College Park Scholars Community-Based Discovery Projects
Web page created by Gerri Foudy,
Social Sciences Team, UM Libraries
Instructor: Patty Alvarez
The University of Maryland Libraries have many resources that will help with research for your Discovery Projects. If you need additional information, please contact Gerri Foudy, the Government & Politics Librarian, or speak with a Reference Librarian at McKeldin Library's Service Plus Information Desk.
Table of Contents
Finding Secondary Sources
Generally, those doing a literature review on a particular topic will begin with a research database or with searching for books in the library catalog. Databases are searching tools that contain abstract and index records, and sometimes full text, of journal articles, books and other published materials.
The keys for doing a literature review are very simple:
- Come up with the right search query (or queries).
- Search in the right place.
- Review what you've found, refine your topic and your search, and repeat.
- and keep your results well organized.
Finding Books and Documents in the UM Libraries
The Libraries' catalog provides information about the holdings of all libraries in the University System of Maryland.To search all of the UM System libraries, click on "multi-campus search."
Books owned by other libraries in the system can be ordered at the computer for delivery to College Park (or elsewhere); click on the yellow "Request" button on the record's availability screen.
Search the online catalog for books and documents on your topic. Start
with a "words/anywhere" search.
Example: "America Reads"
Example: "pre-college" and program*
Once you have found some relevant records by using a "words anywhere" search, you can use the subject headings in the records to find more materials.
Example: America Reads Challenge (program)
Example: College preparation programs -- United States
You must also use the catalog to find out whether the Libraries subscribe
to a particular journal. Use the "title beginning with"
for the journal title (not the article title).
Example: Journal of Literacy Research
More on how to use the catalog and Finding Library Items Using Call Numbers
Finding Scholarly Journal Articles
Try to identify some major concepts (keywords) to use in your searches,
for example: academic enrichment programs elementary schools
More information on using keywords and boolean logic
Many databases now have the option to choose to search for only "scholarly" or "peer-reviewed" or "academic" journal articles. Check to see if this is an option in the database you are using.
Note: To access subscription databases on campus, simply click on the links below. Otherwise, click on the "Off-Campus Access" link below and log in to Research Port using your 14-digit campus identification number (on the back of your campus ID card) and your last name.
Some of the key databases you'll likely find most useful are: (this is just a small sampling)
- Academic Search
Premier.
This is a multidisciplinary database, including thousands of journals, many of them full text, that cover most academic subjects. Primarily academic journal and popular magazine articles. - Art Abstracts
Provides comprehensive indexing and abstracts for 400+ international art publications, including periodicals, yearbooks, and museum bulletins. Covers a broad range of art topics: advertising, archaeology, crafts, folk art, graphic arts, interior design, video, film, architecture and art history. 1984 -. - ERIC
Provides access to information from over 1000 education and education-related journals as well as a variety of non-journal materials, or ERIC documents. It also provides the full text of more than 2,200 ERIC Digests (short reports on topics of current interest in education.) ERIC documents (EDs) that are not available online will most likely be available on microfiche in the McKeldin Periodicals Room. 1969 -. - Education Abstracts
Provides citations to over 400 English-language periodicals, yearbooks, and selected series related to education. It also cites book reviews. 1983 -. - International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance
Comprehensive database for research on all aspects of theatre, performance and dance. Indexes articles, books, book articles, dissertations, and newspapers published worldwide. - SocIndex
Core index to journal articles in sociology. Coverage dating back to 1895. - Women's Studies International
Covers issues in women's studies including feminist theory and history, family, mental & physical health, prejudice & gender discrimination, law & legislation, employment etc. 1972 -.
When you find articles of interest in any of the databases, use the 
button to see whether that article is available electronically, or in
print in the library.
IF you already have a citation that you got from somewhere else (your professor, a bibliography, etc.), then you have two places to look for the article cited.
- In Research Port, click on the "ejournals" tab at the top and type in the title of the journal that the article is from. This will tell you if it's available electronically, and which years are available.
- If it's not electronically available in Research Port, you'll need to check the library catalog to see if we subscribe to that journal (or own that book, etc.) in print. (Remember, when looking for a journal article, that the catalog keeps track of journals, not of specific articles -- use the journal title, not the article title, to see if we subscribe).
News and Current Events Sources
Note: To access subscription databases on campus, simply click on the links below. Otherwise, click on the "Off-Campus Access" link below and log in to Research Port using your 14-digit campus identification number (on the back of your campus ID card) and your last name.
- Ethnic Newswatch
Bilingual (English/Spanish) database of 200 publications of the ethnic, minority and native press. - Lexis-Nexis Academic
Wide range of news, political, legal, business, and reference information in full-text format, including full-text of the Washington Post and the New York Times.
To search for local news, go into "Guided News Search". Under STEP ONE, choose U.S. News; and under STEP TWO, choose Maryland (or District of Columbia).
Primary Sources
Data and Statistics
- Montgomery County Census Statistics
Data on demographic, economic, social, and housing characteristics. - Prince George's County Census Statistics
Data on demographic, economic, social, and housing characteristics. - Maryland State Department of Education Factbook
A statistical handbook of Maryland's educational situation. - Maryland Report Card
"A collection of data compiled on a yearly basis to provide education on school performance to all education stakeholders." - DC - NCLB Data Reports
Reports mandated by the "No Child Left Behind" act. -
Digest of Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) publication that compiles statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school. . - State Education Data Profiles
NCES site where you can search for statewide information in elementary/secondary education characteristics and finance, postsecondary education, public libraries, assessments, and selected demographics for all states. - NCES Search for Public Schools
Enrollment and other data on individual public schools. Also available, Search for School District. - Statistical Abstract of the United States
The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published since 1878, is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. - Guide to Census 2000
This guide is intended to assist you in finding Census 2000 data online. - County and City Databook
This reference tool focuses on counties and cities and provides detailed tables of Census data broken down by regions.
Properly Using Citations/Avoiding Plagiarism
- Documentation Guidelines for Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism
- Citation Machine
Click the type of resource you wish to cite, complete the web form that appears with information from your resource, and click "Make Citations" to generate standard MLA & APA citations.
Poster Presentations
Useful Websites for Poster Presentations- Effective Presentations from the Kansas University Medical Center, includes short online tutorials on creating an effective poster. It also has links to other poster-preparation sites.
- Creating Posters for Humanities and Social Sciences gives a good explanation of why posters are often the best way to communicate results of research or experiential learning in social sciences and humanities. It includes a diagram of typical poster layout.
- American Psychological Association (APA) poster presentation guidelines are summarized by Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology.
- International Studies Association
- American Political Science Association .
- American Anthropological Association .
- Scientist's Guide to Poster Presentations McKeldin Stacks Q179.94 .G47 1999.
Useful even if your poster isn't on a scientific subject, because the science community has done a lot of thinking about what makes a good poster. - How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper . Available as an e-book through the Libraries' subscription to Netlibrary. Also available in hardcopy at EPSL Reference T11.D33 1998.
