Library Research Guides: WRIT 179: Building a Better World: Scholarly Articles and Books

Databases

Databases can contain a combination of full text articles (ready to read online) and/or citation information about articles, book chapters, books, or other resources.

Evaluating your results

When searching, skimming items you come across in your results can be a key way to evaluate whether they will be a useful source for your writing. See UNC Chapel Hill's guide to skimming for tips.

How to read a scholarly article
Two infographics - one shows how to read a STEM / Social Science article, and the other how to read a Humanities article.

Disciplinary Databases

Politics Collection This link opens in a new window
Journal articles, think-tank reports, working papers. Comprised of four political science databases, which can also be searched individually: PAIS Index (Public Affairs Information Service), Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, Political Science Database, and Policy File Index
America: History & Life with Full Text This link opens in a new window
U.S. and Canadian history and culture articles, prehistory to present, written from 1955 to present.
Historical Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Articles on world history from 1450, excluding US & Canada, written since 1955. Can be co-searched with America: History & Life
GenderWatch This link opens in a new window
With a focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas, this collection gathers historical perspectives on the evolution of the women's movement, men's studies, the transgender community, and changes in gender roles, including articles dating back as far as the 1970s.

Find Books - Search the Library Catalog

Catalog Search Tips

Try a keyword search. Once you find a book that is relevant to your topic, use the subject headings of that book to help you find "more like this".

Keyword search:

Immigration

Subject headings:

Look for the suffix America or United States to limit your search to the United States

some useful subject headings for this class are:
- Immigrants -- Government Policy -- United States
- United States -- Emigration and immigration -- Public opinion

Not finding enough, or an item checked out? Search WorldCat and request a copy.