Prepared for Theory and Methods in Anthropology February 4, 1998. Kurt W. Wagner, Reference Librarian - Instructor.

/library/bi/anthresearch.html

The ability to accurately and efficiently gather library information on a subject is integral to conducting research. A "literature review" is the process by which pertinent resources are consulted and information is gathered in support of a hypothesis or in order to explore a particular subject.

The following is a set of resources, some print, some CD-ROM based, some accessible via the Internet, which should be consulted in the course of your research. A general working knowledge of the library is crucial. Please familiarize yourself with:

The Library Online Catalog

Username = ASK_Q . Using the catalog, one can look up books by title, author, subject and various types of keyword searching. OPAC terminals are located throughout the Library, and can also be accessed from any WPUNJ computer lab, or from home. Simply telnet to wpc.wpunj.edu and enter the username as above.

Books found in the Library's Reference section are still the fundamental source for information at the initial stages of research. Dictionaries, encyclopedia, directories and similar works are necessary for you to "read around" your topic, define terminology, and provide concise, factual information.

Companion encyclopedia of anthropology / edited by Tim Ingold.
CALL NUMBER: GN25 .C65 1994 -- Reference -- Available

AUTHOR: Winthrop, Robert H.
TITLE: Dictionary of concepts in cultural anthropology
CALL NUMBER: GN307 .W56 1991 -- Reference -- Available

AUTHOR: Brown, Samuel R.
TITLE: Finding the source in sociology and anthropology : a thesaurus-index to the reference collection
CALL NUMBER: Z7164.S68B75 1987 -- Reference -- Available

TITLE: Encyclopedia of world cultures
CALL NUMBER: GN307 .E53 1991 -- v.1-10 -- Reference -- Available

TITLE: Encyclopedia of cultural anthropology
CALL NUMBER: GN307 .E52 1996 -- multiple volumes -- Reference -- Available

TITLE: Encyclopedia of human evolution and prehistory
CALL NUMBER: GN281.E53 1988 -- Reference -- Available

This list is not intended to be exhaustive. Check the GN sections both in REFERENCE and in the main stacks for additional titles.

Some specific anthroplogy-subject titles:

TITLE: Anthropology, folklore, and myth / edited with introductions by Robert A. Segal
CALL NUMBER: GR67 .A57 1996 -- Book -- Available

TITLE: Anthropology : a student's guide to theory and method/ Stanley R. Barrett.
CALL NUMBER: GN25 .B39 1996 -- Book -- Available

TITLE: Why humans have cultures : explaining anthropology and social diversity / Michael Carrithers.
CALL NUMBER: GN25 .C37 1992 -- Book -- Available

TITLE: Culture and change : an introduction / Larry L. Naylor.
CALL NUMBER: GN27 .N39 1996 -- Book -- Available

Try creating a Title List for call number range: GN307. Simply choose "Find", then "Numeric", then "Call Number" and enter "HD30.3". Using this method you can "browse" for titles....

Sources for Periodical/Journal Articles

Periodical/Journal articles are going to be your main source of primary information, the results of first-hand observations or experimentation. Look for the most current work in your subject area. Most journal titles are NOT available online or via the Internet. To find articles, use the following resources, which can be found in the Library's Reference area or Electronic Resource Center:

Social Science Index
REFERENCE COLLECTION
1. CURRENT ISSUES RECEIVED IN PAPER - 01/01/1978 -

Social Science Index is the "front line" access to the journal literature of anthropology and related subjects. No literature review is complete without a thorough consultation of this resource.

Sociofile - The CD-ROM equivalent of Sociological Abstracts, Sociofile provides citations and abstracts to thousands of journal articles in the Social Science related fields. Since Communication is inherently interdisciplinary, check these other CD-ROM indices for Communication studies as well:

PsycLit - Access to the literature of Psychology

ERIC - Access to the literature of Education. You can also search the ERIC database via the internet at:
AskERIC - http://ericir.sunsite.syr.edu/

Remember, you will not be getting the articles themselves from these indices. You will need to visit the Library's Periodicals Department to get them. You may check the Library's holdings of periodicals at the Online Periodicals Directory.

Perhaps the resource most familiar to students in InfoTrac. This resource is always changing and growing: now available via the World-wide Web, and featuring about 1/3 full-text. You can access InfoTrac online via any WPUNJ computer lab, the Library ERC, or using the WPcommkit -

InfoTrac Searchbank 2000.

OK. You can get some primary-type journal articles via the Internet, but you must check the print sources as well. Here are some "e-journals" that might prove useful:

The World-wide Web Virtual Library: Electronic Journals - Concentrate on "Academic and Reviewed Journals". These are considered "scholarly".

Anthropology Web Sites

Before we dive into the Internet, a word of caution. Web sites are NOT replacements for traditional resources. The millions of sites on the web can be a confusing and quite uncredible source of information. It helps to have a set of criteria in mind by which to evaluate resources.

Evaluating Articles and Resources - From the Library website