http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/anthr146.html

Research Guide for
ANTHROPOLOGY 146:
DIVERSE ENVIRONMENTS DIVERSE CULTURES

Developing a Search Strategy Finding Background Information Finding Books Finding Periodical Articles
Finding Networked Resources Finding Internet Resources Evaluating Sources Research Help Online Reference Help in Person

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DEVELOPING A SEARCH STRATEGY


Search strategy is a library term for the process of finding information in a logical, step-by-step manner. Using a search strategy insures that you will find the information or material you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Research Steps:

  1. Choose your topic
  2. Find background information
  3. Find books on your topic
  4. Find periodical articles
  5. Find networked resources or relevant Web sites
  6. Evaluate your sources
  7. Cite your sources

For more information about library research strategy and using library resources, go to Research strategy: a tutorial - an online, hypertext guide to library research that is a part of Library Gateway Help.

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FINDING BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Guides and Handbooks


The materials listed below are a selection of reference resources for finding background information and context for topics you will be covering in this class. Note the call numbers and library locations for these materials and check the reference collections for additional sources of background information.

The authors of articles in reference books often provide bibliographies of selected books and articles for further study.

Print Reference Resources


Literature Guides

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Networked Reference Resources


There are other networked reference resources, including online encyclopedias and dictionaries, available in the General Interest and Reference section of the CU Library Gateway including the following databases:

For more information about searching for these online reference materials and other resources within the CU Library Gateway, go to the Finding Networked Resources section of this research guide.

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FINDING BOOKS

Cornell University Library Catalog Plus, Olin Library Card Catalog


CU Library Catalog Overview

Search Commands, Subject Searching, Keyword Searching, and other functions of the online catalog are explained on these web pages.

The Cornell University Library Catalog includes the holdings of all 17 of the libraries on the Ithaca campus, in addition to those of the Geneva Experiment Station. (The Medical College Library, located in New York City, has a separate catalog.) The catalog contains records for books, computer files, government documents, manuscripts and archives, maps, musical scores, periodicals, serials, sound recordings, and visual materials received and cataloged since 1973. There are also records for most pre-1973 items, and for items that are on order or in process.

Connect to the Cornell University Library Catalog

When to Check the Card Catalog

When the book you want was published before 1973 and it's not in the CU Library Catalog, check the card catalog located in the John M. Olin Library. This card catalog contains cards for authors, subjects and titles filed in an alphabetical, word-by-word arrangement for books cataloged through December 1972. Whenever you cannot locate the material you need, ask at a reference desk for assistance.

Understanding Library of Congress Call Numbers

Library of Congress Classification

The Cornell University Library uses Library of Congress subject headings as the standard for subject searching. Unlike searching by keyword, where any term or wording of a topic can be entered into the computer, subject searching requires you to use the exact wording of an official Library of Congress subject heading in order to retrieve search results.

Some useful standard subject headings:

CAYUGA INDIANS
INDIANS OF NORTH AMERICA
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
IROQUOIS INDIANS -- CLAIMS
IROQUOIS INDIANS -- LAND TENURE
PROPERTY
RIGHT OF PROPERTY

ETHNOLOGY -- [PLACE NAME]

More useful subject subdivisions:

--CROSS CULTURAL STUDIES
--SOCIAL LIFE AND CUSTOMS

Guided keyword searches can be more flexible:

INDIGENOUS OR INDIANS [ANY] AND CLAIMS OR "LAND TENURE" [ANY]

Specialized Book Bibliographies

  • Anthropology Bibliography on DISC. New York: G.K. Hall 1997.
    [OLIN Ref CDRom]

    A cumulative catalog of the Tozzer Library at Harvard which has the largest anthropology collection in the United States. The collection encompasses all areas of anthropology with special strengths in Mayan and Mesoamerican studies. Included are records for books, journal titles (not articles), maps and audiovisual materials. For references to journal articles, see the index, Anthropological Literature.

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FINDING PERIODICAL ARTICLES

Periodical Indexes and Abstracts


Periodical articles are published "periodically" or sequentially in daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual or irregular intervals. They are found in newspapers, magazines, journals, yearbooks, and other sources.

Periodical indexes and abstracts are Reference resources that identify and locate articles in periodical publications. They are often subject-oriented and list author, title, name of periodical, volume, pages and date of publication in entries called bibliographic citations.

Periodical indexes and abstracts are available in several formats: traditional bound paper volumes, stand alone CD-ROM computer workstations, and as networked resources in the CU Library Gateway.

Finding Periodicals and Periodical Articles

Selected Periodical Indexes and Abstracts


Periodical Indexes

  • America History and Life. Calif.: ABC-Clio, 1964 - .
    [ibrary Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    The major abstracting source for journals on American history. Provides access to articles on archaeology, paleontology, Native American studies and ethnology.

  • Anthropological Index Online. London, England: Museum of Mankind Library.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    A database of periodical articles appearing in anthropology journals located originally in the Royal Anthropological Institute,which was incorporated into the Museum of Mankind Library. Chronological coverage includes primarily 1970 - 1994. Regional coverage includes Africa, America, Asia, East Indies, Oceania, Australia, and Europe. Topical coverage includes physical and cultural anthropology, human biology, archaeology, ethnology, linguistics and ethnomusicology.

  • Anthropological Literature. Cambridge, Mass.: Tozzer Library, Harvard University. 1984- . Updated quarterly.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    The most comprehensive index for the field, containing references to English- and other European-language articles that appear in journals or edited collections held by the Tozzer Library at Harvard. Primary emphasis is on archaeology, anthropology (biological, physical, cultural, social) and linguistics. Book reviews, conference proceedings and reports are not included. Coverage extends back into the 19th century.

  • Periodical Abstracts. 1986 - .
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    Available as part of the ProQuest Direct system, Periodical Abstracts indexes and abstracts over 1500 periodicals, covering general interest magazines, newspapers and key scholarly journals in the social sciences, humanities and sciences, including over 40 anthropology journals. Also included are citations and abstracts to selected television and radio programs. The ProQuest Direct Web interface provides the full-text, in several formats, of many articles contained in the database.

  • Sociological Abstracts. San Diego: Sociological Abstracts, Inc., 1952-.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources 1963-; Olin Ref Z7163 S67+]

    Indexes and provides brief summaries of the articles in approximately 3000 journals covering sociology, social work and other social sciences, including many journals from the field of anthropology. Also provides abstracts of papers presented at conferences, some of which can be difficult to obtain.

  • Women's Resources International. Baltimore, MD: National Information Services Corp., c1991, 1996 -.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    An interdisciplinary database which includes Women Studies Abstracts (1984-present), and Women's Studies Database (1972-present) which provide references to journal articles and other materials pertaining to all aspects of women's studies. Also includes the resource, New Books on Women and Feminism (1987-present), Women of Color and Southern Women (1975-present), The History of Women and Science, Health, and Technology: A Bibliographic Guide to the Professions and Disciplines (1970-1995), Women's Health and Development: An Annotated Bibliography (1995), Women, Race, and Ethnicity: A Bibliography (1970- 1990), WAVE: Women's Audiovisuals in English: A Guide to Nonprint Resources in Women's Studies (1985-1990). NISC will add new databases as they become available.

NOTE: Numerous other periodical indexes are available. For example, separate databases are available for geographic areas such as Latin America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Full-Text Resources

  • Ethnic Newswatch. Stamford: Softline Information, 1992- . Monthly.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    This is a multi-cultural database containing the full-text of articles, columns, and editorials from 125 ethnic and minority American newspapers and news magazines. It includes African-American, Arab-American, Asian-American, Eastern European, European, Hispanic/Chicano/Latino, Jewish, and Native American publications. Spanish-language newspapers are in Spanish; the database is searchable in English and Spanish. Local, national, and international business, economic, political, and social issues are covered in addition to entertainment, fashion and music topics.

  • Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Dayton: Mead Data Central.
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    This Web-based service contains the full text of a number of large- and medium-size newspapers; transcripts of broadcast news shows, interviews, and press conferences; wire services; some popular magazines; and legal materials. Since it is updated daily, it is an excellent index to current topics and events.

  • GenderWatch. Stamford, CT: SoftLine Information, 1970- .
    [Library Gateway -- Networked Resources]

    A full-text database of scholarly journals, magazines, newsletters, newspapers and special reports that focus on the impact of gender across a broad spectrum of subject areas. In addition to women and gender studies topics covered are relevant to culture, education, family, health, international issues, politics, government, religion, sociology and more. All articles are fully indexed -- free text and boolean searching are also available.

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FINDING NETWORKED RESOURCES

Cornell University Library Gateway


The Cornell University Library Gateway provides a unified approach to finding information about the Cornell University Library and to selecting and connecting to our diverse and growing constellation of networked electronic resources and services.

Networked Resources contains titles, descriptive information, and links to approximately 2000 networked electronic resources, including periodical indexes, numeric and spatial data files, catalogs, audio-visual materials, and full text documents such as electronic journals and reference sources. It is a "database of databases." There are two main ways to search for databases in your areas of interest: searching and browsing.

Search Tips for Finding Networked Resources

Library Gateway Help

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FINDING INTERNET RESOURCES

Search Engines and Subject Guides


Use search engines or Internet subject guides to find resources or sites on the World Wide Web on your topic. Search Engines are software that allow you to search the contents of web pages and Subject Guides are web pages that use menus and lists to sort and classify web sites.

Question and evaluate the information that you find on web pages. As you would do with books and journal articles, look to see who is responsible for producing the web page or site that you are accessing. How objective is the information? How accurate or truthful? How authoritative? Go to the Evaluating Sources section of this page for more information on how to assess the web sites you have accessed.

Selected Internet Resources


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EVALUATING SOURCES


Evaluating the sources you find is a crucial step in the process of library research. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, or multimedia sources are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item or have the item in hand.

How to Critically Analyze Information Sources lists some of the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or Web site for your research.

Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals: A Checklist of Criteria shows how to evaluate periodicals by looking at their format, intended audience, and appearance.

Evaluating Web Resources lists ways to analyze the Web sites you find.

Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites offers a table of suggestions.

For additional suggestions specific to Web sites, see Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools.

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RESEARCH HELP ONLINE


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REFERENCE HELP


  • Library Gateway Help

  • Reference Desk Directory

  • Reference Desk Schedules in Olin and Uris Libraries

    • Olin Library Reference phone number: 255-4144

    • Uris Library Reference phone number: 255-2339

  • OKU Workshop Schedule

  • OKU Research Consultations

  • Olin Kroch Uris Reference e-mail address: okuref@cornell.edu

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    Question? Ask a Librarian

    Cornell University Library | 



Cornell Library Catalog | 



CUinfo |


    October 12, 2000
    Nancy Skipper
    Reference Services Division, Olin*Kroch*Uris Libraries
    Cornell University Library
    URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/anthr146.html


    Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853
    Information and reference: 607-255-4144, okuref@cornell.edu
    Circulation: (Olin) 607-255-4245, (Uris) 607-255-3537, olincirc@cornell.edu