Using Databases in Social Science

Question

1. Select a topic that interests you. It should relate to human behaviour or society (e.g., drug addiction, immigration policies, juvenile delinquency, mental illness, high school graduation rates).
2. Use search engines and at least one database to find one resource in each of the following categories. Provide a citation for each.

TOPIC:_________________________

Book

Magazine or Journal Article (not peer-reviewed)

Newspaper Article

Website

Database Journal/Article

Film/Video

Answer 1

Hello Luhan,

Once you have chosen an interesting topic, I think the best place to begin is with Google Scholar. You can locate this by typing "Google Scholar" in a Google search bar and being redirected to the Google Scholar search engine. Google Scholar can provide you with good resources that are peer reviewed. It is important to use good search terms. For example, if you are interested in ADHD in elementary school students, you may want to start with "ADHD" to generate several sources, but to get more specific you may search "ADHD" and "elementary school" or "K-6th grade" or "Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder".

Other good social science databases may be able to be located through your school's library website, such as APA Psychnet and ProQuest. There are many other databases that you can search depending on the resource you want.

Examples of APA citations:

book: Wilson, M., Stanley, J., & Rivers, J. (2011). Children with ADHD: Kindergarten-sixth grade. Wilson

Publishing.

article: Stuart, J. & Wright, M. (2009). ADHD in the classroom. Journal of Education, 14(3), 12-19.

website: Pierce, G. (2017, April 23). The effects of ADHD on young children. Research place.

https://reserachplace.net.

video: Doe, J. (Director). (2019). ADHD at home. [Film]. Wilson Productions.