Research Starters
Use these databases to conduct preliminary research on your topic or to generate a topic.
- Opposing Viewpoints In Context This link opens in a new windowOpposing Viewpoints In Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information and opinions on hundreds of today's hottest social issues. The database features continuously updated viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
- Points of View Reference Center This link opens in a new windowProvides overviews of topics, including arguments on multiple sides of an issue. In addition to original essays, includes articles from leading political magazines, newspapers, radio/TV transcripts, primary source documents and reference books.
Recommended Resources
- Anthropology: Top ResourcesA searchable database that facilitates the discovery of newly published materials to anthropologists and students of anthropology, while helping them to evaluate the relevance of specific titles to their own interests
- Country Studies This link opens in a new windowA series of online books dealing with 101 foreign countries, describing and analyzing their political, economic, social, and national security systems and institutions.
- Internet Text ArchiveAn open-access website providing full-text copies of selected books from such sources as American Libraries, Canadian Libraries, Project Gutenberg and Children's Library
Resources for General Anthropology
- Anthropological TheoriesUniversity of Alabama's website allows you to read about several of the major theories guiding anthropological research.
- AAA: Anthropology Resources on the InternetAn extensive list of key anthropological websites suggested by the American Anthropological Association.
- Glossary of Social ScienceAn A-Z list of definitions in the social sciences. Created by Dr. Frank W. Elwell of Rogers State University.
- Online Dictionary of the Social SciencesA searchable A-Z list of definitions in the social sciences.
Resources for Archaeology
- tDAR: The Digital Archaeological RecordAn international digital repository for the digital records of archaeological investigations
Resources for Linguistics
- Ethnologue: Languages of the WorldProvides descriptions, maps and related resources for all the languages spoken in different countries.
- Foreign Language Online DictionariesAn A-Z list of the world's languages leading students to online dictionaries and free translation sites
Resources for Cultural Anthropology
- Guide to the Collections of the Smithsonian's National Anthropological ArchivesHistorical and contemporary anthropological materials that document the world's cultures and the history of anthropology.
- AATA Online via The GettyA comprehensive database of over 136,000 abstracts of literature related to the preservation and conservation of material cultural heritage.
- Ethnography Matters"... a platform for ethnographers and those using elements of ethnographic practice to take part in conversations between academic and applied ethnography in the private and public sector."
- Savage MindsGroup blog devoted to ‘doing anthropology in public’ — providing well-written relevant discussion of sociocultural anthropology that everyone will find accessible.
Resources for Physical Anthropology
- Biological Anthropology TermsAn online glossary of terms used in biological anthropology.
- Forensic AnthroAn excellent starting point for anyone interested in Forensic Anthropology.
- Gray's Anatomy (Bartleby)The Bartleby.com edition of Gray’s Anatomy of the Human Body features 1,247 vibrant engravings—many in color—from the classic 1918 publication, as well as a subject index with 13,000 entries ranging from the Antrum of Highmore to the Zonule of Zinn.
- Physical Anthropology Collections Research History Database ProjectA database creation project, still currently in development, which will focus on the research related to remains with Native American derivative
- PrimateLitThe PrimateLit database provides bibliographic access to the scientific literature on nonhuman primates for the research and educational communities. Coverage of the database spans 1940 to present and includes all publication categories (articles, books, abstracts, technical reports, dissertations, book chapters, etc.) and many subject areas (behavior, colony management, ecology, reproduction, field studies, disease models, veterinary science, psychology, physiology, pharmacology, evolution, tax
Primary Source Resources
- American MemoryProvides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience.
- Collaborative Digital LibrariesFour bilingual digital libraries from the Library of Congress related to the United States' historical and cultural relations with France, the Netherlands, Siberia, and Brazil. These collections contain manuscripts, photographs, images, maps, and other primary source materials.
- Center for World Indigenous Studies (CWIS)CWIS ”has in its files and electronic archives the largest collection of tribal and tribally related documents anywhere.” Registered students and donors can receive access to the George Manuel Library archives. CWIS also supports the Indigenous node of the World Wide Web Virtual Library.
- Internet ArchiveSome items may be subject to Copyright.
- Perseus Digital LibraryCreated and maintained by Tufts University, the Perseus Digital Library includes an Art & Archaeology Artifact Browser and an extensive Greek and Roman Materials Collection.
- Smithsonian Anthropology Databases & ResourcesDatabases, and additional online resources, of the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of Natural History include the John Wesley Powell Anthropology Library, SIRIS (Smithsonian Archives, Manuscripts, and Photographic Collections), and the Collections Search Center.
- EVIA: Ethnographic Video for Instruction and AnalysisUnedited ethnographic video recordings.
Recommended Resources for Images
- ARTstorAccess over a million images covering architecture, painting, photography, sculpture, decorative arts and design, as well as archeological and anthropological objects.
- AMNH Collections DatabaseOver 240,000 images of artifacts from the American Museum of Natural History's collections are accessible in this searchable database.
- Anthropology Collection DatabaseThe California Academy of Science provides an online searchable database accessing nearly 16,000 objects and over 12,000 images.
- Archaeology Image BankA collection of archaeological images for use in teaching, studying and research.
- eSkeletonsProvides an osteology database allowing users to examine and compare the bones of human and non-human primates.
- InteractiveDigFrom the Archaeological Institute of America's journal Archaeology comes a website that walks students through a variety of treasure digging adventures. Day by day accounts of the archaeological digs, plus pictures of each trip's findings can be found at this site.
- Rubbings of Maya SculptureView Merle Greene Robertson's archive of Maya imagery.
