Research Guides: Drug Abuse, Addiction, Substance Use Disorder: Research Drug Abuse

Research Drug Abuse

Key Search Words

Use the words below to search for useful information in books and articles.

substance use disorder
substance abuse
drug addiction
substance addiction
chemical dependency
war on drugs
names of specific drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin
opioid crisis

Start Learning About Your Topic

Background Reading:

It's important to begin your research learning something about your subject; in fact, you won't be able to create a focused, manageable thesis unless you already know something about your topic.

This step is important so that you will:

Begin building your core knowledge about your topic
Be able to put your topic in context
Create research questions that drive your search for information
Create a list of search terms that will help you find relevant information
Know if the information you’re finding is relevant and useful

If you're working from off campus, you'll be prompted to log in just like you do for your MJC email or Canvas courses.

Top Picks:

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Use this database for preliminary reading as you start your research. Try searching these terms: addiction, substance abuse

Other eBooks from the MJC Library collection:

Addictions: elements, history, treatments, and research
Publication Date: 2019
This book offers an accessible and comprehensive yet compact description of various forms of addiction, a disorder suffered by one in every 10 people in the United States. Now thought of as a brain disorder, addiction affects millions of individuals, their families, and society at large.
Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol and Addictive Behavior
Publication Date: 2009
Explores the social, medical, legal and political issues related to drugs and alcohol and associated behaviors. Includes emerging topics and developments in the many fields of addiction studies. Covers models/theories of addiction.
Addiction: a reference encyclopedia by Howard Padwa (Editor); Jacob Cunningham (Editor)
Publication Date: 2010
Answers the questions people have about addiction and addictive behaviors of all kinds, including drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, Internet usage, and more. Addiction surveys both the science of addiction and its history in the United States.
The Spectrum of Addiction : Evidence-Based Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment Across the Lifespan by Laura J. Veach
Publication Date: 2017
Reflecting the latest content in the DSM-5, the book presents a comprehensive overview of addictive behaviors and habits from early use through risky use, severe-risk use, and addiction.
Never Enough: the neuroscience and experience of addiction by Judith Grisel
Publication Date: 2019
From a renowned behavioral neuroscientist and recovering addict, a rare page-turning work of science that draws on personal insights to reveal how drugs work, the dangerous hold they can take on the brain, and the surprising way to combat today's epidemic of addiction.

Create Research Questions to Focus Your Topic

Use some of the questions below to help you narrow this broad topic. See "substance abuse" in our Developing Research Questions guide for an example of research questions on a focused study of drug abuse.

In what ways is drug abuse a serious problem?
What drugs are abused?
Who abuses drugs?
What causes people to abuse drugs?
How do drug abusers' actions affect themselves, their families, and their communities?
What resources and treatment are available to drug abusers?
What are the laws pertaining to drug use?
What are the arguments for legalizing drugs?
What are the arguments against legalizing drugs?
Is drug abuse best handled on a personal, local, state or federal level?
Based on what I have learned from my research what do I think about the issue of drug abuse?

Find Books in the Library Catalog

Why Use Books:

Use books to read broad overviews and detailed discussions of your topic. You can also use books to find primary sources, which are often published together in collections.

Where Do I Find Books?

You'll use the library catalog to search for books, ebooks, articles, and more.

What if MJC Doesn't Have What I Need?

If you need materials (books, articles, recordings, videos, etc.) that you cannot find in the library catalog, use our interlibrary loan service.

Find Articles in Library Databases

All of these resources are free for MJC students, faculty, & staff.

If you're working from off campus, you'll be prompted to log in just like you do for your MJC email or Canvas courses.

EBSCOhost Databases This link opens in a new window
Search 22 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. EBSCO databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
Gale Databases This link opens in a new window
Search over 35 databases simultaneously that cover almost any topic you need to research at MJC. Gale databases include articles previously published in journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and other media outlets.
Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new window
Contains articles from nearly 560 scholarly journals, some dating as far back as 1965
Access World News This link opens in a new window
Search the full-text of editions of record for local, regional, and national U.S. newspapers as well as full-text content of key international sources. This is your source for The Modesto Bee from January 1989 to the present. Also includes in-depth special reports and hot topics from around the country.
To access The Modesto Bee, limit your search to that publication.
Watch this short video to learn how to find The Modesto Bee.

Find Web Resources

Use Google Scholar to find scholarly literature on the Web:

Browse Featured Web Sites:

National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIDA's mission is to lead the nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. This charge has two critical components. The first is the strategic support and conduct of research across a broad range of disciplines. The second is ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination and use of the results of that research to significantly improve prevention and treatment and to inform policy as it relates to drug abuse and addiction.
Drug Free America Foundation
Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. is a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing, promoting and sustaining national and international policies and laws that will reduce illegal drug use and drug addiction.
Office of National Drug Control Policy
A component of the Executive Office of the President, ONDCP was created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. ONDCP advises the President on drug-control issues, coordinates drug-control activities and related funding across the Federal government, and produces the annual National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines Administration efforts to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences.
Drug Policy Alliance
The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is the nation's leading organization promoting alternatives to current drug policy that are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.

Cite Your Sources

Your instructor should tell you which citation style they want you to use. Click on the appropriate link below to learn how to format your paper and cite your sources according to a particular style.