Society and Culture
General Resources for Senior Students
- You may also find links in the guides for Community and Family Studies (in TAS), Aboriginal Studies, Legal Studies and Studies of Religion (in HSIE) useful.
- Use the Information Skills Process (ISP) on the Research page to guide you.
- Browse the non-fiction shelves: 340s, 200-290s – religions; 300s – social sciences; 305 – social groups; 306 – culture and institutions; 307 – communities; 340s – law; 360s – social problems and services; 390s – customs; 640s – cookery; 700s – art, architecture, textiles; 800s – literature; 914-919 – geography/travel specific countries; 940-990s – specific countries/overview/history.
- For audio visual resources search ClickView by subject heading, series or title. ClickView can be accessed when you are at home. Restrictions apply based on age/rating.
Oliver Catalogue
- Search the CTHS Library Oliver catalogue using subject terms such as culture, environment, identity, feminism, gender, globalization, human rights, power, etc. Add sub-headings such as research, case studies, analysis, social change, environmental aspects, etc..
- Search Series: Issues in Society (hard copy and/or electronic copy, downloadable), Current Social Issues (some searchable contents pages).
- Expand your search to Trove by running a search in Oliver, click other providers and select Trove.
- Expand your search to Hornsby Library resources by running a search in Oliver, click other providers and select Hornsby Shire Library. If you are a member of Hornsby Library you can borrow their items.
- Expand your search to Macquarie University library resources by running a search in Oliver, click other providers and select Macquarie University Library. You can access their hard copy resources onsite but will be unable to borrow.
Subscriptions and Newspapers
- The Sydney Morning Herald, Financial Review, The Age – digital editions accessible while at school; downloadable.
- Alternative Law Journal
- Indigenous Law Bulletin
- National Indigenous Times
- Koori Mail
Encyclopaedias
- Search World Book Online Advanced or Timelines. This is a reliable starting point for research if you don’t know much about the topic.
Databases
- State Library of NSW databases require you to sign up for free membership. Choose a database by name. General Society and Culture databases with which to start your research are:
- Academic Search Complete (EBSCO)
- Informit
- Informit Families & Society Collection
- Informit Humanities and Social Sciences Collection
- ProQuest Central – a broad range of content types and subjects
- OECD iLibrary – statistical databases, books and periodicals from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development
- Hornsby Library databases require you to sign up for free membership.
Internet Resources
- Insight – View full episodes of the SBS Insight program. The episodes examine a variety of social issues with experts and first person stories.
- The Spinney Press: Web links for students – Links to NGOs, Government departments, organisations and support networks for common social issues.
- The Conversation – Informed news analysis and commentary, free to read and republish. Good for an overview of many topics.
- Australian Bureau of Statistics
- ABS: Australian Social Trends, 2014
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare – Search: aging and disabilities, families and children, indigenous Australians, etc.
- Australian Government: Community Information Summaries – Provides a broad range of statistical data (2016 Census) for people born in more than 100 birthplaces.
- SBS Cultural Atlas: Countries – To inform and educate the public in cross-cultural attitudes, practices, norms, behaviours and communications; to enhance social cohesion in Australia, improve outcomes for individuals and organisations operating in an increasingly culturally diverse society.
- ABC Law Report – Informative, jargon-free stories about law reform, legal education, test cases, miscarriages of justice and legal culture.
- ABC Religion and Ethics – Religious reporting and analysis, ethical discussion and philosophical discovery, and inspiring stories of faith and belief.
- United Nations – Issues confronting humanity in the 21st century; peace/security, climate change, sustainable development, human rights, disarmament, terrorism, humanitarian/health emergencies, gender equality, governance, food production, etc.
- OECD – Global statistics, policies and research involving the economic and social well-being of people around the world.
- TED Talks: Topics – Activism, identity, immigration, justice, refugees, social change, social media, youth, etc.
- ABC: Life matters – Relationships, family, parenting, education, work, health and consumer issues.
- Making multicultural Australia for the 21st century – Developed by Office of the BOS NSW, NSW DET, UTS, Australian Multicultural Foundation, Australia Council for the Arts, Migration Heritage Centre, Arts Victoria, Queensland Government, State Government Victoria.
- APO: Analysis & Policy Observatory – Materials both broad and focused on public policy and analysis, e.g. family violence, First Peoples, sustainable urban precincts, etc.
- Writing a Literature Review
- Pew Research Center – Issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world using public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research.
Bibliographies and Citations
- Ask your teacher for requirements; keep records up to date – retrospectively is difficult as URLs frequently change or disappear.
- Bibliography Generator – General bibliography generator, choose the style you need.