In-Class Exercises and Tools
- Thinking ToolBrainstorming activity used to generate search terms and areas of inquiry
Librarian
Librarian
This page contains resources that should help you find the evidence you need to support your argument. However, there are many other resources that the UVA Library offers, which you can access from the Research page on the library website. If you are having trouble finding the evidence you need, please contact Cecelia Parks or Todd Burks, the librarians for this class, for help, or use the Ask A Librarian chat.
Please also check the library status dashboard and FAQs for information about how specific resources and services are affected by pandemic-related changes.
Research Tips & Tools
Tips
- Try lots of different search terms or phrases
- Use multiple resources (Google, different library databases, etc.) to access different kinds of sources
- Track search terms and strategies in a research journal
- If you find something on Google that is behind a paywall, try to access it through the library - DO NOT pay for it!
- Ask if you have questions or need help - conducting research and accessing sources through the library can be tricky!
Tools
- Off-Grounds AccessInformation about accessing UVA Library resources Off-Grounds, including how to use our VPN
- Interlibrary LoanUse Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to access sources that the UVA Library does not own.
- ZoteroZotero is a free tool that manages your sources and generates citations for you
Quantitative Sources
Here are a few databases that contain quantitative data, primarily demographic information, statistics, and public opinion polls.
- Social Explorer This link opens in a new windowInteractive maps and reports provide easy access to demographic information about the United States, including Census data beginning in 1790 as well as data about crime, health, and religion.
- How to Cite Sources from Social ExplorerSocial Explorer does NOT generate citations for you, so here are some guidelines on how to properly cite sources from Social Explorer.
- Statista This link opens in a new windowAn easy-to-use way to find statistical data on all kinds of topics. If you can't find what you're looking for in Social Explorer, try Statista.
- iPoll This link opens in a new windowiPoll contains survey questions and results from public opinion polls dating from 1935-present.
Qualitative Sources
Here are just a few databases that contain qualitative sources. You may also want to look outside the library to get other types of qualitative sources, such as interviews, social media posts, blogs, and more.
- NexisUni This link opens in a new windowA great source for current news and business information from around the world.
- DPLA This link opens in a new windowDPLA searches digital collections from libraries, archives, museums, and more from across the United States. Includes historical documents, images, maps, books, news footage, oral histories, and more, all of which are free and immediately available online.
- ARTStor This link opens in a new windowImages of world art from all periods, including paintings, drawings, prints, historic photographs, architecture and design.
Secondary Sources - Quantitative and Qualitative
These resources mostly contain secondary sources that analyze primary sources like experimental and demographic data, survey responses, historical documents, and much more. You will find sources that use both qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis in these resources.
- Think Tank Search at Harvard Kennedy SchoolThis searches a number of different think tank (independent research institute) websites for the gray literature they produce. Gray literature (such as reports and white papers) is authoritative, though not scholarly, and is often written for a more general audience than academic journal articles are.
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowLarge general database of articles from scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers on many topics. Also includes reference books (World Almanac, American Heritage Dictionary), biographies, speeches, images, and other primary source documents.
- Virgo: UVa Libraries Catalog This link opens in a new windowVirgo searches books, journals, videos, articles, and more. Virgo searches both physical items like books and electronic items like ebooks and online journal articles.