To locate articles on a particular topic, you need to use an index to periodicals. Most of our indexes are electronic but for older materials you will need a printed index. Each index focuses on a specific subject or body of literature -- choosing the correct index is key to a succesful search, make sure to consult with Rebecca Ohm, library liaison for Women's & Gender Studies, before you start your project.
Expanded Academic Index
An Interdisciplinary index. Includes scholarly journals as well as popular press titles. Many articles are in full-text. Subjects covered include the arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences, and technology. Coverage is for three years plus the current year. A good place to begin a research project.
Alternative Press Index
Leading guide to the alternative press in North America. Includes over 250 alternative, radical, and left publications that report and analyze the practices and theories of cultural, economic, political, and social change. 90% of the publications indexed in API are unique; you won't find them indexed in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature or the Social Sciences Index.
News article databases
A collection of licensed news databases providing access to current and historical newspapers, magazines and transcripts.
Gender Watch
Includes publications that focus on the impact of gender across a broad spectrum of subject areas. Indexes academic and scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, booklets and pamphlets, conference proceedings, governments, NGOs and special reports.
Full-text database.
Contemporary Women's Issues
Contains information on women's issues in over 190 nations. Includes over 1500 sources published by more than 200 organizations worldwide. Includes journal articles as well as pamphlets and documents published by associations.
Full-text database.
Women's Studies International
Covers the core disciplines in Women's Studies and related areas. Includes references to journals, newspapers, book chapters, reports, dissertations, and more.
Social Sciences Abstracts
Bibliographic database that cites articles of at least one column in length from more than 350 English-language periodicals published in the United States and elsewhere. Coverage includes a wide range of interdisciplinary fields covered in a broad array of social sciences journals.
Sociological Abstracts
Covers the world's literature in sociology and related disciplines. Subject headings used are either very broad or very cryptic. Make sure to try much different combination of terms.
Anthropological Literature
Index to the anthropology journals housed in the Tozzer library at Harvard. Covers anthropology, archeology and related disciplines such as art history, economics, psychology, religion, folklore and ethnic studies. Includes book reviews.
Index to Legal Periodicals and Books
Indexes legal periodicals and law books. Includes law reviews, bar association journals, and government publications. Good place to research women in politics or legal issues related to women.
Congressional Publications
Federal legislative information. Includes hearing transcripts and submitted testimony from the 100th Congress forward; committee reports from the 101st Congress forward, all versions of bills introduced from the 101st Congress forward, public laws from the 100th Congress forward.
Health Reference Center
Consumer health database. Good source for information on women's healthcare. Includes articles, abstracts from medical books and pamphlets.
PsycInfo
Covers psychology and social psychology topics. Good database to research issues of gender and identity, gender differences in various areas (school, work, etc.)
America: History and Life or
Historical Abstracts
If you need to research a historical topic, the library provides access to two electronic indexes: America: History and Life focuses on North American history. Historical Abstracts covers the rest of the world.
Art Abstracts or Art Index Retrospective
Good source to search for a topic on activism and art or the connections between feminism and art.
International Index to Music Periodicals
Indexes international music periodicals. Good place to research music as a form of activism and the link between feminism and music.
International Index to the Performing Arts
Index to journals and magazines relating to performing arts. Good place to look for performance reviews, interviews with actress and directors of plays.