Here is a good, basic formula for getting started with your research in Comparative American Studies.
- Begin by using the keyword brainstorming worksheet
to help you tweak your research question, identify keywords and related terms, and keep track of what you find.
- Search in a library catalog (Summon, OBIS, OhioLINK and/or WorldCat) to find books and reference sources. They provide BACKGROUND and CONTEXT, review and SUMMARIZE earlier work, help you FOCUS your topic and provide CITATIONS to important books, journal articles, conference papers, interviews, etc.
- Next, search research databases to find articles. The Library has hundreds of databases available, but the ones listed below are good places to begin.
- You may also wish to use Google or Google Scholar to search the Internet. Take advantage of Google's advanced search features!
- Finally, use the CRAAP test worksheet
to evaluate the sources you find!
OBIS: Catalog of the Oberlin College Library 
OhioLINK Library Catalog
WorldCat
Summon -- searches across a wide range of library content, and not just books! It includes journal and newspaper articles, data, digital audio, video and images, and so much more. Try it and see what you can discover.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (for use in OBIS, OhioLINK and other library catalogs):
Other subdivisions to look for:
OhioLINK Library Catalog
WorldCat
Summon -- searches across a wide range of library content, and not just books! It includes journal and newspaper articles, data, digital audio, video and images, and so much more. Try it and see what you can discover.
Library of Congress Subject Headings (for use in OBIS, OhioLINK and other library catalogs):
Beauty contests | Pageants | Feminine beauty (Aesthetics) |
Beauty contests -- United States | Pageants -- United States -- History | Feminine beauty (Aesthetics) -- United States |
Beauty contestants | Pageants -- United States -- History -- 20th century | Beauty, Personal |
Beauty contestants -- United States | Beauty culture -- Social Aspects -- United States | Beauty, Personal -- Social aspects -- 20th century |
Beauty culture |
Other subdivisions to look for:
-- Anecdotes | -- Correspondence | -- Memory |
-- Archival resources | -- Diaries | -- Personal narratives |
-- Autobiography | -- Interviews | -- Sources |
-- Biography | -- History | -- Speeches |
-- Case studies | -- Homes and haunts | |
-- Collective memory | -- Memoirs |
Ad*Access (1911-1955) 
Advertising Images from 1911-1955, arranged by theme: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II. Also consider other digital collections at Duke, under "Advertising and Consumer Culture" or "Women's History."
America: History and Life
Index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present.
A guide to alternative, radical, and left publications, which report and analyze the practices and theories of cultural, economic, political, and social change.
Ethnic NewsWatch 
A full-text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. Note: You can limit your search to a particular ethnic group.
Gender Studies Database
Combines Women’s Studies International and Men’s Studies databases with the coverage of sexual diversity issues. GSD covers the full spectrum of gender-engaged scholarship inside and outside academia.
LGBT Life
The definitive index to the world's literature regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues.
SocINDEX
Provides users with a wealth of information encompassing the broad spectrum of sociological study.
Women's Studies International
A composite of ten databases covering women's studies, women's issues, and gender-focused scholarship from throughout the world.
Advertising Images from 1911-1955, arranged by theme: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II. Also consider other digital collections at Duke, under "Advertising and Consumer Culture" or "Women's History."
America: History and Life
Index of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present.
A guide to alternative, radical, and left publications, which report and analyze the practices and theories of cultural, economic, political, and social change.
Ethnic NewsWatch
A full-text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. Note: You can limit your search to a particular ethnic group.
Gender Studies Database
Combines Women’s Studies International and Men’s Studies databases with the coverage of sexual diversity issues. GSD covers the full spectrum of gender-engaged scholarship inside and outside academia.
LGBT Life
The definitive index to the world's literature regarding Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues.
SocINDEX
Provides users with a wealth of information encompassing the broad spectrum of sociological study.
Women's Studies International
A composite of ten databases covering women's studies, women's issues, and gender-focused scholarship from throughout the world.
- Become a better researcher!
- Drop in at the Research Help Desk or call 440-775-5031 during research desk hours
- Email us at reference@oberlin.edu
- Chat / IM with a librarian
- Sign up for a Research Appointment
- Contact Eboni directly -- ejohnson@oberlin.edu or 440-775-5026
Cultural encyclopedia of the body
Main Reference HM636 .C85 2008 (2 vols)
(also available as an ebook via OBIS)
The American beauty industry encyclopedia
Main Reference TT958 .A44 2010
(also available as an ebook via OBIS)
Main Reference HM636 .C85 2008 (2 vols)
(also available as an ebook via OBIS)
The American beauty industry encyclopedia
Main Reference TT958 .A44 2010
(also available as an ebook via OBIS)
For appearance' sake : the historical encyclopedia of good looks, beauty, and grooming
Main Reference GT499 .S49 2001 Library use only
Survival of the prettiest : the science of beauty
Main Library GT499 .E85 1999
Three faces of beauty : Casablanca, Paris, Cairo
Main Library GT499 .O77 2002
The most beautiful girl in the world : beauty pageants and national identity
Main Library HQ1220.U5 B36 1999
(also available as an ebook via OBIS)
Beauty queens on the global stage : gender, contests, and power
Not available at Oberlin; request via OhioLINK
- Oberlin College Writing Center -- Located in the Academic Commons of Mudd (first floor)
- Citation Help -- Print sources at Oberlin
- Citation Help -- Online sources
- Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL)
ProQuest RefWorks is a citation management tool that helps researchers gather, manage, store and share information, as well as generate citations and bibliographies in a wide variety of styles.
- Search - OBIS, OhioLink, PubMed & Scopus
- Share - Folders via URL
- Store - PDFs online and take notes
- Read - Search your references fulltext and save searches
- Write - Create a simple reference list and use Write-N-Cite to format paper in Microsoft Word
- Check out our video tutorial!
