To find a specific database, visit the Articles and Databases page.
OneSearch includes books from all 23 CSU campuses, as well as links to request them. Make sure you're signed into your library account to see the request link.
Additional information about interlibrary loan
Statistics about the United States are most commonly found on government websites. Enter your search terms in Google, and include the following to limit your search to government websites: site:.gov
Example search:
domestic violence statistics site:.gov
Statistics can also be found at the databases listed below and on the Statistics and Data page.
The Qualitative Data Repository (QDR) has qualitative datasets that can be used for secondary analysis. You can browse the repository as a guest, but you will have to create a free account to access the data. Some datasets are restricted due to the sensitive nature of the data, so look for datasets where the license/data use agreement is "Standard Access." If you are viewing a "Standard Access" dataset and the files appear to be locked, make sure that you are logged in to the site and that you have accepted the user agreement.
ICPSR (Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research) has an archive of data from the social and behavioral sciences. Some data files are public and others have restricted access. For files that are restricted to member institutions, you may need to be on a CSUMB computer (such as those in the library) to download files.
CA Dept of Ed. - downloadable data files related to public K-12 education in California
Ed Data - Fiscal, demographic, and performance data on California's K-12 schools
ARDA - Association of Religion Data Archives
FRED - Economic data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Internet Crossroads in Social Science Data - Search or browse University Wisconsin-Madison Libraries' resource for sources of social science data
World Values Survey - Global data on human values and beliefs
General Social Survey - Survey data on American attitudes and social characteristics, from the University of Chicago
Washington Post Police Shootings Database - Tracks fatal police shootings starting in 2015
National Housing Preservation Database (NHPD) - Combines data from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide an inventory, at the address-level, of federally subsidized affordable housing. Registration required but free for university users.
Anthropology encyclopedias and dictionaries
Archaeology encyclopedias and dictionaries
International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences - Largest reference work ever published for the social and behavioral sciences.
American Anthropological Association
Society for Applied Anthropology
Monterey and San Benito County Homeless Census Reports - Coalition of Homeless Service Providers
2-1-1 Search for Monterey County - Information and referrals to services and resources, including food, clothing, health, housing, etc. Provided by United Way Monterey County.
CA Dept. of Ed's DataQuest - data on CA public K-12 schools
Ed-Data - Educational data provided through a partnership between the California Department of Education, EdSource, and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team/California School Information Services (FCMAT/CSIS)
These sources may be helpful in identifying a social science theory to apply to your work, in getting an overview of a particular theory, or in identifying scholarly sources about a theory.
Anthropological Theories - Practical online guide to anthropological theories written by graduate students at the University of Alabama.
Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History (McGee & Warms, 2017) - This print book compiles the original writings of many theorists whose ideas have informed anthropological thinking, including Boas, Benedict, Radcliffe-Brown, Geertz, Foucault, and many others. See link for table of contents.
Archaeological Theory: The Basics (Chapman, 2023) - This ebook outlines a number of archaeological theories, and is also a good source for definitions of archaeological concepts such as culture, material culture, agency, identity, etc.
Archaeological Theory: An Introduction (Johnson, 2020) - This print book describes major archaeological theories and includes case studies to show how the theories can be applied.
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (Wright, 2015) - This online encyclopedia includes numerous in-depth entries on theories and theorists, along with citations for scholarly sources on each. In addition to entries on single theories (e.g. rational choice theory), there are some entries on groups of related theories (e.g. theories of sexuality). The table of contents is too extensive to browse through, but a search on “theory” brings up a list of relevant results for those who have not yet chosen a theory/framework.
Encyclopedia of Social Theory (Harrrington et al., 2006) - This print encyclopedia has concise, overview-level entries on theories (e.g. systems theory), theorists (e.g. Simone de Beauvoir), and concepts/social issues (e.g. social movements, violence).
Encyclopedia of Social Theory (Ritzer, 2005) - This two-volume print encyclopedia provides overviews of many theories, theorists, and social concepts, with references to the original scholarly sources.
Doing Anthropological Research: A Practical Guide (Konopinski, 2014)
Participant Observation a Guide for Fieldworkers (DeWalt & DeWalt, 2011)
Doing Visual Ethnography (Pink, 2021)
Decolonizing Research: Indigenous Storywork as Methodology (Archibald, Lee-Morgan, & Santolo, 2019)
Messy Ethnographies in Action (Plows, 2018)
Approaches to Ethnography: Analysis and Representation in Participant Observation (Jerolmack & Khan, 2018)
Video Ethnography in Practice: Planning, Shooting, and Editing for Social Analysis (Shrum & Scott, 2017)
Exploring Everyday Life: Strategies for Ethnography and Cultural Analysis (Ehn, Löfgren, & Wilk, 2016)
Research for Indigenous Survival: Indigenous Research Methodologies in the Behavioral Sciences (Lambert, 2014)
Research Methods for Cultural Studies (Pickering, 2008)
