GRO620 - The University Libraries

GRO 620 - Research Methods

Library Spaces: Information about places in the library for individuals or groups to study or prepare for presentations

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Specialized books providing background information on topics and help define unfamiliar words.

Bibliographies at the end of each article refer to other useful sources.

Dictionary of Gerontology
Diana K. Harris, ed., 1988
Location: ref HQ1061 .H338

Encyclopedia of Aging
David J. Ekerdt, ed. 2002. 4 vol.
Also in print. Location: ref HQ 1061 .E534

Encyclopedia of Gerontology

James E. Birren, 2nd ed., 2007. 2 vol.

Location: RC952.5 .E58

The Graying of America: An encyclopedia of aging, health, mind, and behavior
Kausler and Kausler, ed. 2nd ed. 2001
Location: ref HQ1064 .U5 K39

Encyclopedia of Aging: a comprehensive resource in gerontology and geriatrics
Richard Schulz, ed., 4th ed, 2006. 2 vol.
Location: ref HQ1061 .E53

Subject Databases for Locating Journals

Databases are online subject guides to magazines, journals, newspapers, and other materials. For more choices than those listed below, go to the University Libraries home page, click on Databases, then the starting letter of the database or department name.

Tips:
-When searching your topic remember to try a variety of subject headings for the same concept
-Click here for tips on using the search connectors AND, OR, and NOT in your search strategy

REMEMBER: To get to the full text of the journal article you must go through the Library's web pages. We have paid for access to the journals. You cannot go to the publisher's page to get an article. Use Journal Finder if you have the name of the journal.

AgeLine (EBSCO)

Covers the study of aging in psychological, health-related, social, & economic contexts
Sample topics: theories of aging, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, elder care, Alzheimer's, health care costs and policies, financial and retirement planning, fitness, nutrition, etc.
Indexes/abstracts journal articles, books and book chapters, government documents, and reports
Some full text
1978 to present

PsycINFO (EBSCO)

Some full text, mainly abstracts for over a thousand periodicals including all of the core gerontology journals, book chapters and books in psychology, mental health and related disciplines
1887 to present

PsycArticles (EBSCO)

Full text of about 50 core journals including those published by the American Psychological Assn; all journals are indexed in PsycINFO too
Covers basic, applied, clinical, and theoretical research
1988 to present but varies by title

Other EBSCO Databases

Search any combination of over two dozen databases simultaneously. Depending on your topic, choose one or more of the databases listed immediately below. Check the box in front of each database you want then click on the "Continue."

Academic Search Premier

Thousands of scholarly journals, many full-text and many peer-reviewed

Covers the social sciences including sociology, psychology, family studies and gerontology

Eight major gerontology journals are available in full-text

Dates of coverage vary by title; full text mainly from 1990 with 100 titles back to 1975

Health Source, Nursing/Academic Edition

Provides full text for several hundred scholarly journals focusing on the medical disciplines.

1984 to present but varies by title

CINAHL: nursing and allied health database for topics such as patient care, long-term care, etc.

ERIC: educational topics such as lifelong learning, Elderhostels

SocIndex with Full Text (SIFT)

Sociology and related areas including demography, ethnic & racial studies, gender studies, marriage & family, social development, social psychology, social work, substance abuse & other addictions, family violence, etc.

Covers journals and the full text of selected books and conference papers

Abstracts of some of the core journals date as far back as 1895

Social Work Abstracts

Astracts (no full text) of periodical articles and dissertations

Subjects: social work, child and family welfare, sociology, crime and delinquency, community health, etc.

1977 to present

Family & Society Studies Worldwide (access ends 1/31/2010)

Abstracts from professional journals as well as books, popular literature, conference papers, and government reports

Research, policy and practice literature from the fields of family science, human ecology, human development, and gerontology

Considerable Australian material. Limited amount of these materials available in Jackson library

1970 to present

Web of Science

Indexes thousands of peer-reviewed science and social science journals
Shows the references cited by the authors of the journal articles they cover. You can use these cited references as search terms
Citation database: finds references cited by the authors of the journal articles, i.e. the footnotes
Cited reference search: search for articles that have cited a previously published work
Includes Social Sciences Citation Index and Science Citation Index
No full text but links through Journal Finder to available full text
1956 to date.

Humanities and Social Science Retrospective

Indexes core scholarly, English-language journals published between 1907 and 1984
No full text
Continued by SocIndex with Full Text

Sociological Abstracts

Abstracts journals, books, conference papers, and other materials in sociology, social psychology, community development, feminist studies and gerontology.
International in scope; many foreign language titles
Major journals in these fields accessible through the library
1963 to present

Medline

Indexes and abstracts articles from medical, health, and nutrition journals.
Covers geriatrics, i.e., the physical aspects of aging. Useful for topics with a medical slant including diet, prescription drugs, patient care, Alzheimer's, and progressive diseases such as cancer
Years of coverage vary; PubMed covers 1966-present and is updated daily

Looking for the full text of the article? Go to Journal Finder and enter the name of the journal. Instructions are below.

Print Index

Abstracts in Social Gerontology (formerly Current Literature on Aging)

Provides abstracts and bibliographies of major articles, books, reports, and other materials on all aspects of social gerontology including demography, economics, family relations, government policy, health, institutional care, physiology, psychiatric dysfunctions, psychology, societal attitudes, work and retirement

1983- to the present

Location: Ref. HQ 1060 .C870

APA Style

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 6th edn. Copies at the Reference Desk and Reserve Desk BF76.7 .P83 2010

Examples:

Text of an electronic journal article retrieved via a DOI number:

Smith, W.C. (1993). Role of early supervisory experience in supervisor performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(4), 443-449.

doi:10.1037/002-9432.76.4.482

Text of an electronic article without a DOI number, use the URL:

Painter, J. (2008). Cartographic anxiety and the search for regionality. Environment and Planning A, 40, 342-361. Retrieved from

http://www.envplan.com/epa/fulltext/a40/a38255.pdf

Article from a print or microfilm journal:

VandenBos, G., Knapp, S., & Doe, J. (2001). Role of reference elements in the selection of resources by psychology

undergraduates. Journal of Bibliographic Research, 5(2), 117-123.

Link to examples of APA, MLA, Turabian Style

Useful Websites

Government Information on Aging--U.S. and N.C. Resources on Aging

Federal, state, and local websites with a variety of information for the elderly and for those working with them

Sample topics: Alzheimer's Disease, Medicaid, contact information for local agencies offering assistance

National Institute on Aging (National Institutes of Health)

This agency provides leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people

Free, online publications include topics such as alcohol abuse, older drivers, safety, and crimes against the elderly

Central source of aging-related information in North Carolina

Resources, library materials and assistance are available to researchers, health professionals, government officials, and others across the state

Excellent web site from the federal agency responsible for disseminating information for and about the elderly

Check out the sections labeled Press Room, Statistics, Fact Sheets and so on for full text documents from helpful hints to agency budgets to the text of laws affecting seniors

Independent, non-profit organization dedicated to understanding Alzheimer's disease and related disorders

Site includes up-to-date information in the form of research news, papers of the week, journal article abstracts, expert commentaries, job and grant resources, drug and conference news, and more

Largest national voluntary health organization supporting Alzheimer's research and care

Site has information about the disease, the Association's programs and services, and their advocacy efforts.

Healthfinder (U.S. Dept of Health and Human Servides)

Four-part free guide to reliable consumer health and human services information

Links to selected online publications, clearinghouses, databases, web sites, support and self-help groups, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations that produce reliable information for the public

Excellent starting point for locating information

Primary vs. Secondary Sources (U. of Calif. at Berkeley website with definitions, examples)

Basic Library Services

Interlibrary Loan
Borrowing Materials from UNCG or other libraries
Photocopying

Using Journal Finder

Return to the Library's home page and click on Journal Finder
Enter the journal name (not the article title) such as Journal of Aging and Health in the box and press the Enter key or click Search
If the title appears, click on the icon for the method of access you want
- Click on the computer icon to find full text online access to some articles
  - The database(s) and dates for full text are displayed
  - Choose a database and follow any instructions for finding specific journal titles
- Click on the book icon to locate print issues of the journal in the Library
  - The record shown will provide the holdings and location of the journal
  - Older years of journals are either bound and shelved by call number with the book collection in the stacks or are on microfilm
  - Current issues are available in the Reading Room on 1st Floor Main
- Click on the envelope icon for mail or electronic delivery of the article
- Click on the car icon to check whether other libraries own this title

Page Author: Nancy Ryckman
Gerontology Librarian