Skip to Main Content
LIBRARY

SOC 207 (Williams) SP25

Introduction

Welcome SOC 207!

I'm here to support you with your research.

Questions? Email Stacey at svonwinckelmann@miracosta.edu

Sociology Guide APA Citations
Ask a Librarian 24/7 The Learning Centers

Database Tips

Keywords are the most essential ideas in your topic.

Keep these tips in mind when creating your keywords for historical sociology research.

  • “Quotation marks” keep words together when searching for phrases.
    • Example: "Japanese internment camps"
  • Use AND and OR to structure your search:
    • AND narrows results (includes all terms).
    • OR expands results (includes synonyms).

Example Search String:
("Japanese internment" OR "Japanese incarceration") AND California AND (World War II OR 1940s)

  • Truncation (asterisk = shift + 8) searches multiple word variations at once.
    • Example: discriminat* → discrimination, discriminatory, discriminating

Creating Keywords

Using your research topic or question, brainstorm a list of keywords. Then, conduct background research in Gale Ebooks or OneSearch to learn more and refine your keywords.

1. Break Your Topic into Key Concepts

Breaking your topic into key concepts helps identify the most important ideas for your research. Start with the **who, what, where, and when** of your topic.

  • Example Topic: Redlining and Housing Discrimination
    • What: Redlining
    • Who: Black communities
    • Where: Los Angeles
    • When: 1930s–1960s

This approach helps refine your search terms and ensures that your research is focused and relevant.

2. Create Synonyms & Related Terms

Different authors may use different terms for the same topic, so expand your search by brainstorming synonyms or related terms for your key concepts.

Concept Synonyms/Related Terms
Redlining Housing discrimination, racial zoning, real estate or mortgage segregation
Communities Neighborhoods, urban segregation
Los Angeles California, Southern California
Housing Inequality

Economic disparity, housing access, real estate bias

Gale Books

EBSCOhost

OneSearch

Scholarly Databases

Sociology Databases