Library Research Guides: REL C303 Superheroes and Religion in American Culture: Start Here

About this guide

Use the tabs on the left to explore and learn more about a wide variety of search tools and strategies to locate secondary sources, including books, ebooks, and scholarly articles. Remember that this is a curated list of available resources, so don't hesitate to reach out if you aren't finding what you expect or need.

If you have a question, use the buttons below my picture to get in touch or ask the library.

Quick start resources

IUCAT
IUCAT, the online catalog for all titles available through IU Libraries, is often the best place to start a search for books and ebooks, and also includes government documents, videos, and sound recordings.
- Use broad search terms to give IUCAT the best chance of finding relevant titles.
- Use the red Request This button to have print materials delivered to the most convenient library for pick-up.
- Materials held at the ALF (Auxiliary Library Facility) or other IU campuses can only be accessed via the Request This button.
- Use the filters like Subject and Publication Year on the left side of the page to narrow your search results.
- When you find one title that looks promising, use the hyperlinked Subject headings to locate additional titles.
- Watch this brief video tutorial on searching and accessing books and ebooks in IUCAT.
IUCAT, Indiana University's online library catalog, provides comprehensive access to millions of items held by the IU Libraries statewide, including books, recordings, US government publications, periodicals, and other types of material. Users can access IUCAT from any Internet-connected computer or device, whether in the libraries, on campus, or off campus.

Most databases and search tools allow you to click a box with a name like "scholarly articles" or "peer reviewed" that will do a reasonably good job of limiting your results to high-quality, academic articles.

JSTOR
One of the most prominent databases for research in the humanities, JSTOR provides access to a wide range of journals, book chapters, and more.
JSTOR, a not-for-profit organization established with the assistance of The Mellon Foundation, provides complete runs of hundreds of important journal titles in more than 30 arts, humanities, and social science disciplines. These scholarly journals can be browsed online and searched, and the page images can be printed for those available in full-text. The IUB Libraries subscribe to current content for only some titles available through JSTOR. Includes access to the following collections: Arts & Sciences, Business, Hebrew Journals, Ireland Collection, Lives of Literature, Public Health Collection, Security Studies Collection, Sustainability Collection.

All journals in JSTOR start with the first volume. Many include content up to a "moving wall" of 3-5 years ago, although some journals have a fixed ending date for their content in JSTOR. Please check individual journals for exact dates of coverage.

For information about access to this resource for IU alumni, contact the Indiana University Alumni Association.
One Mail instructions:
If you setup a JSTOR account using your indiana.edu, you will need to update the address to your iu.edu before December 31, 2025. Please use the following instructions to update your account:
1. Log in to your JSTOR account
2. Click on your name in the top-right corner
3. Select “My Account” from the drop-down menu
4. From the Account page select “Profile”
5. Click the Edit button to the right of the personal information header
6. Update your contact email to use iu.edu & click the Save button
Note: While this updates the email address associated with your account, your username will not change. If you used your indiana.edu email address as your username, you may optionally contact JSTOR support at support@jstor.org to request that they update your username to match your iu.edu. This step is not required.
AI Research Tool
The Libraries' subscription includes optional access to JSTOR's interactive research tool. You must be logged in with a free JSTOR account to see and use the tool.
OneSearch@IU
Limit your results to Peer Reviewed to locate scholarly articles from a broad range of disciplines. Open up All Filters to filter results by Subject.
One Mail instructions:
If you created your MyEBSCO account using your @indiana.edu email address, you will need to update the address to your @iu.edu email address before December 31, 2025.
1. Sign in to your MyEBSCO account
2. From MyEBSCO dropdown menu, select Manage Your Account
  1. You may be asked to sign in again
3. Update your email address to use @iu.edu and press the Save button
ProQuest One Academic
Limit your results to Scholarly Journals to access a wide variety of titles. Use the Document Type filter on the left to limit your results to features and articles.
One Mail instructions:
If you created a ProQuest My Research account with your indiana.edu email address, you will need to update your account to use your iu.edu email address before December 31, 2025.
1. Log in to your My Research account
2. Select Account
3. Update your email address and click Save Changes
4. You will receive an email with the subject Email address confirmation
5. Follow the instructions in the email to complete your account update

IU Libraries: Start Your Search
When you want to locate a source that you find in a citation or mentioned in another source, use the Start Your Search box on the IU Libraries website to get started. This tool will search IUCAT, OneSearch, and more to try to locate the title. If it can't find the citation, it will provide options to search for the source in WorldCat and Google Scholar. If you still can't find access to what you need, send me an email with the citation information.