Finding Books |
Finding Journal Articles, Conference Papers, and Dissertations
Using Reference Sources | Finding Government Information
Obtaining Materials from Other Libraries | Other Internet Resources |
Citing Sources
Following is some general information about resources and tools to assist you; many of these materials are available at the University Library. Please do not hesitate to Ask a Librarian or call 603-862-1544 or visit the Reference Desk, Dimond Library Main Floor (Level 3) if you have any questions regarding your individual project.
The library's holdings are best accessed through our online catalog, which can be searched by author, title, subject, journal title, or key word. The library catalog will tell you the library location, call number, and availability.
The University Library's books are arranged by subject using the Library of Congress classification system. In Dimond Library, the circulating collection is located on Level 4 (A through L call numbers) and Level 5 (M through Z call numbers).
Examples of possible subjects include:
You can use "related subjects" entries or click on the subject links in a relevant catalog record to extend your original search.
See Obtaining Materials from Other Libraries below for information on how to get books, articles, videos, etc. that are not available at the UNH Library.
To identify books not held by UNH, try the Boston Library Consortium Virtual Catalog or WorldCat. Each of these searches across different groups of other library catalogs.
FINDING JOURNAL ARTICLES, CONFERENCE PAPERS, AND DISSERTATIONS
Off-campus access to most UNH databases is limited to UNH faculty, students, and staff. Read these instructions for more information about accessing these databases remotely.
Search the library catalog by the title of the journal to see if the Library has the journals you need and where they are located. The catalog record will include link(s) to online access, where available. In Dimond Library, print journals are located on Level 2:
FINDING GOVERNMENT INFORMATION
The University Library is a federal government depository library, and as such receives many (but not all) publications of the U.S. government. The Government Information Department's staff and reference collection are located on the main floor (Level 3) of Dimond Library with its circulating collection accessible on Level 1. Many government publications come in microfiche and are available in the Microforms Room on Level 2. Both the paper and micro fiche collections are organized by the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) classification scheme which is based on originating agency and document type, rather than on subject like the other library collections. Many government publications are also available online.
Most of the Library's holdings of federal documents published after 1976 are shown on the online catalog.
Some statistical information produced by federal or state governments may be useful for sociological research. Useful sources include:
Librarians and staff who specialize in locating and identifying U.S. and international government documents are available to help you at on the main floor (Level 3) of Dimond Library. You can also call them at (603) 862-1777 or email questions.
The University Library is also a depository for New Hampshire state documents. Most of these are located in Special Collections on Level 1 of Dimond. Paper copies of the New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, N.H. Reports, and New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules are in Reference. The New Hampshire State Government web site, has links to various state agencies, the legislature, the court system, local communities, and a subject index to state information.
You have a number of options to obtain books, articles, DVDs, etc. unavailable at or not held by the UNH Library in Durham including
UNH-Manchester Library |
|
| WorldCat |
This chart hightlights the features of these options and directs you toward the most useful depending on what you need.
Still not sure how to get what you need? Get help from a reference librarian via phone, email, or IM, or in person at any of our libraries.
There is a wealth of information (and sometimes misinformation) available on the Internet. The guidelines in Evaluating Web Sites for Quality can help with evaluating online and other sources as well. The following listings are just a sample of some sites on the Internet focusing on various aspects of sociology:
Appropriate citation of sources and references is an important part of the research process. Copies of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (aka APA Manual) are available at the Reference Desk along with other style manuals, such as the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers and The Chicago Manual of Style.
Several online sites offer useful examples of various citation styles for print and electronic sources.
The Reference Department website has examples of footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography entries for books and periodicals following the style of Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.