Background Research
Sources such as encyclopedias and hot topics databases can be good places to get a sense of what some of the areas of interest within your topic are.
- 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.
- 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.
- Points of View Reference Source This link opens in a new window
Organized by topic this resource provides an issue overview, background facts, point and counterpoint representing different points of view. Includes a critical analysis to assist the reader to evaluate controversial topics. Also includes essays, leading political magazine articles from all sides of the political spectrum, newspapers, radio & TV news transcripts, primary source documents and reference books.
Developing your topic
- Picking Your Topic is Research - VideoThis video from NC State Libraries explains the process through which you might develop your topic. It's a short (about 3 minutes) overview that is helpful in thinking about how to approach topic development.
Finding the right level of research is an important first step. Consider whether your topic is too broad (you're getting too many results or they're not relevant enough to your topic) or too narrow (you're finding too few results).
If your topic is too narrow, you might not find enough information. You can broaden it by exploring related issues, comparing it with a related issue, increasing the time span or population covered. You might also find that your topic is too recent to be covered in academic journals.
If your topic is too broad, you might find too much information. You can narrow your focus by limiting the population or time period covered or by looking at a smaller piece or specific angle of the topic.
Use these handouts to help you narrow or broaden your topic:
- Tips for Narrowing a Topic - HandoutUse this handout if you are getting too many results when searching.
- Tips for Broadening a Topic - HandoutUse this handout if you are getting too few results when searching.
- Library of Congress Subject Headings for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) TopicsGreat list of subject terms from Indiana University Libraries - Click on the S and check out the sexuality-related subject terms.
Keywords Based Searching
Before you can begin searching for information in a print or online resource, you need to identify keywords related to your topic. Check out this page for more information about using keywords in your searches.
Articles: best databases to use
Database searching is good for looking for materials on a specific topic in many different journals at the same time. These databases don't use phrase searching, so be sure to break your searches into the main ideas or keywords.
- Women and Social Movements in the United States This link opens in a new window
Study the history of US women and their role in social change between 1600 and 2000. Search primary documents, reviews, archive notes, and teaching tools. Includes local, state, and federal level commission reports. The resource will be useful to anyone studying women's issues and curriculum developers.
- Women's Studies International This link opens in a new window
Discover literature from core disciplines in women's studies and the latest scholarship in feminist research. Search womens literature and selected bulletins, reports, dissertations, NGO studies, and grey literature. NISC produces the index.
- 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.
- QuickSearch This link opens in a new window
QuickSearch combines results from many search tools for you to review in one list. Results come from the Wright State catalog and hundreds of library databases including all of our Ebscohost databases, JSTOR, the Web of Science, and others.
Statistical Data
- Statistical Data Research GuideFind a variety of data sets and sources, grouped by topic
- Women WatchUnited Nations information and resources on gender equality and empowerment of women.
- United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeIncludes gender country profiles and a variety of measures by gender.
- Gender Inequality IndexThe Gender Inequality Index (GII) reflects women’s disadvantage in three dimensions—reproductive health, empowerment and the labor market—for as many countries as data of reasonable quality allow. Part of the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Reports.
- Human Development Reports Gender Empowerment MeasureThis report is a measure of agency. It evaluates progress in advancing women's standing in political and economic forums. For more information, visit http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/indices/gdi_gem/
Identifying Quality Information
People write for many different reasons - to inform, entertain, persuade, mislead, satirize, describe, etc. and the quality of the information can depend on the reason it was written or shared. Information changes as new facts, data, and knowledge comes to light. In an academic assignment, it is important to use information that is reliable, accurate, objective, and up-to-date. You will need to evaluate each source you locate, to determine if it is something that will support or contradict your thesis and/or topic. You will look at more sources than you need, and that is okay, and encouraged! The more sources you read, the more informed you are about the topic and can pick the best resources for your assignment.
Below is a list of videos, eBooks, and websites that can help you evaluate information and sources.
- Evaluating Information: Media Sources - Video Playlist6 part video series
Learn strategies for evaluating sources whether you find them on the Internet, in the library, or in the library’s databases. - Evaluating Sources Using the SIFT Model - eBook"One of the biggest challenges that writers face is finding credible sources. Mike Caulfield created the SIFT acronym to describe four moves that writers should make to evaluate their sources."
- Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research by Teaching & Learning, Ohio State University Libraries - eBookSection 6: Evaluating Information includes chapters on thinking critically, evaluating for relevancy and credibility, and identifying degree of bias.
- How to Spot Fake News Infographic"IFLA has made this infographic with eight simple steps (based on FactCheck.org’s 2016 article How to Spot Fake News) to discover the verifiability of a given news-piece in front of you." -- IFLA
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