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Research Guide to Things Fall Apart - Ms. Berger: Databases

This guide provides research strategies, databases and reliable websites to help you with your research paper on the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

Databases

The keyword search is best used when you have a complex search term that contains keywords from more than one of the other searches (author, title, subject, or series).   To search by keyword, type in your search terms and click submit.
The catalog automatically searches for any word anywhere.  

For example:  A keyword search for the term "Ritual" will yield all results that mention "Ritual" in the title as well as anywhere else. 

Determine your keywords 

1. List the main words from your essay question or research topic.

2. Add synonyms and related terms to your list.

3. Use reference works such as encyclopedias to learn the basic facts and background information about your topic and gather some additional keywords and search terms.

4. Then use these words when searching.

Use subject search when you know the subject heading.  
For example:  "Achebe, Chinua", Hinduism, "Marriage customs and rites".

Databases - Click on image to be directed to database list or NYPL database

Britannica

Good source for background information.

JSTOR

Example of relevant article: 

Barbara Lynne Rowland Mori. “The Tea Ceremony: A Transformed Japanese Ritual.” Gender and Society, vol. 5, no. 1, 1991, pp. 86–97. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/189931. 

Example of primary source: 

Kikukawa Eizan (Japanese, 1787–1867) (artist). Woman Performing the Tea Ceremony. color woodblock print, c. 1820. The Cleveland Museum of Art; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Collection: Japanese Art; Department: Japanese Art; Provenance: description: Carl Schraubstadter Collection (sale: American Art Association, February 11, 1921, lot 595);  footnotes: None; date: None; description: (Yamanaka & Co.);  footnotes: None; date: None; Gift from J. H. Wade, JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.24570642. 

 

 

ProQuest

Use Database Username and Passwords List from Bronx Science Library to log in.

Access to numerous magazines and newspapers:

  • Time
  • Newsweek
  • The Week
  • Economist
  • National Review
  • Atlantic
  • New York Times (Use the Online version for the most up-to-date articles).

Example of relevant magazine article:

Sarfare, Sapna. "Diwali 2024: Celebrating the Festival of Lights with Unique Traditions." Free Press Journal, 26 Oct., 2024. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/magazines/diwali-2024-celebrating-festival-lights-with/docview/3121029326/se-2.

 

Example of a relevant newspaper article:

"Borhani: The Traditional Bengali Spiced Yogurt Drink." Dhaka Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A827679194/GPS?u=nysl_me_nyc72_bh&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=0e0cf26d.

Project Muse

Contains scholarly journal articles and books. 

Use a NYPL card to gain access to Project Muse.

SAGE Knowledge

Use a NYPL card to gain access to Project Muse.

Contains eBooks across multiples disciplines. 

Academic Search Premier

Use a NYPL card to gain access to MasterFile Premier.