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Social Sciences: Journal articles

Subject guide for social science courses: criminology / sociology / social anthropology

Tutorials

The Welch Medical Library at John Hopkins University has produced two very good tutorials on running searches in PubMed.

Key Points

  • PubMed is based on Medline, which is one of the key health databases internationally

  • BU library resources will provide you with more full text journal content than PubMed

  • By default PubMed can only provide full text access to 'free' articles on the web

  • Many newly published 'free' articles will only be available through a university subscription for the first 3-24 months

  • PubMed does not automatically tell you if BU can provide access to a source

  • Access to BU subscribed full text via PubMed will often appear automatically on campus but not off campus

Searching for academic journal articles

The best way to undertake a successful search is to fill in a Search Planning Form before you start.
  • Peer reviewed journal articles form a key part of your research at university. As with books, you will find links to some on your reading lists but you will also need to search more. Do not just Google search for your assessment research. BU Library subscribes to subject databases that provide extra resources you will not get for free on the web.
  • EBSCOhost databases searches across a range of different databases for different source types. Use the 'EbscoHost Databases' link on the Brightspace Library area.
  • We have lists of Sociology and Social Anthropology databases and Criminology databases that BU Library subscribes to, with descriptions about coverage, to help you identify relevant material.

 

Full text

  • Databases are designed to help you find what has been written, not just what is available in full text.
  • Always look out for the full text limiter (usually a tick box) which will narrow your search to just the content you are able to access immediately in full text.
  • Example: EBSCOhost full text limiter:

Full text and peer review options

Also consider using the 'Peer reviewed' filter.

  • Levels 6 and 7 doing dissertation research are eligible to use our inter library loan service. This can provide access to some peer-reviewed academic journal articles that BU doesn't subscribe to.

Video: Why can't I just Google it?

It's important that you don't just "Google it" when doing coursework research.

Watch the first 2 mins of this video to find out why (advice from 3 mins into this video about 'RMIT Library' does not apply to you, refer instead to BU Library's databases and guides, linked from the Brightspace Library area, and contact the BU Library Team):

Google Scholar

What about using Google Scholar?

  • You may choose to use Google Scholar and that's ok, but don't just Google it.
  • BU Library has invested in LibKey Nomad, download it for your laptop or computer internet browser using this link: https://thirdiron.com/downloadnomad/ (PC only, does not work on phones or laptops).