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HIST 47 : The Politics of Education: Class and Race in Urban America (SC)
background information: reference resources:
Reference works like encyclopedias, dictionaries, and bibliographies can provide useful background information--names, dates, key concepts and themes, recommendations for further reading, etc.--on a topic. The print reference collection is on the main floor of McCabe, but we also have an increasing number of electronic reference books that you can access through Tripod.
The Greenwood dictionary of education
Publisher: Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2003.
"This book provides authoritative definitions for more than 2,600 terms that apply to educational research, practice and theory. The overall focus is on the most critical terms in education as used by current practitioners, yet references to significant historical events in education are also included." --BOOK JACKET.
Key concepts in the philosophy of education
Dictionary of educational terminology, somewhat international in focus; also in print in the reference collection.
From Brown to Boston
Publisher: Metuchen, N.J. : Scarecrow Press, c1979.
Two-volume annotated bibliography of articles, books, and legal sources related to desegregation in education, 1954-1974.
Education and sociology
Publisher: New York : RoutledgeFalmer, 2002.
Includes long-ish essays (5-10 pages) on topics in education, including affirmative action, bilingual education, Brown v. Board of Education, desegregation, educational assessment, equality in education, politics of education, race and education, and more. Each essay includes a bibliography for further reading.
Encyclopedia of education
Publisher: New York : Macmillan Reference USA, c2003.
Another reference resource to consult for clarification on terms and concepts; these essays and bibliographies are shorter than those in Education and Sociology, but this set features a broader range of topics.
newspapers:
To identify contemporary and historical newspapers for your chosen city, there are a couple strategies you may want to try.
The first is to locate the website/catalog for the city's public library system or historical society--many public libraries will have a page on their website about finding local newspapers. (These pages may be somewhat buried, but look for local history and geneaology resources if newspaper-related information isn't readily apparent.)
The second is to search in WorldCat:
The first is to locate the website/catalog for the city's public library system or historical society--many public libraries will have a page on their website about finding local newspapers. (These pages may be somewhat buried, but look for local history and geneaology resources if newspaper-related information isn't readily apparent.)
The second is to search in WorldCat:
Try limiting the material type to serial publications, and perform a keyword search for the name of your city and "newspaper." (A sample search would be chester pa newspaper.) Once you've found one local newspaper, click on the item's record and scroll down to the subject headings; there will be a link (next to "Geographic") to lead you to more periodicals published in your city.
When you've identified newspapers for your city, you've found a very important primary source, but one that can be slightly tricky to use. You'll either need to request the newspaper (on microfilm, generally one reel at a time) through Interlibrary Loan, or visit another library/archive. One thing to keep in mind is that while the Big Newspapers--New York Times, Washington Post, etc.--are indexed, most news publications, especially for smaller cities, are not. (Or you may be able to access the most recent few years online, but you'll have no way of knowing what's in earlier volumes without scrolling through the microfilm.)
The New York times on the Web
Holdings:
(Bryn Mawr College) Available from 1851-present.
(Haverford College) Available from 1851-present.
(Swarthmore College) Available from 1851-present.
Publisher: [New York, N.Y.] : New York Times.
Philadelphia inquirer (Philadelphia, Pa. : 1969)
Holdings:
(Bryn Mawr College) Available from 1981-present.
(Haverford College) Available from 1981-present.
(Swarthmore College) Available from 1981-present.
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Triangle Publications,
Washington post (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
Holdings:
(Bryn Mawr College) Available from 1877-present.
(Haverford College) Available from 1877-present.
(Swarthmore College) Available from 1877-present.
Publisher: Washington, D.C. : The Washington Post Co.,
The Boston globe
Holdings:
(Bryn Mawr College) Available from 1979-present.
(Haverford College) Available from 1979-present.
(Swarthmore College) Available from 1979-present.
Publisher: Boston, Mass. : Globe Newspaper Co.,
Access world news
Provider: NewsBank
Newspaper collections from NewsBank provide full-text articles from the electronic editions of record for more than 700 newspapers around the globe, including the NY Times (2000-present). Database covers 1977-present.
using microfilm:
The microfilm readers, along with our microfilm collection (which includes the Delaware County Daily Times), are on Level 3 of McCabe. There are instructions for using the readers at each station, as well as computers that will allow you to scan, save, and/or print articles. If you encounter difficulties with microfilm, either come to the reference desk or use the phone in the video/DVD area to call downstairs for help.
finding articles:
Although you can search Tripod to find out if we have particular scholarly journals, the catalog doesn't contain information about individual articles within those journals. To locate articles, use one of our indexes or full-text databases, and click on the Find It! button 
to determine if we have access to the article you need either online or in print, or if you'll have to request it from another library. The resources below are recommended starting points for your research:
to determine if we have access to the article you need either online or in print, or if you'll have to request it from another library. The resources below are recommended starting points for your research:
America, history and life
Provider: EBSCO
Provides abstracts of journals, reviews and dissertations on United States and Canadian history from prehistory to the present. Covers 1954-present.
ERIC
Provider: CSA
Provides abstracts to journal articles and ERIC Digest records on all aspects of education. Many digest records are in full-text. Covers 1966-present.
Education index
Provider: Wilson
Provides abstracts and citations to journals, books and yearbooks. Covers all aspects of education including adult education, elementary education, literacy standards, special education and teaching methods. Covers 1982-present. Abstracts begin with January 1994.
Sociological abstracts
Holdings:
1963-
Publisher: Bethesda, Md. : Cambridge Scientific Abstracts,
Provider: CSA
Provides abstracts of journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations and conference papers in the fields of sociology, social work and related disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. Records added after 1972 contain in-depth abstracts of journal articles. Covers 1963-present.
JSTOR
Provides full-text and page images from many of the top journals in most academic disciplines. Coverage is from the inception of the journal through three to five years ago.
finding books:
Start with a keyword search to find books on your topic. When you've located a relevant book, there are several strategies you can use to find additional related works. The first is to consult the book's bibliography; the second is to search by the Library of Congress (LC) subject headings you find in the Tripod record. These are near the bottom of the record, and if you click on the links, you'll find other books classified with the same subject heading.
Note: You can also use Tripod to identify government documents.
Note: You can also use Tripod to identify government documents.
WorldCat
Provider: OCLC
A catalog of the holdings of books, journals, and other materials held by OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) member libraries. Includes manuscripts, maps, films and sound recordings. Covers works published before 1,000 BC-present.
finding government documents:
As a participant in the Federal Depository Library Program, the library receives approximately 40% of the publications printed by the Government Printing Office (GPO), and you can locate many contemporary and historical government documents by searching in Tripod. (Not all of the government documents from before 1976 have Tripod records, however; you may need to consult other sources to identify these documents and then locate them on the shelves.)
Government publications are arranged according to the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) call number system and are located on Level 1 of the library in compact shelving.
Government publications are arranged according to the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) call number system and are located on Level 1 of the library in compact shelving.
ERIC
Provider: CSA
Provides abstracts to journal articles and ERIC Digest records on all aspects of education. Many digest records are in full-text. Covers 1966-present.
LexisNexis Congressional
Provides daily updated information on the U.S. legislature. It's a great resource for current Congressional information, but it's also useful for historical information--try a keyword search, combined with either a date range or session of Congress, to locate publications that fall outside the scope of the Serial Set. While these searches usually won't lead you to an online version of the publication, you can take bibliographic information (such as the title and the Superintendent of Documents call number) and search Tripod to determine if we have the document in print.
U.S. Congressional serial set
Provider: Readex
Contains all the reports, documents, and journals of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives--a rich source for material on all aspects of American history. There are a variety of ways to search this database, including using keywords and/or the date/session of Congress, by Congressional Committee name, by subject, etc.
GPO Access
Electronic access to government information from the Government Printing Office.
Google government search
This Google search limits sources to .gov, .mil, and .edu sites.
demographics and statistics:
In addition to the resources listed below, state and local governments are excellent sources for statistics. Try a Google government search to locate the appropriate agencies for your city.
--census data--
American factFinder
Provides population, housing, economic and geographic data from the latest Decennial Census, the Economic Censuses and Surveys, and the American Community Survey. Users can view reference maps and create comparison tables and thematic maps which can be downloaded and printed. Coverage varies.
Social explorer
Offers access to reports and interactive maps for the U.S. Census, 1790 through 2000. A project of Queens College, sponsored by the New York Times and the National Science Foundation.
Historical Census Browser (University of Virginia)
--education statistics--
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Provides an enormous list of statistical publications relating to education; includes datasets and published reports. Covers all areas of education including early childhood, secondary and postsecondary education. Coverage varies.
Digest of education statistics.
Publisher: Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare, Education Division, National Center for Education Statistics : 1976-
Contains information on a variety of subjects within the field of education statistics, including the number of schools and colleges, enrollments, teachers, graduates, educational attainment, finances, Federal funds for education, libraries, international education, and research and development.
--general statistical resources--
Fedstats
Provides links to key statistics available from more than 100 U.S. government agencies. Also contains contact and other information for these agencies and links to map statistics.
Statistical Abstract of the United States
Historical statistics of the United States
Contains more than 37,000 annual time series of quantitative historical information covering population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, governance, and international relations. Covers the colonial period to the present.
requesting from other libraries:
Trico
Request items from Bryn Mawr and Haverford by clicking on the "request" button in Tripod. Use your name and the barcode from the back of your student ID. Your requested materials will generally arrive at Swarthmore in 1-2 days.
EZ-Borrow
You can also request items from our regional partner libraries using EZ-Borrow. Again, you'll need your 14-digit barcode number to make a request. These items usually arrive on campus in 3-5 days.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If you can't get what you need from the Trico or EZ-Borrow libraries, our interlibrary loan specialists can help you--fill out an ILL request form, but keep in mind that these materials could take several weeks to arrive on campus.
If you're unsure of which service to use, check out this guide to Tri-College Borrowing and Interlibrary Loan.
Request items from Bryn Mawr and Haverford by clicking on the "request" button in Tripod. Use your name and the barcode from the back of your student ID. Your requested materials will generally arrive at Swarthmore in 1-2 days.
EZ-Borrow
You can also request items from our regional partner libraries using EZ-Borrow. Again, you'll need your 14-digit barcode number to make a request. These items usually arrive on campus in 3-5 days.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If you can't get what you need from the Trico or EZ-Borrow libraries, our interlibrary loan specialists can help you--fill out an ILL request form, but keep in mind that these materials could take several weeks to arrive on campus.
If you're unsure of which service to use, check out this guide to Tri-College Borrowing and Interlibrary Loan.
citing sources and creating a bibliography:
You may want to use Endnote Web, a bibliographic citation tool, to manage your sources. With Endnote Web, you can format citations, insert references, and keep track of your research. You'll need to create an account to get started--make sure to do so from a computer on the Swarthmore network! After that, you'll be able to access your Endnote Web account from anywhere, whether on campus or off.
Endnote Web Instructions
research help:
Melanie Maksin, mmaksin1, 690-5786
If you need research assistance, I'm at the reference desk on Tuesdays, 12:30-3 p.m., and on Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. You can also make an appointment or stop by to meet with me in my office, which is on Level 1 of McCabe.
Looking for more ways to ask a librarian? Call, email, IM, or come to the McCabe reference desk!
If you need research assistance, I'm at the reference desk on Tuesdays, 12:30-3 p.m., and on Wednesdays, 7-10 p.m. You can also make an appointment or stop by to meet with me in my office, which is on Level 1 of McCabe.
Looking for more ways to ask a librarian? Call, email, IM, or come to the McCabe reference desk!