|
HUMAN RELATIONS AREA
FILES (HRAF) |
What is
the HRAF?
A collection
on microfiche of over 800,000 pages of primary source materials, including books,
journal articles, dissertations, unpublished field reports and translations on
selected cultures or societies, from all over the world. The intention is eventually
to represent all major areas; currently many cultures are not covered. Subject
access is provided by an alpha-numeric coding system based primarily on geographical
area and cultural groups, subdivided by cultural traits. (See Murdock's
Outline of World Cultures and Outline
of Cultural Materials). Each document has been examined
sentence by sentence and coded for information on cultural traits. Copies of relevant
text segments appear under every relevant code in the file. If not available in
the Library's general collections, the complete text of many documents is also
available in the file for each cultural group under code #116. Bibliographic citations
and abstracts of each document are under code #111. Continued and partially superceded
by eHRAF (see below). The HRAF
Index on microfiche, in the beginning of the file, is arranged by cultural trait
codes; it indicates which cultural groups have information on each trait in the
file, enabling HRAF to be approached, initially, by topic instead of by cultural
group. Although this index is incomplete, it can still be helpful.
Where
is the HRAF in Olin Library? HRAF.
Ann Arbor, Mich.: University Microfilms International, 1975 - 1995. (Olin
Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887)
All HRAF-related materials (guides etc.,), except the CDs for Electronic HRAF,
are located in or on the HRAF file cabinet in the Newspaper and Microform
collections on the Lower Level in Olin Library.
Microfiche
Guides for the HRAF
Guide to Cross-Cultural Research Using
the HRAF Archive. Ember, Carol R. New Haven: Human Relations Area Files,
1988. (Olin Ref Lower Level, Microforms Microfiche set 887 Guide 2 1988)
A short pamphlet on how to use HRAF for cross-cultural
research. Includes information on sampling, measurement and analysis. Not a good
source for teaching basic use of HRAF. HRAF Source Bibliography:
Cumulative. New Haven: Human Relations Area Files, 1976 - (Olin
Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887 Bibliography) Lists all sources
included in the Human Relations Area Files. Arranged by cultural groups, subarranged
by source code. Author and culture indexes are provided. In 2 volumes (loose-leaf
ring binders); updated yearly. Nature and Use of the HRAF Files:
A Research and Training Guide. Lagace, Robert O. New Haven: Human Relations
Area Files, 1974. (Olin Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887 Guide 3 1974).
While somewhat dated, this brief booklet provides the clearest
illustrated guide on how to use HRAF. Instructors and Librarian's
Guide to the HRAF Archive. Levinson, David.New Haven: Human Relations
Area Files, 1988. (Olin Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887 Guide 1 1988)
A short pamphlet helpful for those using HRAF. Provides concise
information on the content and organization of the files and a brief outline of
each step required to use them. Outline of
World Cultures. 6th ed. Murdock, George Peter. New Haven: Human
Relations Area Files, 1983. (Olin Ref GN 345.3 M97 1983; also in Olin
Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887 Outline 2 1983) Organizes the
peoples and cultures of the world by ethic origin and assigns each group a unique
classification number which provides access to HRAF. For example, the 'Central
Thai' code = AO7. Many cultures listed in the Outline are NOT yet covered in HRAF;
codes for cultures that are covered have been circled in pencil in the copy of
the outline in the microform guide section. Outline
of Cultural Materials. 5th ed. Murdock, George Peter.New Haven:
Human Relations Area Files, 1987. (Olin Ref GN 345.1 O94 1987; also in
Olin Ref Lower Level, Microfiche set 887 Outline 1 1987) A manual
which attempts to arrange , through a comprehensive classification system, such
aspects of human life and behavior as social life, customs, kinship, material
products and ecological settings. For example, the 'social stratification' code
= 56 and it's subdivision 'sex status' = 562.
QUICK GUIDE to using the
HRAF microfiche collection
- Find the cultural group code
number(s) by consulting the Outline of World
Cultures. (Note: HRAF covers only selected
groups indicated by a pencil mark under or around the code numbers).
- Find the cultural trait category number(s)
by consulting the Outline of Cultural Materials.
- Find the cultural group file
by code number in the microfiche cabinet.
- Within the group file, look for microfiche
with the cultural trait category numbers on the upper left
corner.
- Put the microfiche in a reader, find the section
with the cultural trait number and look for the large numbered
dots in the margins. They are adjacent to text excerpts that pertain
to your cultural trait category.
- If the material is of interest, copy down to
the source number, the author's name and
the cultural group code which are on the top of the microfiche.
- For a complete bibliographic citation,
consult the HRAF Source Bibliography. It is arranged by cultural
group code then subarranged by source number. OR, consult category
number 111 within the microfiche file for your cultural group. It
also contains bibliographic citations and abstracts of HRAF source material.
- For the full text of the source
material search the Olin card catalog for material published
before 1974 or the Cornell Library Catalog online for more
recent material. OR, consult category number 116 within the
microfiche file for your cultural group. It contains the full text of many
HRAF source publications.
Need Help?
Please inquire at the Olin Library Reference Desk,
or
Nancy
Skipper, 5-5176
Last update: May 24, 2004
by G. Castro Gessner
Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University, Ithaca
NY 14853
PSA: Public Services and Assessment
Information and reference: 607-255-4144, okuref@cornell.edu
Circulation: (Olin) 607-255-4245, (Uris) 607-255-3537, olincirc@cornell.edu
