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Researching Ethnic and Cultural Groups in Los Angeles
The following search tips, keywords, and resources are designed for the research needs of students taking Communication Studies classes at CSUN.
Overview |Disclaimer | Search Tips | Cultural Keywords | Reference Sources | Periodicals Overview | Magazines and Newspapers | Scholarly Journals | Locating Periodicals | Books | Statistical Sources | Internet | Citation Style Guides | Avoiding Plagiarism
Overview
The definition of culture varies, therefore the following information is based on the broadest definition to reflect the diversity of people residing in Los Angeles. The Library of Congress, which sets subject heading standards for many of our library databases and our catalog, as well as the U.S. Census Bureau, which sets standards for the statistical classification of race and ethnicity and also for ancestry, strongly influence the terminology used to describe groups. Furthermore, this terminology changes over time to reflect diversity and current usage. For ethnicity and/or ancestry, often the term "American" is added to the group name to differentiate between people born in the United States versus immigrants, in which case the group name plus "United States" or other geographic term is used, which reflects to where the group emigrated. However, researchers often combine these terms, therefore, it is helpful to search both.
Disclaimer
The following search tips and terms are suggestions in the context of efficient searching and are are not meant to be definitive or authoritative, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or attitudes of the author of this web site. Keep in mind the denotative and connotative uses of these terms may directly influence your search results.
Search Tips
The use of the asterisk (*) is a "wildcard" that most databases use to search a root word and variable endings in order to be more efficient.
- For example: "chican*" will retrieve "chicana," "chicanas," "chicano," "chicanos," etc.
The use of the word "or" in between synonyms or related words broadens search results by including either term in the search results. For example:
- women or females
The use of the word "and" between keywords narrows search results by requiring that both terms must appear in the search results. For example:
- deaf and los angeles
Use parentheses when you combine "or" and "and" searches. For example:
- (los angeles or san fernando valley) and korean*
Cultural keywords
The terms "Hispanic," "Latino," "Chicana," "Chicano," and "Mexican American" can have many different meanings to many different people. For searching purposes, try one of more of the following search strategies, depending on your particular definitions:
- mexican american* or chican* or latino* or latina*
- mexican american women or latina* or chicana*
- hispanic american* or latino*
- hispanic* and united states
- latin american* and united states
- salvadoran american*
- guatemalan american*
- etc.
The term "African Americans" is preferred over the term "Blacks," which is currently used for people living in or from Africa. However, for older books and other resources, you will encounter the terms "Negroes," "Blacks," and "Afro-Americans." Depending on your research needs, particularly if you are looking for older published information, you may have to use a combination of terms to be thorough. For example:
- african american*
- negro* or black* or afro american* or african american*
The term "Asian American" is used to include groups whose heritage is from the continent of Asia, except for people of Middle Eastern origins. For example:
- chinese american*
- japanese american*
- filipino american*
- korean american*
- vietnamese american*
- vietnamese and united states
- pakistani american*
- east indian* and united states
- east indian american*
The term "Pacific Islander" usually refers to the following groups: Melanesians, Micronesians, or Polynesians. For example:
- polynesian* or hawaiian* or samoan*
- guamanian* or micronesian*
- melanesian* or fijian*
To search for Armenians, it is useful to add a geographic location to the search strategy and/or use the term "Armenian Americans." For example:
- armenian* and los angeles
- armenian american*
- armenian* and (american* or united states)
To search for people of Middle Eastern heritage, suggested terms include:
- arab american*
- arabs and united states
- lebanese american*
- palestinian american*
- palestinian* and united states
- iranian american*
- iranian* and los angeles
- israeli* and united states
To search for people of Jewish heritage, suggested terms include:
- jews
- jew* and los angeles
To search for people whose heritage is from other countries, use the adjective to describe the nationality. For example:
- russian* and los angeles
- russian american*
- french and united states
- french american*
- irish american*
To search for American Indians or Alaska natives:
- indians of north america and los angeles
- indians of north america or native american* or american indian*
- cahuilla and los angeles
- alaska native* or inuit*
To search for mixed race, multiethnic, multiracial, try the following search strategies:
- (mixed race or multiracial or multiethnic) and los angeles
- ethnic groups or minorities
- multicultural*
To search for alternative sexual orientations, consider the following options:
- gays
- gay men,
- lesbian*
- transsexual* or transgender*
- bisexual*
- queer*
To search for gender-related terms, try the following:
- transsexual* or transgender*
- women or woman or female*
- male* or men or man
Suggested age related terms:
- older people or aged or senior citizen* or elder*
- child* or youth
- teen* or adolescen*
Other ways that people may self-identify into groups: religious affiliations, hobbies, occupations, people with disabilities, marital status, student status, homelessness, etc. may also have more than one keyword:
- muslim* or islam*
- deaf or hearing impaired
- blind or visually impaired
- visual* and (impaired or disab*)
- people with disabilities or disabled
- lawyer* or attorn*
- surfer* or surfing [Note: Searching "surf*" would also retrieve irrelevant results, such as "surface," therefore, this strategy should find more relevant results.]
- homeless* and shelter*
- runaway and (teen* or youth or adolescen*)
- veteran* and gulf war
Reference Sources
In addition to the titles listed below, to find reference books on specific ethnic/racial/cultural groups, perform a keyword search in the Library Catalog using the keywords for groups outlined above and the words encyclopedia* or dictionar* or handbook*.
- For example: mexican american* and (encyclopedia* or dictionar* or handbook*)
American Indian Studies Research Guide (By M. Woodley, CSUN Librarian)
Armenian Studies Research Guide (By L. Lampert, CSUN Librarian)
Asian American Studies Research Guide (By S. Eng, CSUN Librarian)
Chabrán, Richard and Rafael Chabrán (Eds.). (1996). The Latino encyclopedia. New York: Marshall Cavendish. Location: Ref Rm E184.S75 L357 1996
von Dassanowsky, Robert (Ed.). Gale encyclopedia of multicultural America. (2000). Detroit : Gale Group. Available online.
Haggerty, George E, et al. (Eds.). (2000). Gay histories and cultures: an encyclopedia. New York: Garland. Location: Ref Rm HQ75.13 .G37 2000
Jewish Studies Research Guide (By L. Lampert, CSUN Librarian)
Lehman, Jeffrey (Ed.). (1999). Gale encyclopedia of multicultural America. Primary documents. Detroit, MI : Gale Group. Location: Ref Rm E184.A1 G15 1999
Levinson, David. (1991-). Encyclopedia of world cultures. Boston, Mass.: G.K. Hall. Location: Floor2 (Ref) GN307 .E53 1991. Also available on the internet including a supplement.
Levinson, David. (1994). Ethnic relations: a cross-cultural encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO. Location: Ref Rm GN496 .L48 1994
Levinson, David and Melvin Ember (Eds.). (1996). Encyclopedia of cultural anthropology. New York: Henry Holt and Co. Location: Ref Rm GN307 .E52 1996
Pan African Studies Research Guide (By L. Lampert, CSUN Librarian)
Van Cleve, John V. (Ed.). (1987). Gallaudet encyclopedia of deaf people and deafness. New York : McGraw-Hill. Location: Ref Rm HV2365 .G35 1987
Women's Studies Research Guide (By L. Lampert, CSUN Librarian)
Zimmerman, Bonnie. (Ed.). (2000). Lesbian histories and cultures: an encyclopedia. New York: Garland Pub. Location: HQ75.5 .L4395 2000
Periodicals Overview
Periodicals (magazines, newspapers, trade publications, and scholarly journals) are excellent sources of current and/or specific information for research projects. Often, they are considered primary sources for research.
- It's a good idea to formulate a search strategy before using a periodical database.
- The following databases use Boolean Logic (AND, OR, NOT) and truncation/wildcards symbols (*, ?, etc.) for combining keywords and phrases to locate articles on specific topics.
- For a complete list of available databases, see Databases A-Z.
- While searching a database, if you do not see a link to the full text article, click the Find Text button to display a menu with links to either the online full text article in another database, the location within the Library for the print version of the periodical, or to fill out a form to request the article via the Interlibrary Loan service.
- FYI, you can also connect to the Library's databases and full-text periodicals from off campus.
Databases for Locating Magazine and Newspaper Articles
- Ethnic NewsWatch (ProQuest)
- Full text articles from more than 270 ethnic, minority and native press publications, including newspapers, magazines and journals, 1960 to present.
- GenderWatch (ProQuest)
- Contains unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With archival material dating back to 1970, GenderWatch is a repository of an important historical perspective on the evolution of both the women's movement and major changes in gender roles.
- General OneFile (Gale)
- From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access over 9,000 scholarly journals, and general interest news magazines and newspapers - over half contain full text and images. Search specific keywords using the Advanced Search or browse subjects using the Subject Guide. Coverage is from 1980 to the present.
- Hispanic American Newspapers
- Digital archive of Spanish-language and some bilingual Spanish-English newspapers printed in the U.S. 1808-1980. Based on the Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Project.
- LexisNexis
Academic
- LexisNexis Academic is a full-text database containing news, legal, biographical, and business information. Click on Easy Search (default) or Power Search from the General toolbar, or News from the toolbar to search newspapers and other sources. Easy Search does not use Boolean (AND, OR, NOT) operators and searches large groups of the most popular sources. Power Search and News allow Boolean logic, searching within specific parts of a document (headline, byline, lead paragraph, etc.), and the ability to search more specific sources. In addition to sources such as "Major U.S. and World Publications," "Major World Publications (non-English)," "web blogs" (mostly business related), "TV and radio brodcast transcripts" (news broadcasts, political campaigns), and legal or business information in Easy Search, Power Search or News include "U.S. Newspapers and Wires," "magazine stories,'" and topical news sources (business, legal, university, and healthcare) among others. Click Legal to search law reviews, federal and state laws and court cases; click Business to search company information and other related sources; and click People for biographical information. Dates of coverage in LexisNexis vary by publication.
- Los Angeles Times, 1985 - present and Los Angeles Times Historical, 1886 - 1985
- For researching local communities, newspapers can be an invaluable source. Also searchable within Proquest Newspapers.
- ProQuest Newspapers
- Full text for 500+ U.S. and international news sources. Includes coverage of 150+ major U.S. newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, the Daily News, the New York Times, and the Chicago Tribune, plus hundreds of other news sources and news wires. Click the Publications tab to select individual newspaper titles to browse by date or search by keyword. Click the More Search Options link from the main search screen to reveal choices for limiting by Document Type, such as editorial, speech, and review.
Databases for Locating Scholarly Journal Articles
- Academic Search Elite (EBSCOHost)
- Provides full text for nearly 1,850 periodicals, including more than 1,250 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to the full text, indexing and abstracts are provided for all 3,237 periodicals in the collection. This database offers information in nearly every area of academic study, including communication studies. Allows limiting search results to peer-reviewed scholarly journals.
- Anthropology Plus (FirstSearch)
- Combines two resources: Anthropological Literature indexes
1,000 anthropology and archaeology journals and monographic series held
in the Tozzer Library, Harvard University.
DATES COVERED: late 19th century to the present from 1993 - present. Anthropological Index from The Royal Anthropological Institute, 2001- present. - AnthroSource
- Developed by the American Anthropological Association (AAA), AnthroSource brings 100 years of AAA journals online to scholars and the public.
- Black Studies Center
- Includes 3 resources, the Schomburg Studies on the Black Experience which contains commissioned essays detailing the Black Experience and other related materials; and the International Index to Black Periodicals which indexes scholarly and popular Black Studies journals, including full text for many titles; and full text of The Chicago Defender from 1935-1975, an influential black newspaper.
- Chicano Database (FirstSearch)
- Indexes all types of material on Mexican-American topics and about Chicanos. Records added since 1992 have expanded its scope to include the broader Latino experience, including Puerto Ricans, Cuban Americans, and Central American immigrants. Extensive coverage from the 1960s to the present; selective coverage dating back to the early 1900s.
- eHRAF World Cultures
- eHRAF World Cultures is produced by Human Relations Area Files, Inc. (HRAF) at Yale University. eHRAF is a cross-cultural database that contains over 350,000 pages of information on all aspects of cultural and social life for about 100 cultures. The annually-growing eHRAF database is unique in that the information is organized into cultures and ethnic groups and the full-text sources are subject-indexed at the paragraph level. There are over 300 cultures included in the print and microfiche copies of the Human Relations Area Files. The cultures covered in the microfiche collection as well as on the web are described at Human Relations Area Files--Cultures Covered. CSUN's microfiche collection is located on the 4th floor, East wing. There is a white binder at the Reference Desk in the Oviatt Library which lists the cultures available in microfiche or on the web.
- GenderWatch (ProQuest)
- Contains unique and diverse publications that focus on how gender impacts a broad spectrum of subject areas. With archival material dating back to 1970, GenderWatch is a repository of an important historical perspective on the evolution of both the women's movement and major changes in gender roles.
- HAPI Online: Hispanic American Periodicals Index
- Indexes more than 500 key social science and humanities journals published throughout the world. Many of the citations are linked to full text. Coverage: 500 journals. Time-span: 1970 - present.
- General OneFile (Gale)
- From arts and the humanities to social sciences, science and technology, this database meets research needs across all academic disciplines. Access over 9,000 scholarly journals, and general interest news magazines and newspapers - over half contain full text and images. Search specific keywords using the Advanced Search or browse subjects using the Subject Guide. Coverage is from 1980 to the present. Allows limiting search results to scholarly journals ("peer-reviewed publications").
- JStor
- JStor provides electronic access to the full text of back issues of core journals in the humanities, social sciences and sciences. Includes 12 classical studies journals, which is good for classical rhetoric research, and other journals of interest to communication studies researchers.
- Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (CSA)
- LLBA covers all aspects of the study of language including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics. Complete coverage is also given to various fields of linguistics including descriptive, historical, comparative, theoretical and geographical linguistics. In addition, major areas of coverage include interpersonal behavior and communication, nonverbal communication, semiotics, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics. Over 1,200 periodicals and serials are covered since 1973.
- Project MUSE
- Project Muse includes full-text scholarly journals in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences, including journals in film, theatre, and performing arts; classics, language, and music. A list of the journals covered by Project MUSE is available.
- PsycARTICLES (EBSCOHost)
- PsycARTICLES, from the American Psychological Association (APA), is a definitive source of full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and scientific articles in psychology. The PsycARTICLES database covers general psychology as well as specialized, applied, clinical and theoretical research. The database contains more than 100,000 articles from 59 journals - 48 published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and 11 from allied organizations. It includes all journal articles, letters to the editor, and errata from each journal. Coverage spans 1894 to present, and most APA journals are available from Volume 1, Issue 1.
- PsycINFO (EBSCOHost)
- PsycINFO or Psychological Abstracts, from the American Psychological Association (APA), contains nearly 2.3 million citations and summaries of scholarly journal articles, book chapters, books, and dissertations, all in psychology and related disciplines, dating as far back as the 1800s. Ninety-seven percent of the covered material is peer-reviewed. Journal coverage, which spans 1887 to present, includes international material selected from approximately 2,050 periodicals in more than 25 languages.
- Sage Journals Online
- Full text access to journals in the social sciences, humanities, and sciences, including almost 20 communication and media studies journals.
- Sociological Abstracts (CSA)
- Sociological Abstracts abstracts and indexes the international literature in sociology and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences from 1963 to present. The database provides abstracts of journal articles and citations to book reviews drawn from over 1,700 serials publications, and also provides abstracts of books, book chapters, dissertations, and conference papers. Records added after 1974 contain in-depth and non-evaluative abstracts of journal articles.
Locating Periodicals
Books
Books may be searched in the Library Catalog by author, title, Library of Congress Subject Heading or keyword. For books not held by the Oviatt Library, request an Interlibrary Loan or search WorldCat to see if other local libraries have the books you need.
Statistical Sources
- American Factfinder (Population, housing, economic, and geographic data.)
- FedStats.gov (Gateway to federal sources of statistics.)
- Government Reference Sources: Population (By M. Finley, CSUN Librarian)
- Minority Links (Quick and easy links to the latest data on racial and ethnic populations in the United States)
- San Fernando Valley Statistics and Facts (By M. Finley, CSUN Librarian)
- Statistical Data Sources (By M. Finley, CSUN Librarian)
Internet
In addition to the databases and Web sites listed above, the Internet can be a valuable source of information. However, remember to think critically about the authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage of the information you find.
- Internet Search Engines - (links to favorite search engines of CSUN librarians)
- SearchEngineWatch - (comprehensive directory of search engines by type)
- Evaluating Web Pages - (criteria used to critically evaluate web pages)
Citation Style Guides
- MLA, APA, & Other Citation Style Guides
- Citation Machine - (Provides an interactive tool to help create reference citations for research papers. Includes various print and electronic resources. Note web site disclaimer before using.)
Avoiding Plagiarism
Prepared by Katherine Dabbour, Communication Studies Librarian
18111 Nordhoff St. Northridge CA 91330 (818) 677-2285 |
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