LibGuides: CRIM 203 (Historical Perspectives in Criminal Justice) Course Guide: eBooks

Why Use Academic Books When Articles Are Shorter?

Academic Books

Good researchers combine the big picture (context) with more focused details. One way to do this is to consult both books and articles. To have a good research experience, keep these points in mind :

You are not expected to read entire academic books as part of academic research! You are looking for a useful chapter or section of a chapter. Use the table of contents links or the "search within" tool in ebooks to save time!
Academic articles can be highly specialized. They are responses to larger debates that have progressed through many articles written by many different experts. These experts are responding to each other and already know a lot about the topic!
Books frequently give more context and summary of these debates: they can be a good entry point when you are learning about a topic.
For historical research, books can be an additional source of primary materials like letters and memoirs.

Keywords to Subject headings

Topic / Ideas	Library of Congress Subject heading
Prostitution in Canada	Prostitution -- Canada--History Prostitutes Brothels Sex and law -- Canada Women -- Legal status, laws,etc.
Aboriginal history of Canada	Indians of North America -- Canada -- History First Nations Native peoples -- Canada Indigenous peoples -- Canada Metis (or other tribe names)
Sentencing in Canada	Sentences (Criminal procedure) -- Canada Trials Courts -- Canada Judicial process -- Canada
Execution in Canadian History	Executions and executioners -- Canada -- History Hanging Gallows
Racism in justice system	Discrimination in criminal justice administration -- Canada Race discrimination -- Canada Equality before the law -- Canada Crime and race -- Canada
Racism (or gender inequality in the news)	Racism in the press Mass media and sex Women -- Press coverage Discrimination Press coverage
Youth justice in Canada	Street youth -- Legal status, laws, etc -- Canada Canada. Youth Juvenile Delinquents Act Homeless youth Juvenile justice, Administration of -- Canada
Women in prison	Female offenders -- Canada Women murderers -- Canada
Prisons	Prison administration -- Canada Correctional institutions -- Canada Corrections Imprisonment
Policing in Canada	Police -- Canada Law enforcement -- Canada Racial profiling in law enforcement -- Canada
Criminal justice	Criminal justice, Administration of Corrections Criminal courts Sex discrimination in criminal justice administration Jurisprudence
Representation of crime	Mass media and criminal justice Crime in mass media