The Information Cycle
- Info Cycle Chart
Text-only version of the image above:
If you need: Factual summary of events (e.g., key players, relevant dates, major events, etc.) (Think of the ease of Wikipedia, but with the authority and credibility of an academic book). Then Try These: Subject-specific encyclopedias. Which You'll Find Here: Sage Reference Online
Gale Virtual Reference Library
If You Need: Broad, but in-depth, overview. Then Try: Books. Which You'll Find: Library catalog.
If You Need: Analysis of a particular aspect of an issue, trends that have resulted from an event, or theoretical explanations. Then Try: Scholarly articles. Which You'll Find: Subscription databases (see WGS research guide).
If You Need: Facts and details about events as they happen. Then Try: Newspapers. Which You'll Find: News websites and aggregators
Newspaper Source
If You Need: Statistics. Then Try: Government agencies, think tanks. Which You'll Find: targeted Google search (contact your librarian for details).
Subject Specific Encyclopedias
The encyclopedias in these collections are a great way to start the "presearch" process for your research projects. They are useful in familiarizing yourself with an issue or topic and for beginning to learn the terminology of a specific discipline.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Search hundreds of scholarly, subject-specific reference titles in many topic areas, including the arts, business, education, history, the sciences, technology, literature, and the social sciences. Excellent for in-depth overviews of terms or concepts. Search individual e-books or whole collections.
- Sage Reference This link opens in a new window
Search and read entries from over one hundred social science and science specialized reference encyclopedias published by Sage.
Databases
The database(s) you search should be dependent on what topic or issue you're researching. Note that these are a few of the databases that are regularly useful for topics in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, but they are not inclusive of all the databases that you might want to consider.
- Gender Studies Database This link opens in a new window
GSD covers the full spectrum of gender-engaged scholarship inside and outside academia. Links to free and subscription based full-text articles. Includes professional journals, conference papers, books, government reports, discussion papers, theses and dissertations.
- LGBTQ+ Source This link opens in a new window
LGBTQ+ Source contains literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues. Indexes LGBTQ+ specific journals, magazines, regional newspapers, books, and reference works.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Get full-text access to magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals in the sciences, social sciences, business, education, and the humanities. Full-text may be available via Find-It. Useful place to begin broad searches for general topics.
- SocINDEX This link opens in a new window
Search extensively indexed books, monographs, and conference papers. This index features citations with subject headings from a sociology-specific thesaurus designed by expert lexicographers. SocINDEX covers all subdisciplines of sociology such as anthropology, criminology, demography, ethnic, racial, and gender studies, marriage, family, and social structures, and social work.
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window
Get full-text articles from over 500 journals. Topics include psychiatry, psychology, emotional and behavioral characteristics, mental processes, anthropology, and observational and experimental methods. Search PsycINFO for a more complete representation of psychology literature.
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- How-To VideosLearn how to navigate and use library resources, including searching, citing, saving, and requesting materials.
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