Anthropology
Ethnography
Ethnographies are generally accounts of observations or interviews describing specific cultural groups. They're usually published as books. They're not always easy to find in the library because there isn't a specific subject heading to separate them from books that rely on secondary sources.
Finding Ethnographies
1. Search for Subject Headings
You can search for books in Discovery Search using Library of Congress subject headings, which are standardized tags used to describe what a book is about.
To search for ethnographies, enter a term identifying your culture, location, or nationality, and add one of these keywords or phrases:
- Ethnology
- Social life and customs
For example:
Check out this guide from the University of Louisville Libraries for a more detailed, step-by-step explanation.
2. eHRAF World Cultures Database
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eHRAF World Cultures This link opens in a new windowThis database is a highly indexed collection of ethnographic research. Use the Browse tab to choose a culture, then use the Collection Documents tab to view ethnographies a page at a time. Use the tutorials to discover other capabilities of eHRAF, such as tracing a specific theme across cultures.
3. Encyclopedia of World Cultures
These reference books have articles on most world cultures. Each article contains a bibliography of ethnographies and other works on that culture that you can then find in Discovery Search. If you don't find what you need there, request it through Interlibrary Loan.
