The Homeless Research Paper

BACKGROUND

The problem of homelessness is glaringly evident in all large cities as well as most other areas in the United States. Causes of homelessness are related to the economy, mental illness, and drug addiction, among others. Solutions are debated in newspapers, on television talk shows, and in the United States Congress.

BROWSE FOR BOOKS ON THE SHELF USING THESE CALL NUMBERS

362.2

362.5–362.58

362.708–362.83

305.568

LOOK UNDER THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS IN THE CATALOG (CARD OR COMPUTER)

Homeless persons

Homeless persons—United States

Homelessness

USE PAMPHLET FILE (ALSO CALLED VERTICAL FILE) UNDER THE HEADINGS

homeless

homelessness

REFERENCE MATERIALS THAT MAY HELP (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

CQ Researcher, August 7, 1992.

Goodnight, Lynn, and Arnie Madsen. Helping the Homeless, 1991.

Henslin, James M. Homelessness: An Annotated Bibliography, 1993.

Hombs, Mary Ellen. American Homelessness: A Reference Handbook, 1994.

PERIODICAL INDEXES TO SEARCH (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

EBSCO Magazine Article Summaries

InfoTrac

NewsBank

Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature

SIRS (Social Issues Resources Series)

WILSONDISC

ONLINE DATABASES TO SEARCH

America Online

CompuServe

Dialog

Internet

Prodigy
KEY WORDS AND DESCRIPTORS FOR PERIODICAL INDEX AND ONLINE SEARCHES

Homeless

Homeless persons

Homelessness

Homeless children

Homeless families

Homeless women

Homeless youth

Runaways

VIDEOTAPES ON THIS TOPIC

Down and Out in America. MPI Home Video, 1987.

Fisher King. Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1991.

A Place Called Home. PBS Video, 1989.

Saint of Fort Washington. Warner Home Video, 1994.

FICTION BOOKS RELATING TO TOPIC

Harris, Mark Jonathan. Come the Morning, 1989.

Jones, Adrienne. Street Family, 1987.

Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee, 1990.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

National Alliance to End Homelessness, 1518 K St., N.W., Ste. 206, Washington, DC 20005.

National Coalition for the Homeless, 1621 Connecticut Ave., N.W., No. 400, Washington, DC 20009.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NARROWING THIS TOPIC

Discuss the situation of homeless children.

Evaluate the causes of (or solutions to) homelessness.

Investigate laws concerning the homeless.

Report on a homeless shelter in or near your town.

Research homelessness during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

SUGGESTIONS FOR RELATED TOPICS

Deinstitutionalism of the mentally ill

Orphanages

Panhandling

Runaway teenagers

Squatters

This RESEARCH TOPIC GUIDE is intended to help the library user find information and materials on a particular topic in many sources throughout the library. Resources on this topic are not limited to those described and availability will depend upon the individual library. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance.