Rel 102
World Religions Research Guide - prepared for Religion 102
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this guide is to provide the student in Religion 102 with a starting place for doing research. It gives the student a strategy for finding information on world religions using print, electronic and
Internet resources. We encourage you to seek further help at the Reference Desk or contact Ethel Fraga, Religion Department Liaison, for a research consultation appointment.
ELIZA
ELIZA, the Wallace Library's online catalog, available from the Library Home Page, is the "key" to finding information in the Wallace Library. Books, periodical titles, audiovisual material, special collection items,
and interactive multimedia are all catalogued in ELIZA.
Some useful subject headings for this course are:
1. Names of individual religions
2. Religion - Periodicals
3. Religion - see 39 related subjects
4. Religions - see 34 related subjects
5. Religious ethics
6. Sacred Books + headings which follow (see also names of specific sacred books)
A subject search will locate material about a sacred book.
A Title search will locate the text of a sacred book.
A keyword search will locate the word(s) in the title, subject heading or notes on a book, periodical, video, Etc.
REFERENCE SOURCES
Good places to begin research. Also browse in nearby call number locations for additional material.
Encyclopedias + Dictionaries
1. Bibliography of New Religious Movements in Primal Societies(3 vols. to date) First 3 volumes list readings on Black Africa, North America and Oceania
Ref BP 603.29 T87 1977-
2.Contemporary American Religions (2 vols.)
Many aspects of our diverse religious life in the U.S.
Ref BL 2525.C65 2000
3. Encyclopedia of African American Religions
Leaders, groups and issues
Ref BR 563. N4 E53 1993
4. Encyclopedia of Religion(16 vols.)
A universal study of religion from Paleolithic times to the present.
Ref BL 31. E46 1986
5. Encyclopedia of Women and World Religion (2 vols.)"
Women's history and experience in religions throughout the world.
Ref BL 458. E53 1998
6. Guide to Islam
A bibliography of English language literature on the religion and culture of Islam
Ref. BP 161.2. 2 994 1983
7. Historical Dictionary of Buddhism
An introduction to Buddhist literature, beliefs and concepts for Westerners
Ref. BQ 130. P74 1993
8. New Catholic Encyclopedia (15 vols. + supplements)
International, historical, and comprehensive coverage of Catholicism
Ref. BX 84. N44 (1967-1996)
9. Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion
Beliefs, practice, ethics and culture of Judaism
Ref. BM 50. O94 1997
Statistical Sources
1.Statistical Abstract of the United States. 1928 -. Annual
Ref. HA202.U5 or online at http://www.census.gov/
2.Statistical Resources on the Web (Univ. of Michigan)
Searchable, browsable directory of statistical resources worldwide.
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/stats.html
Guides to Research and Writing
A Pocket Style Manual
Clear examples for MLA, APA and Chicago-Style citation.
PE 1408. H 26 2000 (Permanent Reserve)
Guides to Citing Sources
A link from the Electronic Resources page of the Library site to helpful Internet sites. (Note especially Dartmouth College site)
INDEXES/DATABASES
For additions to this list, check the list of REFERENCE DATABASES on the Library's Electronic Resources page.
ATLA 1949-
ATLA Religion Database indexes citations to scholarly journal articles, essays and books in the field of Religion. Search for journal and book titles in ELIZA. Articles not held at Wheaton may be ordered through Interlibrary Loan.
From InfoTrac:
Expanded Academic ASAP 1984-
Article abstracts and some full-text articles from scholarly and general-interest publications across all disciplines.
From OVID:
Sociofile
Indexes, journals, dissertations and papers in Sociology and related disciplines 1974-
Wilson Humanities Index
Indexes, periodicals in all the humanities including religion and philosophy, 1984-
Wilson Social Sciences Abstracts
Indexes, articles and book reviews in the social sciences (including anthropology, psychology, sociology) and their relationships to religion
From FirstSearch:
(Use after you have searched other sources and narrowed your topic)
Password required from librarian
FirstSearch will help you select the best database for your topic.
* Consider: Wilson Select Plus and Eco
* Items not held at Wheaton may be ordered through Inter Library Loan
INTERNET SITES
1. RELIGION GATEWAYS (linking to multiple web sites)
Academic Info Religion Gateway (Mike Madin)
A clear index of reputable sites dealing with world religions
http://www.academicinfo.net/religindex.html
2. Jainism: Jain Principles... (Colorado State)
A gateway to sites on many aspects of Jainism.
http://www.cs.colostate.edu/~malaiya/jainlinks.html
3. The Pluralism Project (Committee on the Study of Religion: Harvard University)
Links to the study of religious diversity in the U.S. with emphasis on religious traditions and their impact on American culture
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/pluralism
4. Virtual Religion Index (Rutgers Univ. Religion Dept.)
A well-indexed library of links to information on religions and religious issues.
http://religion.rutgers.edu/vri/index.html
5. World Religions on the Web
A guide to some of the most helpful sites. Authored by John Jaeger, Reference Librarian at Union University.
http://www.ala.org/acrl/resjune02.html
II. RELIGION WEBSITE
Cesnur (Center for Studies on New Religion)
A library of papers on topics related to new religions
http://www.cesnur.org/default.htm
LIAISON LIBRARIAN
Ethel Fraga (efraga@wheatonma.edu)
286-5652
PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR CORRECTION AND REVISION OF THIS STUDY GUIDE
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