Welcome to the Sociology Subject Guide
The StMU Library is here to support you with your academic research needs. These subject guides are curated to provide you with the information you need to get started in your course.
Credible. Reliable. Curated.
This guide is an excellent starting point for research, but please contact us if you can't find what you are looking for. We're happy to assist you by email, phone a virtual meeting or, if you're near the Library, stop by for a visit.
Stay on top of the latest research from your favourite journals and databases with email alerts.
Books, journals, and databases help you locate background information, peer-reviewed articles and reference resources.
The web is a goldmine if you know where to look. We've done the mining for you to compile online resources that will make your work easier.
Below are some suggested databases for Sociology.
Databases allow you to search collections of journals, articles, books, topic reviews, evidence-based summaries and drug information. StMU databases include Core Databases which are curated collections focusing on a specific subject area and Multidisciplinary Databases which provide broad subject coverage in all areas of undergraduate study.
This bibliographic database provides the most comprehensive coverage of research, policy and practice literature in the fields of family science, human ecology, human development and social welfare.
JSTOR’s first collection includes core journals in economics, history, political science, and sociology, as well as in other key fields in the humanities and social sciences.
This collection expands JSTOR’s coverage in economics, law, education, sociology, psychology, and public policy and administration. It includes noteworthy student-run law reviews, featuring more than a century of top legal scholarship.
SocINDEX with Full Text is the world’s most comprehensive and highest quality sociology research database. The database features more than 2.1 million records with subject headings from a 20,000+ term sociological thesaurus designed by subject experts and expert lexicographers.
Covering all major academic disciplines, Academic Search Elite is a rich resource spanning a broad stretch of academic subjects with thousands of full-text journals and abstracted and indexed journals.
The Premium Collection is MUSE’s foremost collection of high quality, peer reviewed, interdisciplinary journals in the humanities and social sciences.
Films On Demand is a streaming video service containing outstanding educational programs. Many programs from the History Channel, Biography Channel, BBC, PBS and other news channels are included in this collection.
This collection includes documentaries, animations, experimental films, fiction and interactive works. It showcases films that take a stand on issues of global importance that matter to Canadians—stories about the environment, human rights, international conflict, the arts and more.
There is nothing wrong with using the internet. You can find very helpful resources on the web but you should know where and when is the right time to use the internet versus a Library database.
Don't hesitate to ask We're happy to assist you in person, by phone, or by MS Teams.
Anytime, anywhere StMU students, staff, and faculty have access to all of the online resources offsite. Simply enter your credentials.
Having problems with offsite access? Make sure you're selecting OpenAthens when given an option. Check out our guide on OpenAthens External Authentication for detailed support.
The StMU Library provides access to hundreds of scholarly journals to keep you up to date with the latest evidence, research, and discussion in your field. If we don't have access to the article you're looking for, fill out an ILL Request and we'll bring in a copy for free. Below you will find links to core, full-text Education journals as well as information about assessing articles found on the web.
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The Canadian Review of Sociology / Revue canadienne de sociologie (CRS/RCS) is the journal of the Canadian Sociological Association/La Société canadienne de sociologie. The CRS/RCS is committed to the dissemination of innovative ideas and research findings that are at the core of the discipline. The CRS/RCS publishes both theoretical and empirical work that reflects a wide range of methodological approaches. It is essential reading for those interested in sociological research in Canada and abroad.
The Canadian Journal of Sociology publishes rigorously peer-reviewed research articles and innovative theoretical essays by social scientists from around the world, providing insight into the issues facing Canadian society as well as social and cultural systems in other countries. The journal also features a lively debate/commentary section encouraging the intensive exchange of ideas, along with regular sections such as “Notes on Society” that address topical issues of the day from a social science point of view and “Notes on the Discipline” designed to discuss a variety of issues encountered in the course of the sociological analysis of modern society.
Published four times a year (March, June, September, December), the Sociology of Sport Journal (SSJ) publishes original research, framed by social theory, on exercise, sport, physical culture, and the (physically active) body. Analyses from diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives are encouraged to stimulate further research, critical thought, and theory development on topics ranging in broad scope from global professional sport, coaching, commercial exercise/fitness, and recreational physical activity. The journal publishes an array of peer-reviewed research articles, research notes, and book reviews.
Print resource: Periodical GV706.5 .S635
Sociology of Education (SOE) provides a forum for studies in the sociology of education and human social development. SOE publishes research that examines how social institutions and individuals’ experiences within these institutions affect educational processes and social development. Such research may span various levels of analysis, ranging from the individual to the structure of relations among social and educational institutions. In an increasingly complex society, important educational issues arise throughout the life cycle.
Established in 1895 as the first US scholarly journal in its field, the American Journal of Sociology (AJS) presents path breaking work from all areas of sociology, with an emphasis on theory building and innovative methods. AJS strives to speak to the general sociology reader and is open to contributions from across the social sciences—sociology, political science, economics, history, anthropology, and statistics—that seriously engage the sociological literature to forge new ways of understanding the social.
AJS offers a substantial book review section that identifies the most salient work of both emerging and enduring scholars of social science. Commissioned review essays appear occasionally, offering readers a comparative, in-depth examination of prominent titles.
International Review of Sociology is the oldest journal in the field of sociology, founded in 1893 by René Worms. It is published with the financial support of Sapienza University of Rome, and its direction is under the responsibility of the Department of Statistics.
Entrusting the journal into the Department of Statistics of Sapienza University reinforces the view that sociology cannot be conceived apart from economics, history, demography, anthropology, and social psychology. Thus, the International Review of Sociology provides a medium through which up-to-date results of interdisciplinary research can be spread across disciplines as well as across continents and cultures.
There is nothing wrong with using journal articles you've found on the internet, there's plenty of high quality information out there. But, there are a few things you should know about Academic, Open Access, and Predatory journals before you start.
Print resource: REF HM425 .B78 2006
Print resource: REF HM425 .E5 2000
Print resource: REF HM425 .E539 2005
Print resource: GV706.5 .R68 2018
Print resource: HQ1090 .H36 2005
Print resource: BL60 .S24 2007
Libraries are filled with books! Many prefer holding a hard copy book instead of an electronic version. Don't worry, we have both available depending on what you like best.
Books are ideal information sources to consult when looking for a comprehensive overview of your topic. Don't see what you are looking for? Ask us about InterLibrary Loans to find a book from another library.
HM 300-1281: Sociology
HM 435-477: History of sociology. History of sociological theory
HM 481-554: Theory. Method. Relations to other subjects
HM 621-656: Culture
HM 661-696: Social control
HM 701: Social systems
HM 706: Social structure
HM 711-806: Groups and organizations
HM 811-821: Deviant behaviour. Social deviance
HM 826: Social institutions
HM 831-901: Social change
HM 1001-1281: Social psychology
HN 1-995: Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
HN 30-39: The church and social problems
HN 41-46: Community centres. Social centres
Libraries are filled with books! Many prefer holding a hard copy book instead of an electronic version. Don't worry, we have both available depending on what you like best.
Books are ideal information sources to consult when looking for a comprehensive overview of your topic. Don't see what you are looking for? Ask us about InterLibrary Loans to find a book from another library.
Click and read Immediate access anytime, anywhere.
Available to all Place a Request in the catalogue for quick pickup or visit the library to browse the stacks. .
You can borrow from them too Search and Request books from our SAIL partners (U of C, AU, and BVC) from within the STMU catalogue.
The internet has a wealth of information. Explore grey literature, Open Education Resources and digital repositories to discover information about your subject from all over the world. Below you will find a curated list of web resources.
Below you will find a curated list of web resources.
“The CCSD is a non-profit social policy and research organization focusing on issues such as poverty, social inclusion, disability, cultural diversity, child well-being, employment and housing”. This site contains research reports and other publications.
This site provides excellent information about substance abuse related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Some of the main divisions of the site are: statistics, cannabis issues, youth and gambling.
Addresses issues regarding social and economic justice
It's not always black and whiteGrey literature falls into a 'grey area' of materials produced outside traditional publishing channels. Learn more about grey literature in the Research Tips tab.
Request and you shall receive If you have located an article online that the StMU Library does not have access to through our databases and journals, submit an ILL request and we'll locate a copy at no charge.
Many electronic resources, such as the Library catalogue and academic databases, offer citation generation tools to automatically generate citations in your chosen style. Be sure to always verify the accuracy of the citation as sometimes this information is incorrect or improperly formatted. Below you will find a selection of citing and writing resources.
ACS (American Chemical Society)
APA (American Psychological Association)
APS (American Physical Society)
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk. Council of Science Editors Style Guide
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Chicago/TurabianPrint resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk
IEEE Style Manual (PDF)This style is commonly used for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
MLA (Modern Language Association)Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Writing Resources for Subject
Essay do's and don'ts : a practical guide to essay writing
Print resource: General Reserves PE1408 .E54 2017
The Purdue Online Writing Lab The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects.
Style guides are updated regularly to keep pace with the changing nature of information, but instructors don't always adopt the most current guideline right away.
Check out the academic writing series offered by the Learning Centre and master the citation styles used in your field of study.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
This style is commonly used for Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Print resource on Course Reserve. Please visit the Library information desk.
The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects.
These are articles reporting on original research and include elements such as a hypothesis, background studies, literature reviews, detailed methodologies, results, interpretations of findings, and discussions on possible implications and future research. Original research articles are typically longer, ranging from 3, 000 – 12, 000 words. These articles are peer reviewed and cite relevant publications from other authors that relate to the research being conducted.
These articles report on the in-depth study of a specific person, group, or event. They are used in a variety of fields such as psychology, medicine, education, political science, and social work in order to seek patterns and causes of behaviour.
A literature review is a systematic summary and synthesis of what has been published on a topic by accredited scholars and researchers. They frequently convey what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, as well as critically assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the field. They will often lack a ‘Methods’ section, though they are often peer reviewed.
These reviews are often designed to provide an exhaustive summary of current evidence in relation to a specific research question, synthesize findings qualitatively or quantitatively, and critically appraise research studies. Systematic reviews use rigorous and transparent review methodologies with the aim of assessing and minimizing bias in the findings.
A meta-analysis is a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific studies addressing the same question. The primary aim is to use statistical analyses to determine common truths. Meta-analyses can be part of a broader systematic review.
Including letters to the editor, correspondences, short communications, editorials, pictorial essays
Broadly speaking, gray literature is information produced outside of the traditional academic publishing and distribution systems such as academic journals and monographs. Gray literature can include reports, policies, working papers, newsletters, speeches, government documents, and more.
As grey literature is produced directly by an individual or organization, for their own either use or wider sharing, it is often more current than academic publications as it is not subject to the delays found in traditional publishing processes.
As grey literature does not go through a rigorous peer review process the quality can vary significantly, and it is recommended that these sources be critically evaluated.
These can include scientific studies conducted by Government agencies and NGO which are often not peer reviewed. These types of reports can be found in both scholarly databases and freely on the web.