Guide Pages
Ethnic Studies at SCC - Library Research
Ethnic Studies is the interdisciplinary study of the histories, experiences, cultures, and issues of racial-ethnic groups in the United States. This guide was designed to help you get started with your research in ethnic studies. Each page contains a list of specialized research tools created for researchers looking for primary and secondary sources.
Build Background
After choosing a topic, you need to find basic background about the subject. Finding this information at the beginning of your research provides a frame for your knowledge and your writing. A background search provides:
- Broad overview of the subject - the context for your more specific topic
- Introduction to key issues and concepts
- Major dates, events, court decisions, players, etc.
- Keywords and subject-specific vocabulary to use in catalog and database searches
- Names of people who are authorities on the topic
- Bibliographies that lead to additional resources
Start Your Research - Library Databases
- OneSearch This link opens in a new windowOneSearch will show you results for print books and ebooks, along with all other types of sources contained in the Los Rios libraries.
- Ethnic NewsWatch This link opens in a new window
Newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals published by and about various racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Background information from general and subject encyclopedias.
- America: History & Life With Full Text This link opens in a new windowScholarly journals, professional journals, and ebooks on the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Scholarly journals, professional journals, reports and magazines in the social sciences, the humanities, and general sciences.