Religion 19: Interpreting Religious Quests (Fall 2008)
Instructor: Prof. John Holt
Librarian: Carr Ross (cross@bowdoin.edu; x3545)
 Zen priestly calligraphy (bokuseki), ink on paper (New York, private collection); photo credit: Werner Forman/Art Resource, NY; Grove Art Online |
What Are Scholarly Articles?
Scholarly articles are written by experts in a field and are, generally speaking, directed at their peers. The articles contain reports of original research and in-depth analysis of topics. Scholarly articles may also be referred to as "peer-reviewed" or "refereed." These articles are submitted to a panel of experts, or peers, who review the content for standards established by the respective field. Examples include: Buddhist-Christian Studies and the Journal of Religion.
Popular and newsstand articles generally are shorter in length, sometimes are not signed, do not contain footnotes or a bibliography, and are targeted at the general population. Examples include Time and Newsweek.
A third category of articles falls somewhere in between. These are articles in trade and professional publications, which usually do not contain the in-depth nature of a scholarly journal, but still the intended audience is fellow specialists. Examples include: America and Christianity Today.
What is the Difference Between a Primary Source and a Secondary Source?
According to A Manual for Writers by Kate Turabian (University of Chicago Press, 7th ed., 2007), “Secondary sources are books and articles that analyze primary sources, usually written by and for other researchers. You use secondary sources for three purposes: 1. to inform and refine [your] thinking; 2. to find other points of view; 3. to find models for your own research and analysis. Primary sources are original works—diaries, letters, manuscripts, images, films, film scripts, recordings, musical scores, and ... data collected through observation and experiment.”
Where Do I Begin My Research?
The best place to begin your research can vary, but usually you will first want to gather background information on your topic. Or, perhaps, you have a few topics in mind and just want to read a little bit about each one before making a choice. Reference sources often are the best place to accomplish these things. They're terrific at laying out basic information about a topic: a chronicle of its history; current status; key events; key people; and most importantly, a bibliography of additional sources.
Reference sources will vary depending on your specific topic. Here is a sampling of some titles that may be useful; browse to the left and right on the shelf to find others:
- Encyclopedia of Religion
- a comprehensive source covering all of the world's major religions; a good place to start - Muslim Almanac
Main Ref. BP40.M83 1996 - Oxford Islamic Studies Center
- encompasses A-Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Quranic materials, primary sources, images, and timelines - Buddhist Experience in America
Main Ref. BQ722.M67 2004 - Encyclopedia of African and African-American Religions
Main Ref. BL2462.5.E53 2001 - Native North American Almanac
Main Ref. E77.N37 1994
Where Do I Find More Sources?
Once you have gathered background on your topic, you'll want to proceed to books from the stacks and journal articles. Because articles tend to focus on a very narrow topic, it's best that your topic be sufficiently narrow in scope; otherwise you may be overwhelmed by the number of results when you conduct a search.
Catalogs for Books
- Bowdoin College Library Catalog
- books, videos, government documents, etc. in Bowdoin's library - NExpress
- combined catalog of Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, Wellesley, Williams, Middlebury, Vassar, and Northeastern. Requests take 2-3 days.
Note: Don't underestimate the value of browsing the book stacks! After you have found a book on your topic, take a little time to glance at books to the left and right on the shelf; you may come across the perfect one! In addition, you may want to browse virtually in the Bowdoin catalog: look for "Tags" or "Similar Books" when you have a record on the screen.
Article Databases
- ATLA Religion Index
- topics such as biblical studies, world religions, church history, and religion in social issues. - Academic Search Premier
- a multi-subject database (social sciences, humanities, sciences); a good place to get articles on a particular topic from different perspectives - Oxford Islamic Studies Center
- encompasses A-Z reference entries, chapters from scholarly and introductory works, Quranic materials, primary sources, images, and timelines - JStor
- a multi-subject collection of scholarly journals, including about 38 religious studies journals
Note: These article databases do not always contain the full text of articles. If it is not available through the database, look for the "Check availability @ Bowdoin" link. This will tell you if we subscribe to the journal through another database. If not, then use the interlibrary loan request form: illiad.bowdoin.edu.
How Do I Evaluate the Appropriateness of My Sources?
A few points to consider when using a source, be it an article, book, or website:
- who is the author? what are his/her credentials?
- is the article from a peer-reviewed journal?
- is the information based on original research (primary source)? analysis of others' works (secondary source)? opinion?
- does the work follow a logical line of reasoning? are the assumptions based on fact?
Check with Professor Holt about these and other things to consider when using sources for your research.
How Do Cite My Sources?
Please use A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations (Turabian) or The Chicago Manual of Style to format your essays and bibliographies.
