Research and Instruction Services
Sources for Doctoral Research Practicum on
Community Organizing and Education

• Web Search
• Newspapers
• Blogs
• Dissertations
• Finding Articles
• Finding Full Text of a Specific Article
• Accessing Books and Articles not Available at Harvard
• Research Consultations
• Writing Consultations
• Ask Us

Web Search

Use Google.com or Ask.com to find out whether an organization has its own website, which will help you verify the correct form of the organization's name/alternate names, location, mission, and staff. You may also find information from local government, research centers, and other community organization websites.

For background information on the community, including demographics, search the organization's home city website or use the "Get a Fact Sheet for your community" option from the U.S. Census Bureau's American FactFinder.

Newspapers

Search the exact name of your organization, or topic terms and the community's name to identify important issues and to see how they are being reported in the community.

National, regional, and state newspapers:
Use both LexisNexis and Factiva for the most comprehensive coverage. Full text of all articles is available.

Tips: Be sure to select an appropriate date range (LexisNexis' default is only 6 months!)

In LexisNexis, click "Sources" in the black bar on the upper right to find out if a particular newspaper is covered; click "Search this title" to add that paper to the Search box.

In Factiva, click "Source" to find out if a particular newspaper is covered; click the triangle next to the newspaper name to add that paper to the Search box.

Ethnic or Alternative Newspapers:
Use Ethnic NewsWatch and Alt-Press Watch to find additional smaller circulation papers, which often have a community focus.

Tips: Use double quotes around phrases (e.g. "Southern Echo")

Use the "Select multiple databases" option to search both databases together.

Community Newspapers:
Use the US Newspaper List or HomeTownNews.com to find community papers. Access to back issues varies and may be fee-based.

Tips: Look for an "Archives" search option.

To identify additional community newspapers, use the Gale Directory of Publications and Broadcast Media, which provides brief descriptions of newspapers (focus or target audience, circulation and contact information, etc.). Organized by state and then city, and only available in print (Gutman Ref Z 6951.A97)

Blogs

Use Technorati to search multiple blogs for public commentary about your organization.

Tip: Use double quotes around phrases (e.g. "Southern Echo")

Dissertations

Search the exact name of your organization, or topic terms and the community's name, in Dissertations and Theses Full Text to locate case studies about a particular community. The literature reviews in recent dissertations are also very useful. Full text is available for most dissertations written from 1997 onwards.

Tip: Use double quotes around phrases (e.g. "community organizations" and Philadelphia)

Finding Articles

Search the exact name of your organization, or topic terms and the community's name, in the following article indexes to find out whether any information is available in education journals:

• Academic Search Premier — Multidisciplinary; covers about 4,700 journals and magazines
• Education Abstracts — Covers around 525 English-language education journals and yearbooks from 1983 —
• ERIC — Covers over 800 education-related journals, as well as conference papers, research reports, state, federal, and local education documents, and selected books

Tip: Use the blue "Choose Databases" tab to select multiple databases to search together.

Finding Full Text of a Specific Article

Use Find It @ Harvard to locate online or print access for a specific article.

Accessing Books and Articles not Available at Harvard

Current HGSE students and staff may request books and photocopies of articles not owned by Harvard.

• Book Request Form
• Article Request Form

Research Consultations

Make a one-hour appointment with a librarian to:

• develop a research strategy
• identify and learn about relevant sources
• work on any research-related question, problem, or skill

To arrange a consultation, contact the Reference Desk (617-495-3421/617-495-3422) or a Research and Instruction Services staff member.

Writing Consultations

Make an appointment with a writing coach to:

• define a research question
• organize the content of your paper
• review and revise drafts
• cite sources appropriately

To sign up for a writing consultation, click on the Academic Writing Consultation Sign-up link in the Gutman Library box of MyGSE.

For additional information or assistance, contact Gutman Library Research and Instruction Services (617-495-3421/3422 or reference@gse.harvard.edu) or stop by the Gutman Reference Desk.