 (Campus) - Social Science Research Methods
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Welcome to the SCS-224 Research Guide!
What's in this guide?
This guide is your one-stop library resource for scholarly and non-scholarly books and eBooks, databases and journals, web resources, research tips and tools, career information, and more to support your assignments in SCS 224! In this guide, you'll also find information on library services, tools, and other web resources to help you conduct your research project, create your presentation, cite your sources, submit a proposal to Undergraduate Research Day, and more.
Where to get help?
Use the blue buttons on the left to navigate through the guide and find what you need. Ask a reference librarian if you need additional assistance via email (ask@snhu.libanswers.com) or by using the yellow "Chat 24/7 with a Librarian" button on the library home page. Additionally, you can make an appointment (any length... 5 minutes to an hour+) to meet virtually or in-person with the Social Sciences Liaison Librarian, Karin Heffernan, by emailing k.heffernan@snhu.edu.
A word about sources...
Social Sciences are fascinating and varied. Often, you'll find that the core resources (databases) below contain the information you need for your research project. However, you will want to look at websites from non-profit organizations in the field as well as government agency websites for sources of information and data.
Social Science Resources
For most topics and research questions in Social Sciences, you'll find the resources below helpful. Icons indicate what kind of resources are included in each database. Because the Social Sciences span across other disciplines, you will see databases listed below for specific areas that may not apply to all Social Science topics but do apply to topics frequently selected by students for research in SCS 224.
Databases - Related to Social Science topics
All Shapiro Library databases are available from the A-Z Database List link in the Quick Links box or from the Find Articles, eBooks & More tab on the library home page.
- SAGE Journals This link opens in a new windowThe SAGE Journals platform includes full text of scholarly journals from SAGE publications in many disciplines, such as, education, sociology, women's studies, criminal justice and business.
- ScienceDirect This link opens in a new windowOffers a collection of full-text, scholarly journals and eBooks in science, technology, medicine, and social sciences.
- Global Issues In Context - Gale This link opens in a new windowGlobal Issues In Context spans continents and cultures to bring essential, balanced information to researchers across many academic disciplines. Integrating news, global viewpoints, reference, country information, primary source documents, videos, statistics and more in a single search.
- PsycARTICLES - EBSCO This link opens in a new windowFrom the APA: a definitive source of full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific articles in psychology
- Psychology Database - ProQuest This link opens in a new windowFull-text journals and indexing from top psychology and related publications
- Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text - EBSCO This link opens in a new windowThis comprehensive database includes full text and bibliographic records of leading journals in the criminal justice field.
- Criminal Justice Database - ProQuest This link opens in a new windowMagazines, journals and trade publications for professionals in law enforcement, corrections administration, drug enforcement, rehabilitation, family law, and industrial security
- LGBTQ+ Source - EBSCO This link opens in a new windowThis database provides full-text coverage for the most important literature regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. Offering a variety of scholarly, popular and regional resources, it includes journals, books, magazines and more.
- Health & Medical Collection - ProQuest This link opens in a new windowHealth and medical full-text journals focusing on many medical disciplines and specialties
- Health Reference Center This link opens in a new windowHealth Reference Center includes comprehensive, in-depth coverage of body systems, current health issues, major diseases and conditions, treatments, and procedures, as well as health and nutrition information specific to men, women, children, teens, and seniors.
- Credo This link opens in a new windowOnline reference library that provides access to a selection of encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and books of quotations in general and subject-specific disciplines. Credo includes interactive mind maps.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowStatista is one of the leading statistics companies on the internet. With a team of over 200 statisticians, database experts, analysts, and editors, Statista provides users with an innovative and intuitive tool for researching quantitative data, statistics and related information.
- USA.gov This link opens in a new windowUSA.gov is an open database that searches all government websites at the federal and state level. This includes reports, data, research, websites, programs, etc. from across the United States.
- ProQuest Central DatabaseProQuest Central is the largest single periodical resource available, bringing together complete databases across all major subject areas, including Business, Health and Medical, Language and Literature, Social Sciences, Education, Science and Technology, as well as core titles in the Performing and Visual Arts, History, Religion, and Philosophy.
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders : DSM-5 This link opens in a new windowThe most comprehensive, current, and critical resource for clinical practice available to today's mental health clinicians and researchers of all orientations. DSM-5 is used by health professionals, social workers, and forensic and legal specialists to diagnose and classify mental disorders, and is the product of more than 10 years of effort by hundreds of international experts in all aspects of mental health. The criteria are concise and explicit, intended to facilitate an objective assessment of symptom presentations in a variety of clinical settings - inpatient, outpatient, partial hospital, consultation-liaison, clinical, private-practice, and primary care.
Shapiro Library Multi-Search
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Multi-Search
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Social Science Professional Associations
- Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences This link opens in a new windowACJS is an international association established in 1963 to foster professional and scholarly activities in the field of criminal justice. ACJS promotes criminal justice education, research, and policy analysis within the discipline of criminal justice for both educators and practitioners.
- American Psychological Association (APA) This link opens in a new windowAPA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 121,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students as its members. This site includes a search box to find books and articles as well as a page to explore topics within Psychology.
- American Society of Criminology This link opens in a new windowThe American Society of Criminology is an international organization whose members pursue scholarly, scientific, and professional knowledge concerning the measurement, etiology, consequences, prevention, control, and treatment of crime and delinquency.
- American Sociological Association This link opens in a new windowThe ASA seeks to promote the vitality, visibility, and diversity of the discipline of Sociology. Working at the national and international levels, the ASA aims to articulate policy and implement programs likely to have the broadest possible impact for sociology now and in the future.
- Eastern Sociological Society This link opens in a new windowFounded in 1930, ESS is a non-profit organization with a mission of "promoting excellence in sociological scholarship and instruction". It publishes a peer-reviewed journal (Sociological Forum) and holds a yearly academic conference, the Annual Meeting of Eastern Sociological Society.
- International Rural Sociology Association This link opens in a new windowThe objectives of the Association are to: foster the development of rural sociology; further the application of sociological inquiry to the improvement of the quality of rural life; and provide a mechanism whereby rural sociologists can generate dialogue and useful exchange.
- International Sociological Association This link opens in a new windowFunded in 1949 under the auspices of UNESCO, ISA's mission is to advance sociological knowledge throughout the world. It has 126 countries represented.
- Society for the Scientific Study of Religion This link opens in a new windowFounded at Harvard University in 1949 as the Committee for the Social Scientific Study of Religion, the now SSSR is an interdisciplinary academic association that stimulates, promotes, and communicates social scientific research about religious institutions and experiences.
- Society for the Study of Social Problems This link opens in a new windowThe SSSP is a diverse, professional academic and social justice organization.
- Boston University Center for Anti-Racist ResearchFounded by Ibram X. Kendi, he mission of the BU Center for Antiracist Research is to convene researchers and practitioners from various disciplines to figure out novel and practical ways to understand, explain, and solve seemingly intractable problems of racial inequity and injustice.
Types of Social Science Sources
There are many sources you will encounter as you research in psychology. These sources have different characteristics. Take care to match the sources you use to your projects.
| Publication Type | Examples | Content | Authors | Audience | Reviewed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Journals |
Social Change Review |
Original research, In-depth, Specific, Sources cited | Scholars and Practitioners | Scholars, Industry Professionals, Students | Scholars (Peer Review) |
| Popular News and Magazines |
Mother Jones |
Shorter, uncited articles on topics of general interest, Advertisements | Journalists | General Public | Editors |
| Case Studies |
Academic Search Ultimate |
Detailed examination and analysis of a specific case | Scholars and Practitioners | Scholars, Industry Professionals, Students | Scholars (Peer Review) |
| Government Information |
U.S. DHHS |
Research, Health Guidelines | Government Agencies, including NIH and CDC | Scholars, Students | Government Agencies |
Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts, and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities, and other web sites.
Each result in a Google Scholar Search has options beneath it including: Citation for the article in 5 formats & export to various citation managers; "Cited by" lists all the articles written more recently that cite the article; and related articles. If the full text is available, it will appear as a link to the right of the citation. The link below demonstrates how to connect Google Scholar to the Shapiro Library databases. Google Scholar searches may be narrowed down by date in the left margin of the results list.
Semantic Scholar
Like Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar searches scholarly publications of all kinds. They are "a free AI-powered research tool for scientific literature based at the Allen Institute for AI." Their mission "is to accelerate scientific breakthroughs by helping scholars locate and understand the right research, make important connections, and overcome information overload. Semantic Scholar is... open and free for all to use... and they actively collaborate with industry partners... to provide open access to relevant scientific research." Search using the link below.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If you locate sources that are not available in the library databases, you may request them through Interlibrary Loan and the library will provide them to you for free. The link to request something through ILL is in the Quick Links box on the library home page.
- Interlibrary Loan This link opens in a new windowThis link takes you directly to your ILL account where you may click on "Create Request" at the top right of the page to request a book, article, document, etc. The library will mail you print books if requested, and include a pre-paid return mailing label.
- ILL FAQs listLink to a list of FAQs about Interlibrary Loan to answer any questions about the process or how to request an item.