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SOC 2820: Methods of Data Collection

You can use the Library's Catalog Advanced Search to find articles on your topic in the WMU collection.

If you want peer-reviewed articles or articles limited by a specific date range, or limited to a specific subject (topic, discipline), filter boxes are located on the left column. Then select the green filter button to filter your search. Library Search is interdisciplinary and will search all disciplines. In many cases, using an interdisciplinary search you will discover articles from subject areas you find valuable but had not considered prior to the search. That’s a good thing! 

Select this link for more information and tutorials about using Library Search  

Try the following databases for articles in sociology and related areas:

Newspaper Databases

Review of how to Narrow or Expand Your Search for Articles on a Topic

(sxc.hu alicja_sto 1199922 alicja_sto)

Ways to narrow your results:

  • limit to certain years only at beginning of search (e.g. last 10 years)
  • add another concept to your search using "AND" (e.g. elderly AND housing AND well-being)
  • limit your results to scholarly or peer-reviewed journal articles only
  • mark or tag the most relevant articles in your search results and create a smaller list of titles

Ways to expand your results:

  • add synonyms using "OR" (e.g. elderly OR older adults)
  • broaden your search (e.g. college students AND stress management
    instead  of college students AND stress management AND outcomes)