Developing a Research Question
Introduction to Primary Sources
Introduction to Primary Sources by Dickinson College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Finding Sources
- Library A-Z Database ListUse the Subjects or Type drop-down to identify databases that will provide the type of information you need.
- WGSS Research GuideDescribes how to do research at the Dickinson library and links to important library databases and other resources related to Women's Gender & Sexuality Studies.
- LGBTQ Research GuideDescribes how to do research at the Dickinson library and links to important library databases and other resources related to LGBTQ Studies
- Primary Sources GuideSee the Primary Sources in Humanities & Social Sciences and Primary Source Timeline tabs, for ideas for finding primary sources relevant to your topic.
Internet Searching
Google Site Search
- Use to:
- Search the contents of a specific website that may not have a good search engine built into the site.
- Find information on a topic within a set of web sites (e.g. government websites).
- How to search a specific website:
- In the Google search box type:
site:[websiteurl] [keyword]
Examples:- site:www.dickinson.edu wgss
- site:nra.org women
- In the Google search box type:
- How to search a set of sites:
- In the Google search box type:
site:[sharedportionofwebsiteurl] [keyword}
Examples:- site:.edu equity
- site:.gov racism
- In the Google search box type:
Internet Archive
- Internet Archive This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
View a timeline of web sites that have been captured over time in order to understand how orgaizations have changed, to see how they responded to specific topics or events, etc. - Archive It This link opens in a new window
This link opens in a new window
See archives of organizational websites, presented on a timeline. Search for specific organizations, subject-based collections of websites, or do website keyword searches. Contains primary sources. Full text.
Some Topic-Specific Suggestions
Mindfulness & Meditative Practice as a Way to Undo Effects of Oppression/Discrimination, Increase Empathy and Compassion
- PsycINFO This link opens in a new window Search a comprehensive index to international psychology literature in journals, books, book chapters, dissertations, and conference proceedings. Coverage: 1800s to present. Citations only.
- Education Source This link opens in a new window Access education-related journals, books, conference papers and citations for articles including book reviews, spanning all levels of education from early childhood to higher education. This collection spans a variety of educational specialties as well, such as multilingual education, health education and testing. A collection of videos covering remote learning and virtual classrooms, best practices in online pedagogy, e-learning software reviews, and more, is also included. Coverage: 20th century to present. Full text; Jumpstart searchable.
- Social Science Database This link opens in a new window Access scholarly journals and dissertations covering social science topics, including anthropology, addiction studies, criminology, urban studies, economics, family studies, social work, international relations, and more. Coverage: 1850 to present. Mostly full text.
- SocIndex with Full-Text This link opens in a new window Access sociology research encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study, including anthropology, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence and many others. Coverage: 1900s to present. Full text.
- PubMed (with Dickinson links) This link opens in a new window Search for biomedical articles from several National Library of Medicine resources, including MEDLINE, life science journals and ebooks. This special version of PubMed includes Dickinson library's "Get It" links to additional full text. Coverage: late 1700s to present. Some full text.
Domestic Violence & Black Community
- Social Science Database This link opens in a new window Access scholarly journals and dissertations covering social science topics, including anthropology, addiction studies, criminology, urban studies, economics, family studies, social work, international relations, and more. Coverage: 1850 to present. Mostly full text.
- SocIndex with Full-Text This link opens in a new window Access sociology research encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study, including anthropology, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence and many others. Coverage: 1900s to present. Full text.
- Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window Explore essential topics related to criminal justice and criminology, including forensic sciences, corrections and policing. This collection includes international journals. Coverage: early 1900s to present. Full text.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new window Explore scholarly essays, recent periodicals, historical newspaper articles, reference books that illuminate the Black experience from ancient Africa through modern times. Specific accessible resources include the Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience, Index to Black Periodicals, and the Black Literature Index. Coverage: varies by title, 1780 to present; contains primary sources. Some full text.
Black Girlhood, Adultification, Criminalization
- Social Science Database This link opens in a new window Access scholarly journals and dissertations covering social science topics, including anthropology, addiction studies, criminology, urban studies, economics, family studies, social work, international relations, and more. Coverage: 1850 to present. Mostly full text.
- SocIndex with Full-Text This link opens in a new window Access sociology research encompassing all sub-disciplines and closely related areas of study, including anthropology, criminology & criminal justice, demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, political sociology, religion, rural & urban sociology, social development, social psychology, social structure, social work, sociological history, sociological research, sociological theory, substance abuse & other addictions, violence and many others. Coverage: 1900s to present. Full text.
- Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window Explore essential topics related to criminal justice and criminology, including forensic sciences, corrections and policing. This collection includes international journals. Coverage: early 1900s to present. Full text.
- Education Source This link opens in a new window Access education-related journals, books, conference papers and citations for articles including book reviews, spanning all levels of education from early childhood to higher education. This collection spans a variety of educational specialties as well, such as multilingual education, health education and testing. A collection of videos covering remote learning and virtual classrooms, best practices in online pedagogy, e-learning software reviews, and more, is also included. Coverage: 20th century to present. Full text; Jumpstart searchable.
- Black Studies Center This link opens in a new window Explore scholarly essays, recent periodicals, historical newspaper articles, reference books that illuminate the Black experience from ancient Africa through modern times. Specific accessible resources include the Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience, Index to Black Periodicals, and the Black Literature Index. Coverage: varies by title, 1780 to present; contains primary sources. Some full text.
Climate Change & Sex Trade, Terrorism, Immigration
- Environment Complete This link opens in a new window Access articles covering agriculture, ecosystem ecology, energy, renewable energy sources, natural resources, marine & freshwater science, geography, pollution & waste management, environmental technology, environmental law, public policy, social impacts, urban planning, and more. Coverage: 20th century to present. Some full text.
- Political Science Complete This link opens in a new window Access research covering comparative politics, humanitarian issues, international relations, law and legislation, and political theory. Coverage: 1960s to present. Full text.
- EconLit (Economic Literature) This link opens in a new window Search peer-reviewed journals, working papers from international sources, books, book chapters, and dissertations on economics topics including capital markets, econometrics, government regulations, macro- and microeconomics, monetary theory and more. Coverage: 1969 to present. Some full text.
Questions? Ask!
Evaluating Sources
It is important to weigh a variety of factors when selecting sources for your research.
Review the evidence. For each of the sources above, consider:
- What factors suggest that this could be a useful or reliable source for academic research?
- What factors suggest that this might not be a useful or reliable source for academic research?
- For what purposes might a researcher choose to use this in their research?
Evaluating Sources Review
- Evaluating Sources TutorialA quick overview of factors to consider when choosing sources for your research.
Managing and Citing Sources
Chicago Manual of Style
Zotero Reference Management Software
- Dickinson's Zotero guideProvides an introduction to Zotero, as well as instructions for downloading the software.
- Zotero documentationA link to instructions for just about every aspect of using Zotero.
- Zotero word processor plug-insProvides information about how to install and use Zotero to cite sources while writing a paper in Word or Google Docs.