Sociology: Find Articles

Search these databases to find articles on topics related to sociology. I would also suggest looking at the full list of library databases, as sociological research can be multidisciplinary. Some research projects might require searching areas such as medicine, gender studies, gerontology, pop culture, and psychology, for which we have specific subject databases. 

There are many different types of articles. The chart below can help you figure out which type(s) you're looking for or identify an article you've already found:

	News articles provide the most current information. Certain newspapers, such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times, are also known for thoughtful, in-depth analyses of important topics and events.
	Popular magazine articles can help you generate ideas about issues, controversies, or unanswered questions about a topic, which you might want to explore further. They sometimes refer to studies or scholarly work that you can track down for more information.
	Trade publications are written by and for professionals within an industry. These are an excellent source of very specific information from inside the field.
	Scholarly journal articles go through a process of peer review before they are published. They are written by experts in the field (the people with letters after their name!) and their purpose is to advance the ongoing body of work within the discipline. These articles might present original research data and findings, or take a position on a key question within the field. They can be difficult to read, because their intended audience is other experts and academics, but they are at the top of the line when it comes to authoritative information.

If the article you have found in a library database doesn't have the full text right there, click on the "Find It" button to see if the article is available in full-text in another database. The "Find It" button will look like this.

If we do have it, it will take you to a page that provides you a link to the database in which the article is available (click on that link to access the article).

If we do not have it, you will see a "Get it" button to request a digital copy (PDF) of the article, which takes approximately 24 hours. The digital copy will be delivered to you via email.

Learn more about requesting library materials. 

Here are some useful places to find news sources, both through the PCC Library and on the Web.

Interactive tutorial that describes the parts and function of a scholarly article.

Anatomy of a Scholarly Article

from NCSU Libraries