LibGuides: Research Resource for the Imagination: World of Childhood Learning Community: Selecting a Topic about Childhood

Tip!

Choose a topic that interests you and will hold your attention. If you do, the research will be more enjoyable!

Some resource suggestions:

For a nice overview of the subject of children, check out the 3-volume set Encyclopedia of Children & Childhood: In History & Society, 2004 in the online database Gale Virtual Reference Library.

American Juvenile Collection

Check out the American Juvenile Collection. The AJC is a Research Collection of Fiction, Folklore and Fairy tales in Juvenile books, 1910-1960, by American Publishers, including some appropriate earlier titles.

Topic Ideas

Can’t think of a topic to research?

Scan your textbook for broad topic ideas.
Peruse current magazines and newspapers to see what catches your eye.
Browse print and electronic encyclopedias.
Look at "hot topic" databases, such as Points of View Reference Center, which feature articles on current events and controversial issues.
Discuss potential topics with your instructor, your librarian or a classmate.

The Research Assignment

Before selecting a topic or starting your research, make sure you understand your assignment and its requirements. Consider the following:

How many pages/words do you need to write?
Do you need to include specific types of sources? (e.g. scholarly journal, book, etc.)
When is the assignment due? How much time do you have to research?
Is currency of information important?

When in doubt, consult with your instructor!

Getting Topic Ideas from the Subject List and Thesauri of Online Databases

Consider looking at the Subject List tab available in many online databases:

Browse the Subject List for the term Child or Children or Childhood in Academic Search Premier
Browse by subject in JSTOR with the term Children or Childhood
Browse through the Thesauri in the advanced search page of ProQuest Database for the terms child or children or childhood or youth
Browse the Topic List in the database World History in Context and select the topic Childhood and Childrearing
Browse through the Subject Guide in the database Popular Culture Collection. Type in the word "Childhood" and expand the subdivisions for ideas on possible topics
You may find some controversial topics that deal with children in the database Points of View Reference Center

World of Childhood

Subject Guide

Katelyn Angell

Email Me

Contact:

Associate Professor
Coordinator of Library Instruction
Katelyn.Angell@liu.edu
718-488-1315

Resources on the Web

Children & Youth in History
Children and Youth in History is designed to help teachers and students learn about the important roles of young people throughout history by providing access to information about the lived experiences of children and youth from multiple perspectives as well as changing notions about childhood and adolescence in past cultures and civilizations. The materials on this website address such questions as: What was it like to be a child or adolescent throughout history? How is childhood defined? How has it changed and how has it remained the same? What factors have shaped childhood and how did children shape history, society, and culture?

Children and Youth in History is a free website with four key features:

■a Primary Source Database with 350 resources along with guidance on how to use those sources critically and tools for annotating and organizing the sources;
■60 Website Reviews that focus on valuable online resources for studying and teaching the history of c
International Children's Digital Library: A Library for the World's Children
The mission of the International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.
Representing Childhood
Using timelines, essays, and art, this interactive website allows you to investigate the various ways in which people have imagined childhood over the centuries. This project was made possible by a grant from the University of Pittsburgh Office of the Provost.
UNICEF
UNICEF upholds the Convention on the Rights of the Child and works to assure equality for those who are discriminated against, girls and women in particular. UNICEF is a part of the Global Movement for Children – a broad coalition dedicated to improving the life of every child.
World Childhood Foundation
World Childhood Foundation was founded in 1999 by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, who felt a compelling need to address the social and emotional poverty of children around the world. The mission of Childhood is to defend the rights of the child and to promote better living conditions for vulnerable and exploited children at risk all over the world. Childhood wants to give all children the opportunity to develop into strong, secure and responsible human beings.
Citizens' Committee for Children of New York
CCC educates and mobilize New Yorkers to make the city a better place for children. Their advocacy combines public policy research and data analysis with citizen action. CCC casts light on the issues, educate the public, engage allies, and identify and promote practical solutions to ensure that every New York City child is healthy, housed, educated and safe.
ChildStats
The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics (Forum) is a collection of 22 Federal government agencies involved in research and activities related to children and families. The Forum was founded in 1994 and formally established in April 1997 under Executive Order No. 13045. The mission of the Forum is to foster coordination and collaboration and to enhance and improve consistency in the collection and reporting of Federal data on children and families. The Forum also aims to improve the reporting and dissemination of information on the status of children and families.
Child Trends Databank
The Child Trends DataBank examines and monitors more than 100 indicators that focus on risks and positive developments for children.