Subject Librarian
Finding Background Information
Use these sources to gain familiarity with your topic, narrow your research question, provide context, and identify experts
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Encyclopedia of Crime and PunishmentCovers topics relevant to crime and punishment with a unique focus on the multi/interdisciplinary and international aspects of these topics and historical perspectives on crime and punishment around the world.
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Oxford Handbooks This link opens in a new windowFind detailed review essays on specialized topics across a variety of social sciences and humanities disciplines. This resource is provided with partial support from the Lou and Beth Holtz Endowment.
Choosing a Topic
Taking the time to carefully choose and refine your topic can save you significant time and effort later in your research.
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How to Choose a TopicThis short video tells you the questions to ask and describes the process of choosing a workable research question.
Primary and Secondary Sources in Social Sciences
Primary sources = Original Research
- Written by the researcher(s) who performed the research study
- Should include sections detailing how the research was performed such as methodology, data, results, and discussion/conclusions
Secondary sources = Summarize, Review or Compare
- Authors did not conduct the research studies which are mentioned or cited in the article themselves
- Purpose is to summarize, review, or compare the published research on a specific topic