LibGuides: Sociology Subject Guide: Internet Websites

Recommended Websites

Online Dictionary of the Social Sciences
"This social science dictionary has 1000 entries covering the disciplines of sociology, criminology, political science and women's study with a commitment to Canadian examples and events and names "

Recommended Sociology Websites

Urban Institute
"The Urban Institute builds knowledge about the nation’s social and fiscal challenges, practicing open-minded, evidence-based research to diagnose problems and figure out which policies and programs work best, for whom, and how"
Kinsey Institute
"The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University works towards advancing sexual health and knowledge worldwide. For over 60 years, the institute has been a trusted source for investigating and informing the world about critical issues in sex, gender and reproduction."
Patchwork Nation
"Patchwork Nation delivers national data with local context while remaining visually intuitive for the reader." Sponsored by the Jefferson Institute.
Pew Research Center: Topics
"The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The center conducts public opinion polling, demographic studies, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. It does not take positions on policy issues."

Government Websites

Limit your web search to only government websites by using the format above to search only U.S. government pages: type your search term followed by the word site and a colon and the domain .gov

Education Websites

Limit your web search to only education websites by using the format above to search college and university websites: type your search term followed by the word site and a colon and the domain .edu

How do I determine if a website is reliable?

Evaluating Websites and Other Sources

Consider...

Who is the author?
Why was it written -- for what purpose, organization, or audience?
When was it written?
Does it include references or a works cited list?

If you cannot determine the credibility of the information you are using, especially from a website, it's best not to use it to factually support your argument. Using biased or inaccurate information in your paper can negatively impact your grade.