JUS 301: Research Methods in Justice Studies

When You Are Using a Library Database:

1.  Sometimes the article is fulltext in the database you're using! Look for a PDF copy of the article. 

if not...

2.  Click the  button to see if ASU Library owns the article in another database.

if not online at ASU Library...

3. Choose the InterLibrary Loan (ILLIAD Service) option to order your article. It will be delivered to you through your Illiad account, online.

Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost) : Covers a wide variety of journals in all subject areas including the social sciences. Also covers a lot of popular magazines that are not research-based, so be sure to click the box for "scholarly peer reviewed articles". Use the "advanced search" option to search more effectively.

SocIndex with Fulltext: Searches the same way as Academic Search Premier, but adds coverage for some additional social science journals. You may want to search both databases for a more comprehensive search. Remember to click on "peer reviewed articles". 

Sociological Abstracts: A primary database for research in sociology and related areas. Click on the "scholarly journals" option to limit your results to just that type of journal article. The search boxes allow you to combine concepts to narrow your search. Example: political attitudes AND college students.

Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text  Covers major journals in criminology and related disciplines. Searches the same way as Academic Search Premier and SocIndex. 

Other databases may be relevant, depending upon your topic. You can use the subject pull down menus on the research databases page or check out some of these databases related to justice studies topics:

PsycInfo: Covers the research literature in all areas of psychology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences.

Communication and Mass Media Complete: This database is a research and reference source in the fields of communication, journalism, and mass media.

PAIS Index: The PAIS database contains records for over half a million journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference papers, web content, and more.

Women's Studies International: Covers the core disciplines in women's studies to the latest scholarship in feminist research, such as political, economic, and social & cultural issues.  

Google Scholar: Enables you to search specifically for scholarly literature, including peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, preprints, abstracts and technical reports from all broad areas of research. 

AND Connector
Link concepts with the word AND.  For example, a good way to find articles about the relationship between video games and the characteristics of the people who play them would be to search video games AND personality.

OR Connector 
If there are different ways to say the same thing, consider using the linking word OR.  For example, video games OR computer games.

Wildcard/Truncation 
Adding an asterisk at the end of a word will get alternative word endings. A search on child* will find the word child, but will also find childhood and children. Very handy!

Peer-reviewed Search Option  
Remember to click the box that says "peer-reviewed" (located directly under the search boxes). This will make sure you get the kind of research that you probably need for your assignment.

Search Help  
If you are not finding what you are looking for, please ask for assistance. We are here to help you!