Subject Guide for Sociology
Contents
- Introduction
- Contact Information
- Dictionaries/Encyclopedias
- Finding books
- Finding articles
- Useful web sites
Introduction
Sociology is a broad discipline concerning the study of human relationships. Sociology encompasses the study of human beings as social animals and the study of society and human social action. Sociology involves a plethora of topics for students for study and research. Classes offered for the BA and MA degrees in the Sociology Department concern many topics including the family, politics, work, police, immigrants and refugees, social organization, education, and social statistics. Some of the specific classes offered at SDSU are the following:
| Soc 310 | Love, Jealousy, and Envy |
| Soc 320 | Sex Roles in the American Family |
| Soc 338 | Sociology of Religion |
| Soc 350 | Population and Contemporary Issues |
| Soc 352 | Contemporary Social Problems |
| Soc 355 | Minority Group Relations |
| Soc 420 | Sexuality in Modern Society |
| Soc 421 | American Family and its Alternatives |
| Soc 433 | Wealth, Status, and Power |
| Soc 441 | Sociology of Mental Illness |
| Soc 442 | Sociology of Murder |
| Soc 444 | Juvenile Delinquency |
| Soc 445 | Sociology of Deviance |
| Soc 456 | Collective Behavior |
| Soc 457 | Protests, Reforms, and Revolutions |
| Soc 527 | Aging and Society |
Contact Information
Students needing assistance with library research on sociology topics can get help in the following ways:
- Come to the Reference Desk in the library for assistance
- Contact the Reference Desk by phone: 619-594-6728
- Contact the Reference Desk or a reference librarian by e-mail (see Contact Info on Infodome)
- Contact the librarian responsible for the field of Sociology via email at Phillip M. White or by phone at (619) 594-6742
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
The library has a substantial collection of reference books, including specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries, statistical sources, handbooks, guides, directories and overview sources located in the Reference Services Department. Some of these are also available as electronic books. Examples include:-
Encyclopedia of Social Theory
HM 425 E47 2005 REF -
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
H 41 I58 2001 REF -
CQ Researcher
Finding books
Use the Catalog (the PAC) on the library web site: Infodome
You can search for books by LC Subjects, key words, authors, or titles. Once book records are located, you need the call number and floor location for each book you want to find. Most books are located on floors 3, 4, and 5 of Love Library. They can be checked out with your student ID card. Some books are also available as electronic books.
Ask a librarian for assistance with your particular topic!
Finding articles
This may the most important part of your library research. There are dozens of periodical databases to use for the field of sociology, depending on your topic. However, most topics in sociology can be researched in the following article databases:
Academic Search Premier &Proquest Research Library
These two article databases cover around 3,000 magazines, journals, and newspapers. They index and abstract the core academic journals in all major fields, providing full-text for many of the articles. If an article you want is not full-text on the record, click on the link (Find Full Text, or Find a Copy) to see if we have it full-text via another database, or if it is available in the library in paper or microform copy.
Sociological Abstracts
This is the most comprehensive database for articles in the field of sociology. Follow the Find Full Text
links to see if the library has the articles electronically or in other formats.
If you need additional articles, ask a librarian for suggestions on article databases to use for your topic.
Top of pageUseful web sites
Some major Internet links for sociology are the following:
Yahoo: Society and Culture
Yahoo: Social Science
WWW Virtual Library Sociology
Department of Sociology (SDSU)
