Fall 2007 - A. Andrews
reference contact: Pamela Skinner x2961

FINDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Use these sources for background information and a list of suggested readings. This list is selective; please ask at the reference desk for other suggestions.

FINDING BOOKS

Five College Catalog
To start your subject search, click on SUBJECT BEGINS WITH and try such search terms as those listed below. Note that the "correct" subject heading isn't always obvious. If a subject search doesn't work, try a keyword search to find a few relevant titles. Then click on the subject headings on those records to conduct a more comprehensive subject search.

• African Americans folklore
• African Americans religion
• African American folk art
• African American wit and humor
• spirituals
• blues
• gospel music
• rap music

Writers, artists, musicians, etc:

• Remember to use author (last name first) for works by a specific writer/artist/musician
• And subject begins with for works about the writer/artist/musician.
• Example: author = Hurston Zora Neale

WorldCat

Use WorldCat to expand your search for books beyond the Five-College area. Watch for items that are owned by only one library: such unique material is often not obtainable via interlibrary loan. If you plan to use interlibrary loan to request books and theses, please allow at least 2 weeks for delivery.

FINDING ARTICLES

Use the databases below to identify articles and essays on your topic.

• Use the SC Links buttons within the databases below to see if Smith has the article you need either in electronic or print format
• If you identify an article from another source, use the Journal Locator to locate the article online or in print
• If you need to use interlibrary loan to requests articles, allow a week or so (though often the articles arrive within days)

  Core Databases:

Academic Search Premier -1960 to present - Interdisciplinary; a good starting place for articles, both scholarly and popular.

Humanities Abstracts - 1984 to present - Covers the core folklore journals, as well as those for literature, art, and music; again, a good starting place.

Social Sciences Abstracts -1983 to present - Covers the core anthropology journals; again, a good starting place.

For More Exhaustive Searches:

Interdisciplinary:

Academic Search Premier - 1965 to present

J-STOR - Full text articles from scholarly journals; coverage lags ca. three years behind printed version of journals.

Project Muse - Full text articles from scholarly journals; coverage limited to ca. current 5-10 years.

Literature/folklore:

MLA International Bibliography - 1926 to present - Exhaustive indexing for American literature and folklore.

Anthropology:

Anthropology Plus - late 19th century to present - Lists journal articles, reports, and edited works in anthropology, ethnology, archaeology, folklore, etc.

Anthrosource - 2003 to present - Includes eleven of the American Anthropological Association's journals full-text. Also good for cultural anthropology.

Religion:

ATLA Religion Database - 1949 to present - Use to locate articles in the field of religion, including voodoo, bahia,santeria, candomble, etc.

Visual/performing arts:

Art Abstracts - 1984 to present - Use to locate articles in the field of art, including folk art.

International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance - 1982 to present

Music Index Online - 1976 to present - Use to locate articles on music, including jazz, rap, etc.

INTERNET RESOURCES

The internet is both a wonderful and perilous resource. Use it, but always with a critical eye. Keep the issues of authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and completeness at the forefront as you look at webpages. Two examples of more--or less--authoritative websites offering primary source material. Which would you be more comfortable relying on?

Slaves' Narratives (Southern Messenger)

Born into Slavery: Slave Narratives... (American Memory)

EVALUATING AND CITING SOURCES

• Remember to cite your souce, when either quoting directly or paraphasing.
• Cite your source whenever you present an idea that isn't your own.
• Websites must be cited in your notes/bibliography, too; if you cut and paste--or
  paraphrase--from a website, cite the webpage.
• When in doubt, cite your source.
• Use this link to connect to online versions of Turabian, MLA Style Guide, etc.:
  

Style Manuals & Citation Guides

Evaluating internet resources (Univ. of Maryland)

Jacobson Center

TAKE THE RESEARCH SKILLS QUIZ

Logon to Moodle to take the quiz "Research Skills for Students" (if you haven't done so already).

REFERENCE DESK HOURS

Click here for Neilson Library reference desk hours.

CONTACT THE REFERENCE LIBRARIAN

Contact Pamela Skinner, the instructor for your library session: pskinner@email.smith.edu

YOUR FEEDBACK

Click here to provide feedback on this library session.

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