Skip to Main Content
HVCC logo and library name

Sociology: Researching Social Problems

This guide will lead users to quality resources for research in sociology.

Examples of Social Issues

Broad categories of issues that have impact on families and society:

  • Illness and the Health care Crisis.
  • Alcohol and other Drugs.
  • Crime and Violence.
  • Family Problems.
  • Problems of Youth and Aging.
  • Race and Ethnic Relations.
  • Gender Inequality.
  • Issues in Sexual Orientation.
  • Poverty.
  • Work and Unemployment.
  • Problems in Education.
  • Population and Urbanization.
  • Science and Technology.
  • Environmental Problems.
  • Conflict, War, and Terrorism.

Finding books by subject

Books on sociological topics are found in several call number ranges because sociological topics are often interdisciplinary. 

Many books are located in the range:    HM 1- HT 1600

There are hundreds of Subject Headings useful for sociological topics. 

A sample:

Ethnicity

Gender

Housing

Poverty

Social justice

Social problems

Social theory

Socialization

Sociology

Racism

Families

Poverty

 

 

 

Developing a Research Question

Once you have chosen a topic to research, you will need to develop a research question you are wanting to answer.

Examples of research questions:

Does viewing violent television and/or movies have a measurable affect on children's aggressive behavior?

Do children who regularly share mealtimes with the family do better academically?

Are fathers discriminated against in custody cases?

Is racial profiling an effective terror prevention strategy?

Databases for this subject