AAAS/RL ST 147 : Malcolm X (El Hajj Malik El Shabazz)
1) Identify and Develop Your Topic
- Look at your syllabus for topic ideas
- Try These First (Databases available under the Libraries' Find Articles and Databases list)
- Use Bibliographies to locate information in books, journals, magazines, newspapers, etc. on a topic. Example: in "Basic Search", enter "Malcolm X bibliography", "African American leadership bibliography", etc. as "Keywords Anywhere" in the CAT
- Browse Selected Articles about Malcolm X (Social Sciences Library Web page)
a. Your topic
b. Main concepts or keywords, synonyms and related terms
2) Use the identified keywords, synonyms and related terms in the CAT (Penn State Libraries' online catalog) to find encyclopedias and other reference materials, general books, videos, etc..
Advanced Search — Enter "keyword(s)" — limit your search to format, year, library, etc.. Note: Cite at least two books published by a University Press (required by instructor)
ENCYCLOPEDIAS AND OTHER REFERENCE WORKS (provide background information and overviews of topics, a good starting point for your topic)
- Gale Virtual Reference Library (online)
- African-American Social Leaders and Activists (print)
- Oxford African American Center (online)
- The Malcolm X Encyclopedia (print)
- American National Biography
also available online - Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History (print)
- Encyclopedia of racism in the United States (print)
2) INDEXES/DATABASES — provide citations, abstracts, or full-text articles (available through the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List))
- JSTOR
- Sage Race Relations Abstracts
- America : History and Life
- Historical Abstracts
- Project MUSE
- Sociological Abstracts
- Biography and Genealogy Master Index
Polling Databases
- Gallup Brain
- iPoll
- National Journal (Poll Track)
- Odum Institute Public Opinion Poll Question Database
- Polling the Nations
5) STATISTICS
- Lexis/Nexis Statistical (available through the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List))
- Social Sciences Statistics and Data (Social Sciences Library Web pages)
- Statistical Sources : African Americans (Social Sciences Library Web page)
Note: Contact Stephen Woods, Social Sciences Librarian and subject specialist for statistics for additional help
6) GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS
- Lexis/Nexis Congressional (available through the Libraries' Databases by Title (A-Z List))
- Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (available through the Libraries Databases by Title (A-Z List))
Note: Contact Stephen Woods, Social Sciences Librarian and subject specialist for Government for additional help.
7) SELECTED WEBSITES
- Malcolm X : Selected Resources (Social Sciences Library Web page)
- African American Studies (Social Sciences Library
- The Official Web Site of Malcolm X
- African-Americans in the Twentieth Century (B. David Schwartz Memorial Library, Long Island University)
- African American World : Timeline : Civil Rights Era (1954-1971) (PBS)
- Civil Rights Organizations
- Ethnic and Racial Relations Reference Resources (Social Sciences Library Web page)
8) CITING YOUR WORK
(e-reference)