Choosing a topic

When choosing a topic for your research paper, think about the following:

• Unless your instructor assigns a topic, try to select a topic that interests you.
• Make sure your topic is not too broad, or too narrow. You will find too much information when searching for a broad topic; and not enough information when searching for a narrow topic.
• If you already have a general topic, try searching the library's catalog or the library's databases for ideas on how to narrow that topic down.
• Visit the library's Reference Desk and request to view the following book: 10,000 ideas for term papers, projects, reports and speeches: Intriguing, original research topics for every student's need.
• For current events and issues in the news, try searching the library's database: CQ Researcher.
• For debatable or controversial issues, ask one of the librarians about the Opposing Viewpoints Series, the Taking Sides Series, Issues in Focus Series and/or the Current Controversies Series.
• Visit the Social Issues Research Guide. There you will find a list of current social issues to choose from.

Hirsch Holocaust Collection

The Hirsch Holocaust Collection is located in the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies Resource Center on the second floor of the library. All items found in the Hirsch Collection will have Hirsch at the start of the call number as seen below. Titles which are in the regular RVCC library collection will not start with the Hirsch designation. Click here to go to the Institute for Holocaust & Genocide Studies webpage.

Book Collections

Books will provide an excellent starting point for your research in the field of Holocaust and Genocide. Reference books often give you background information and a general overview on your topic so that you can proceed with greater understanding to a more detailed treatment of your subject in other books and periodicals. Reference books may include specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, almanacs, atlases and/or statistical reports. The librarian at the Reference Desk can help in locating an appropriate source. Listed below are the titles and call numbers of some of the Holocaust and Genocide books in the library's reference collection. The reference collection is located on the main level of the library. Books with a location of Reference cannot be checked out of the library. The Circulating Collection is on the second floor of the library. Books with a location of Circulating may be checked out.

Library Catalog

The library catalog is used to locate books both at RVCC, as well as from other libraries in the Somerset County Library System. Books will provide in-depth information not found in reference sources.

Quick Tips:

• Start with a Keyword search. Once you find one or two books about your topic, check the book's record to see what Subjects are being used. Once you find the appropriate Subject Heading, repeat your search using those headings. Generally, the results from a Subject search will always be more accurate than the results from a Keyword search.
• If you know the title of the book you are looking for, do a Title search.
• If you are looking for a book with a specific author, do an Author search (last name first).

Suggested Subject Headings for Holocaust and Genocide:

Click a subject heading below to use it as the search term for a Subject Search in the catalog.

Consult with the reference librarian to find the term best suited to your needs.

Browse the Collection:

Most of the books can be found in the following areas:

• DS -- Asia
• HV -- Social pathology. Social and public welfare
• PN -- Literature (General)

All of the library's circulating books are located on the upper level of the library.

For additional library catalogs, including libraries in Hunterdon and Middlesex counties, consult the Additional Library Catalogs page. If you find a book in one of these catalogs that the library does not own, request the book using the library's Interlibrary Loan Service.

Research Databases - Finding Articles

The Evelyn S. Field Library has access to thousands of periodicals. (Periodicals can be magazines, scholarly journals, or newspapers.) Some periodicals are in the library's print (or hard copy) collection. However, the majority of periodicals are available in the Research Databases. These databases provide access to articles. This information is generally more current than material found in books.

Search for periodical articles on Holocaust and Genocide using the databases listed below. They can be accessed from the Library Database Page. (If you are using these databases from an off-campus location, you will be asked to identify yourself by logging in with your Username and Password. This is the same login you use on campus. The Research Databases are available only to registered RVCC students.)

• Credo Reference
  

  A full-text online reference service that includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, quotations, and many other sources of factual information. Use Credo to get background information on a research topic or become familiar with a new subject. Subjects covered include art, business, food and beverage, geography, history, language, law, literature, medicine, music, philosophy, psychology, religion, science, social sciences, and technology.

• JSTOR
  

  A reliable and comprehensive archive of important scholarly journal literature. JSTOR is important if you are doing a research project that needs older information in the arts and sciences. Due to its very nature as a retrospective journal archive, JSTOR does not contain current journal articles. The JSTOR database is unique because the complete back files of core scholarly journals have been digitized, starting with the very first issues, many of which date from the 1800's. Over 4 million pages are available.

After finding an article on your research topic, the database will either provide a citation and summary of the article, or it will provide the full-text (the complete article). If you are only given a citation and summary of the article, you can check the Periodical Locator to determine if the periodical you are looking for is available in another database. (The Periodical Locator is an alphabetical list of all the journals the library has access to. Feel free to talk with a librarian for assistance.) If the article is not available in any of the library's research databases, request the article using the library's Interlibrary Loan Service.

If, for your assignment, you are required to have sources from scholarly journals, use the Identifying Scholarly Articles guide to help you determine if your source is a magazine article or a scholarly article.

Professional Organizations

• Holocaust Council of MetroWest, United Jewish Council of MetroWest New Jersey
  http://www.ujcnj.org/page.aspx?id=158841
  Serving the MetroWest community; the general community, including public, private and parochial schools, colleges and universities, synagogues, churches, museums, corporations, civic, professional and service organizations and entities such as the City of Newark; eyewitnesses to the Holocaust (Survivors, Rescuers, POWs and Liberators;) the New Jersey State Commission on Holocaust Education; and the various Holocaust centers around the state.
• New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education
  http://www.state.nj.us/education/holocaust/
  Their core mission is to promote Holocaust education in the State of New Jersey.
• The Institute of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at RVCC
  http://www.raritanval.edu/rvcc/frameset/holocaust.html
  A collaboration between the College and the Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren counties.

Internet Resources

• Anti-Defamation League
  http://www.adl.org/
  Source: Anti-Defamation League
• Armenian National Institute
  http://www.armenian-genocide.org/
  Source: Armenian National Institute
• Cambodian Genocide Program
  http://www.yale.edu/cgp/
  Source: Yale University
• CyberCambodia
  http://www.cybercambodia.com/dachs/
  Source: Soc.Culture.Cambodia newsgroup
• Cybrary of the Holocaust
  http://www.remember.org
  Source: Dunn Direct Group
• Darfur: A Genocide We Can Stop
  http://darfurgenocide.org
  Source: Res Publica Res Publica
• Hate Crime Report sponsored
  http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hatecm.htm
  Source: Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS)
• Holocaust and Genocide Studies
  http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/holocaust.html
  Source: Linda M. Woolf, PhD
• Institute for Holocaust & Genocide Studies
  http://www.raritanval.edu/community/holocaust/index.html
  Source: Raritan Valley Community College -- The Institute's website includes an online Holocaust Memorial and links to Holocaust & Genocide resources. There are links to resources on a number of specific past and current genocides, as well as resources for teachers.
• Internet Resources on Genocide and Mass Killings
  http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide.htm
  Source: Dr. Stuart D. Stein, University of the West of England
• Nanking Massacre sponsored
  http://www.unitedhumanrights.org/Genocide/nanking_massacre.htm
  Source: UHRC
• Prevent Genocide International
  http://www.preventgenocide.org
  Source: The International Campaign to End Genocide (ICEG)
• Rape of Nanking sponsored
  http://www.historyplace.com/worldhistory/genocide/nanking.htm
  Source: The History Place
• Roma in the Holocaust -- O Porrajamos
  http://www.geocities.com/Paris/5121/holcaust.htm
  Source: Patrin Web Journal
• Simon Wiesenthal Center
  http://www.wiesenthal.com/
  Source: Simon Wiesenthal Center
• Stop Hate sponsored
  http://www.adl.org/hate-patrol/1.asp
  Source: Anti-Defamation League
• Sudan: Darfur Overview
  http://www.ushmm.org/conscience/alert/darfur/
  Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• The Great Irish Famine Curriculum
  http://www.nde.state.ne.us/SS/irish_famine.html
  Source: Irish Famine Curriculum Committee
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
  http://www.ushmm.org/
  Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Additional Help

• Call or visit the Reference Desk to speak to one of the librarians. The Reference Desk is located on the main floor of the library. The phone number is 908-526-1200 x8350.
• Email your question to one of the librarians using the Ask-A-Librarian Service.
• For further information about this guide, please contact Robert Egan

Last Updated - 28 April 2009