Social sciences: information
sources
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Introduction
This guide aims to help you find information for your assignment, project or
dissertation. It also serves as a companion to the Resources >For your
Subject > Social Sciences pages on Library Online.
If you need help or advice, please ask to see Lindsay Joyce, the Academic
Librarian responsible for this subject.
Each school has an Academic Librarian, who liaises with staff about library
resources for each subject. Academic Librarians keep up to date with the
research interests of their schools and faculties, so that they can help plan
Library provision for new courses, and keep staff up to date with finding
information in their subject area. A list of Academic Librarians is available on
Library Online.
Books
The Library Catalogue lists all the books, journals and audio-visual items
available in the Library. You can search for items by author, title or subject
area. The Library catalogue will give you details of the items matching your
search, and a classmark or classification number which will indicate where
you can find the item in the Library.
Classmarks in the Social Sciences
150
Psychology
155.4
Child Psychology (including play)
300
Social Sciences
301
Sociology
302
Social Psychology
305
Social Groups
320
Politics
335
Socialism
350
Public Administration
361
Social Welfare
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Leeds Metropolitan University
Screenshots reproduced with the permission of the software provider
361.3
Social and Community Work
362.1
Health Policy and Services
364
Criminology
370
Education
390
Social Customs
398
Folklore
Ebooks
The Library at Leeds Metropolitan University holds several collections of
ebooks, as well as many individual titles. These can be accessed via the
Library Catalogue. They can be accessed both on and off campus and will
require you to login with your Leeds Metropolitan username and password.
Access to the collections is via Library Online databases list or the
Resources >For your Subject > Social Sciences pages.
The collections include:
Academic Library – collections of books covering the subject areas of culture
and media studies, and politics and international relations.
Dawsonera – a collection of books covering most subject areas, include
many criminology, social science and social work titles.
Oxford Reference Online – a selection of general and subject specific
reference books.
Journals
Journals are a good source for up to date information, as they are released
often, and a lot quicker than books. Most current issues and back copies of
print journals are kept on the first floor of City Campus Library, but some
recent back copies are held in the High Demand Area on the ground floor.
Many more titles are available electronically via the Library Online website.
The journals available at Leeds Metropolitan University, both in print and
electronically, are listed on the Library Catalogue with a link to the electronic
version where this is available. There is also a listing of the electronic journals
on Library Online. Details of how to access the journals are given for each
entry. Some key titles for social sciences include:
British journal of criminology
British journal of sociology
British politics
Children and young people now
Criminal justice matters (CJM)
Critical social policy
Journal of European social policy
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Journal of youth studies
Political studies
Politics review
Sociology: journal of the British Sociological Association
Soundings: a journal of politics and culture
Youth justice
You can find journal articles on your topic by using information database
services (see below).
Discover
Discover is a one-stop search engine which includes about 90% of all
resources available in Leeds Metropolitan University Library. This includes
records from the Library Catalogue and most of the electronic journals and
databases we subscribe to.
You can find a list of all databases not currently on Discover under the
Resources tab on Library Online.
We recommend using Discover for keyword searches. If you already have a
reference to an article, journal or book we still recommend finding it using the
Library Catalogue (for the journal or book) or the A-Z ejournals list (for an
article in an electronic journal).
Databases
Information databases are search tools that are used to trace relevant
journals or newspaper articles and also some conference proceedings. Some
information databases provide access to the full text of articles, whilst others
just provide an abstract or summary. The following information databases
can be found on the web via Library Online Databases list or via
Resources >For your Subject > Social Sciences pages.
Academic Search Complete
**This is a large ejournals database of some 4000 titles which may be
searched by keyword or via the subject journals list. Many articles in full
text.
ASSIA - Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts
Search tool covering mainly British journals. It provides information on
social sciences, economics, politics, employment, race relations, health
and education, and crime. Available via Cambridge Scientific Abstracts.
ProQuest Internet Database Service
Provides access to a range of information databases including:
ARTbibliographies Modern; ASSIA (Applied Social Science Index and
Abstracts); BHI (British Humanities Index); ERIC (Education Research
Information Center); Social Services Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts.
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ChildData
This is an extensive information resource covering the education, health
and welfare of children and young people (ages 0-18 but some coverage
of under-25s). The provider is the National Children’s Bureau and the
database is a major source for ‘children’s issues’. It mainly retrieves
bibliographic references to literature and coverage goes back to 1989.
Ingenta Journals
Another large ejournal service giving access to around 1300 full text titles.
PsycArticles
Available via Ebsco. This databses from the American Psychological
Association (APA), is a source of full-text, peer-reviewed scholarly and
scientific articles in psychology. The database contains more than 100,000
articles from 59 journals.
Sage Journals Online
Full text access to over 380 Sage Publication titles. Subject coverage
includes social sciences, business, humanities, science, technology and
medicine.
ScienceDirect
Collection of electronic journals which mainly cover the subject areas of
computer science, engineering, business, management and accounting,
economics, health sciences and psychology. Many in full text.
Sociological Abstracts
Information database covering the world's literature in sociology and
related disciplines, both theoretical and applied. The database includes
abstracts of journal articles and conference papers. It also includes
relevant dissertation listings from Dissertations Abstracts International,
enhanced bibliographic citations of book reviews and abstracts of selected
sociology books.
Web of Knowledge
Multidisciplinary information database including the Social Sciences
Citation Index.
Wiley InterScience
Online journals for learning, research and professional practice in a range
of subject areas Wiley InterScience now includes journal content formerly
on Blackwell Synergy, providing access to more than 3 million articles
across 1400 journals.
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Newspapers
Individual Newspaper Titles
These are available in print in The Library and electronically via Library
Online. In addition Leeds Metropolitan has subscriptions to the following
newspaper databases which will also allow you to search the archives.
Access is via Library Online.
Nexis
Access to a large backfile of major international newspapers, including
broadsheets and tabloids, plus other news content and also includes a
number of company information sources.
Press Display
Online access to over 400 newspapers from 55 countries in 45 languages.
Statistics
British Crime Survey Statistics
The British Crime Survey (BCS) asks people aged 16 and over living in
households in England and Wales about their experiences of crime in the last
12 months. These experiences are used to estimate levels of crime in
England and Wales.
Census
To access these resources you first have to register via the Census
Registration Service. To do this you need to login with your Leeds
Metropolitan username and password (select Institutional login (via UK
Federation) and then go to the Leeds Metropolitan University Login page.
Eurostat: Statistical Office of the European Communities
Office for National Statistics
General source for all UK government data
Social Trends
Provides access to statistics drawn together from a wide range of UK
Government departments and other organisations.
United Nations Statistics Division
Global statistical information compliled by the UN.
WHOSIS
World Health Organization Statistical Information System.
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Subject gateways
Subject gateways help you find high quality internet resources.
ChildData - an extensive information resource covering the education, health
and welfare of children and young people (ages 0-18 but some coverage of
under 25s). The provider is the National Childrens Bureau and the database is
a major source for children's issues. Mainly retrieves bibliographic references
to literature. Coverage goes back to 1989. Leeds Metropolitan username and
password required
ESRC – The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's
leading research funding and training agency addressing economic and social
concerns.
Social Care Online - Information database covering recent British literature on
social care and social work. Provides lists and abstracts books, government
reports, research papers, and publications of voluntary organisations, as well
as articles from a wide range of journal titles – academic, research, practice,
and news orientated.
Further help
Library staff are always happy to help with any queries you may have.

Phone Us (0113) 812 1000 - you can also get 24/7 IT support on this
number

Email Us - via the Need Help? page on Library Online
http://libraryonline.leedsmet.ac.uk

Visit Us - come to the Help and Information Points for Library account
and borrower enquiries, IT support and help with research or finding
information.
Feedback
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