research paper topics new york city

New York City: Research and History: Researching NYC: Links and Statistics

• Books and Databases
• The Five Boroughs
• Researching NYC: Links and Statistics

Introduction to NYC Resources

No city has been written about more than New York. The city’s history and character have been examined from every angle, and still the subject attracts fresh interpretations. Whether the question is economics or culture, politics or sport, crime or transportation, New York offers unique and almost always intriguing answers. Wall Street has long symbolized America’s economic power, just as Broadway represents show business and Madison Avenue advertising. No other sports venues can rival Madison Square Garden or Yankee Stadium. And no other city produced a Robert Moses.

Any researcher tackling a New York City topic faces an embarrassment of riches, and the Lloyd Sealy Library provides a solid stepping off point. Our collection has several standard reference works as well as volumes on specific historical, sociological, or political topics, not to mention criminal justice. This page contains a just a small sample of reference and other materials that can be found in our collection.

Beyond CUNY, researchers have access to several of the finest libraries and archives to be found anywhere. All the collections listed here are generally open to the public, though several require a fee. Finally, there are many resources available for researchers investigating the contemporary metropolis. New York City maintains its own web site, and while much of the information is more public relations than rich content, several city agencies publish very good data online.

Several current publications have web sites that address issues of the moment. Gotham Gazette , a publication of Citizens Union, collects recent newspaper articles and provides original essays and commentary. The Manhattan Institute publishes City Journal and offers a conservative perspective on urban affairs. The city’s daily newspapers are available online, and members of the John Jay community have access to recent articles in the Daily News, Newsday , and the Times through Nexis-Uni. In addition the entire New York Times is available from 1851 through 2003 through the library’s home page. Students may sign up for a free subscription to the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal through the library as well.

Ford to City: Drop Dead!

1970s nyc subway.

Voted "Worst Cars" in 1978, this train of graffiti-scarred R-10s rests at Rockaway Park Yard, September 1978. Photo by Bernard Chatreau. ( LINK )

Spray Painted Train May 1973 National Archives ( Link )

NYC Call Numbers

For anyone interested in just heading to the shelves to find books on NYC, the call number you need to look for is F128 ; look also in Onesearch to find volumes in other CUNY libraries.

The University Settlement Society of New York City. Papers. 22 reels microfilm Madison, WI: State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1972.

This filmed archive shows the role of the University Settlement Society in the movement to improve the quality of tenement life through social and recreational programs plus legislative reforms. It documents the Society's organization, development and activities from 1886 to 1945, as well as its participation in the international settlement house movement. The most extensive series in the collection contains the "headworkers" subject files and correspondence with public officials and notables. Their concerns vary from control of prostitution to abuse of child labor, from funding the Society's public bath attendants to keeping abreast of the Russian Revolution. Substantial biographical material on residents, staff and volunteers can be found through the collection. Special Collections, HV 4196.N6 U54 . Published guide.

William H. Bell, (New York City Police Officer, 1850-1851). Diary Microfilmed from the original in The New York Historical Society. 1 reel

The diary of this New York City police officer and Inspector of second-hand dealers and junk shops chronicles his activities which centered on inspecting junk shops and dealers in second-hand goods. He has an intimate knowledge of the city's slum districts, and of crime and poverty. The text is a straight-forward stream-of-consciousness reporting of his activities and impressions. An accompanied article by Sean Wilentz from the History Workshop Journal discusses the diary.

Hispanic New York

Historic NYC Newspapers

Below are links to current and historical New York Newspapers:

Nexis Uni features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources formerly found through the LexisNexisAcademic platform - including federal and state laws and cases, constitutions, municipal codes and law review articles. The interface is designed to offer quick discovery across all content types. Personalization features such as Alerts and saved searches and a collaborative workspace with shared folders and annotated documents are also included.

• Brooklyn Eagle Published from 1841 to 1955, and revived from 1960 to 1963, the Eagle was Brooklyn’s paper of record, with coverage also extending to Queens and Long Island. The Brooklyn Public Library has made the paper available online from October 26, 1841 to December 31, 1902; it is searchable by date or subject.
• New York Times Full text access to the New York Times, Late Edition (East Coast) from June 1, 1980 to present. (Part of National Newpaper Core database).

Libraries and Archives

New York Public Library 42nd Street

Each of the following institutions is customarily open to the public, though some charge admission, and others require an appointment.

• New York Public Library This is one of the great collections in the world, and the holding on New York City extend from the colonial era to the present, including published works, prints and photographs, and newspapers. The Map Division has many one of a kind and specialty maps of New York going back to the 17th century, as well as real estate atlases and published maps, both historic and contemporary. The Local History and Genealogy division contains one-of-a-kind materials, books and pamphlets, and photographs.
• Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture The city’s premier collection of materials on African American history and culture, with manuscripts, prints,photographs, movies, recordings, artifacts, and published works.
• The New York State Library The New York Online Virtual Electronic Library (NOVEL) offers access to subscription-based newspapers, magazines, and full-text scholarly articles through local libraries and is available to state residents using a driver’s license or nondriver ID card number.
• New York City Municipal Archives The Municipal Archives (Room 103) holds the city’s records, including maps, photographs, official publications, city directories, and vital records, as well as census data; the City Hall Library (Room 112) is the official repository for reports and studies issued by city agencies
• The New-York Historical Society Founded in 1804, this is the oldest museum in the city (with a renowned collection of paintings from the Hudson River School); the library has materials from the colonial era into the twentieth century, including documents relating to construction of the subway.
• The Bronx County Historical Society Primary and secondary materials, including photographs, memorabilia, and a complete run of their publication, The Bronx County Historical Society Journal.
• Brooklyn Historical Society Founded as the Long Island Historical Society in 1863, the Brooklyn Historical Society holds published works, newspapers, and maps, as well as manuscript collections from prominent Brooklynites and baseball memorabilia from the 19th century.
• Brooklyn Public Library The Brooklyn Collection has books, pamphlets, and maps, mostly from the 20th century.
• La Guardia and Wagner Archives Primary materials relating to mayors Fiorello La Guardia, Robert F. Wagner, Abe Beame, and Ed Koch, including oral histories; the papers of the New York City Council; the New York City Housing Authority; the Steinway Piano Company; Queens history collection.

NYC Demographic Statistics and Data

• NY Times ethnic neighborhoods of NYC map make sure you scroll down!
• U.S. Census
• U. Virginia Demographics Research Group (Cooper Center)
• The Changing Shape of American Cities (Cooper Center) From the University of Virginia Demographics Research Group
• NY City Dept. of City Planning Information about neighborhoods, public housing, development plans. On main page there is a feature which lets you find census material by address - type in yours!
• Segregated Schools in Integrated Neighborhoods: The city’s schools are even more divided than our housing Shows racial and economic segregation in New York City. From the Center for New York City Affairs, at the New School.
• Social Explorer Explore over 500,000 data indicators and over 220 years of data for the United States through interactive maps from the present to 1790, including all Decennial Censuses, American Community Surveys U.S. election data, U.S. crime data (FBI/UCR), World Development Indicators, and more.

NYC Data and Statistics

• My Neighborhood Statistics Lets New York City residents know how City agencies are performing in their neighborhood by viewing locally mapped performance statistics using a street address or intersection. Color-shaded maps also allow for easy comparisons of highs and lows in different neighborhoods.
• New York City Department of City Planning - Reference The Department of City Planning provides a Census Factfinder with information available by census tract or community district and Profiles of the 59 community districts. Among the reports here is New York: A City of Neighborhoods, which offers maps of neighborhood names and community district boundaries along with geographic, demographic and economic statistics.
• New York State Statistics The New York State Statistics website, presented by the Rockefeller Institute of Government, provides extensive statistical information on the demographics, economics, elections, government finance, public safety, housing, education, health, energy.
• NYCdata A compendium of data, primarily statistical about New York City, drawn from various governmental sources, with links to the sources.
• Official City Sites State, city, and county links for the United States (Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Netherlands and New Zealand, too). Includes census information, city maps, chambers of commerce, and convention and visitor bureaus.
• Social Explorer Based at Queens College, Social Explorer is dedicated to providing easy access to demographic information for United States. It has hundreds of interactive data maps of the United States, including historical data back to 1940 and can be used to visualize changes in distribution of people by income, race, education, etc.
• New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services State, regional and county wide criminal justice statistics for New York state. Data is broken down into broad categories: reported crime and victimization, adult criminal justice system, youth justice system, and law enforcement.
• NYPD Crime Statistics New York City Police Department Crime Statistics are available citywide, by borough, or by precinct (pdf files).
• NYPD CompStat 2.0 (interactive) New York City Police Department Crime Statistics are available citywide, by borough, or by precinct (pdf files).
• Open New York (Public Safety) Open NY provides New York state, local and federal statistics on crime, corrections, law enforcement, public safety and more.

NYC General Links

• NYPD Official Site of the New York City Police Department
• NYC.gov Official Site of the City of New York
• Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit Information, schedules and fares for subways, buses, railroads, bridges and tunnels.
• New York: A City of Neighborhoods The NYC Department of Planning introduction to the Neighborhoods of NY.
• New York City Administrative Code Scroll down to the Miscellaneous Section (bottom of webpage) to find this link --- site maintained by the NY State Legislature
• Brooklyn Community Page The official community page for Brooklyn.
• Bronx Community Page The official community page for the Bronx.
• Manhattan Community Page The official community pages for Manhattan.
• Queens Community Page The official community page for Queens.
• Staten Island Community Page The official community page for Staten Island.
• NYC Archeological Reports A complete list of all the archeological reports on file with the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
• NYC Department of Records Research Guides A list of Research Guides and resources on a variety of topics available from the New York City Municipal Library.
• NYC Vital Statistics Births, death, communicable diseases, data of interest for public health professionals and others.

Find Your Representative

If you are interested (or have been assigned to find) who your representative is in both the state and federal government, click on one of the links below to find out.

• New York City Council Find NYC council members
• NY State Assembly - Member Search Search for your assembly member by street address, city or zip code
• NY State Senate Use the "Find My Senator" search box to locate your state senator
• U.S. House of Representatives Enter your zip code at the top of the page to see the representatives from New York
• U.S. Senate Click on senators tab and select New York to see Senators from New York

Manhattan 1972

Broadway NYC 1972 (Found Here )

New York Year By Year

AIA Guide to New York City

The Encyclopedia of New York

The Epic of New York City

NYC Affairs

NYC Worlds Fair 1964 Unisphere

Below are links to sites related to New York City affairs:

• CIty of New York Website A portal to city agencies and elected officials, including the office of the mayor and the city council.
• Board of Elections This site provides election returns and maps of all election districts for federal, state and local offices.
• New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission The Landmarks Commission designates and regulates historic buildings, interiors, districts, and parks. Many designation reports, describing individual landmarks and historic districts, are available.
• Department of Parks and Recreation The Parks Department cite provides information on individual parks and upcoming events, maps, and some historical information.
• Citizens Budget Commission Founded in 1932, the CBC is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization devoted to influencing constructive change in the finances and services in the city and state. This watchdog group conducts research and issues reports on budgetary matters and municipal performance.
• Gotham Gazette The Citizens Union Foundation of the City of New York publishes daily this site about the issues facing New York City. Gotham Gazette features original articles on politics, education, planning, and other municipal issues. There are also links to government sites, history sites, and articles in daily newspapers and magazines.
• The Manhattan Institute Founded as a conservative think tank to address urban affairs, the Manhattan Institute publishes the City Journal. Articles in current and past issues are available, together with links to other articles of interest.

NYC Newspapers

Below are a listing of some local New York neighborhood newspapers.

• Brooklyn Eagle (1849-1955)
• Canarsie Courier
• The Brooklyn Paper
• Bronx Times
• Times Ledger
• Gotham Gazette
• New York Daily News
• The Observer
• New York Post
• Village Voice
• The Villager
• << Previous: The Five Boroughs
• Last Updated: Dec 12, 2024 11:57 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/nychistoryandresearch

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

•  We're Hiring!
•  Help Center

New York City

• Most Cited Papers
• Most Downloaded Papers
• Newest Papers
• Last »
• History of New York City Follow Following
• Apocalypticism Follow Following
• DaF-Unterricht Follow Following
• Anthropocene Follow Following
• Eschatology and Apocalypticism Follow Following
• Infrastructure Follow Following
• New York Follow Following
• Public Housing Follow Following
• German as a Foreign Language Follow Following
• Ruth Wilson Gilmore Follow Following

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• Academia.edu Journals
•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

CCNY Libraries are open regular hours. Access is limited to CCNY ID holders only.

Research toolkit.

• Getting Started

Topics & Search Strategies

• Types of Sources
• Finding Books
• Finding Articles
• Finding Primary Sources
• Requesting Material from Other Libraries
• Evaluating Information
• Reading Scholarly Articles
• Citing Sources
• Off-Campus Access

The tabs below cover topics useful for getting started with research: choosing a topic, narrowing that topic, identifying key words to use in a database search, and more.

Choosing a Topic

• Narrowing a Topic

Identifying Key Words

Search strategies, boolean operators.

This section will help you consider a topic for your research paper that is interesting to you, and that is researchable using library resources. When you select a topic and focused research question, you’ll want to consider a few things:

• Does your assignment specify an area you'll need to write about? If not, does your class have a theme? Does your professor want your research topic to correspond to that theme?
• What do YOU find interesting? You are going to spend hours reading information, thinking about how the information fits together, and then writing pages of critical analysis about your topic. This will be a more pleasant experience for you if you are genuinely interested in the topic you choose.
• Keep in mind that when you are searching for information about your topic, you can only find information that has been published. This means you’re looking for a topic that other people are talking about, thinking about, and writing about. So, it needs to be interesting to you, but also to others.
• Don’t forget that you already know things! Many research papers start from the spark of an idea from something we hear or witness in the world around us.

Remember, your research question is NOT your thesis statement; it’s exploratory. If you start doing research and discover that people are writing articles about a more interesting (or easier to research) question, you can always adjust your question as you collect information.

Ideally you will find a topic that genuinely interests you, and develop a clear, concise, and researchable question based on that topic.

Narrowing Your Topic

Sometimes, we start with a topic in mind that is too broad or general. It might seem like the right size for your paper in the beginning, but is way too big after you’ve learned a little more about it. When this happens, you need to narrow the focus of your paper. You can do this by considering different ways to restrict your paper topic.

There are many ways to narrow the focus of your paper. Here are just a few:

• Who – population or group (e.g., college students; women; Asian Americans)
• What – discipline or focus (e.g., sociological or historical perspective)
• Where – geographic location (e.g., United States; universities; small towns)
• When – time period or era (19th century; Renaissance; Vietnam War)
• Why – why is the topic important? (to the class, to the field, or to you)

For example, a paper about alcohol use would be very broad. But a paper about reasons for alcohol abuse by women college students in the United States during the 1990s might be just right.

Further reading on narrowing a topic can be found in the section Narrowing A Topic from this ebook,  Choosing & Using Sources: A Guide to Academic Research , from Ohio State University.

Key words are the search terms you use to find materials in databases, search engines, OneSearch or elsewhere. Key words work by matching the words you entered with words that appear either:

• in the text of the articles you find
• in the materials used to describe the materials you're searching.

If you aren't sure what search words to use, think about what words other people might use to describe your topic!

Some things to consider:

• "Vampire" is a better search term than "monster" because it is more specific; you will often get more useful results with a more specific search.
• Intangible concepts can OFTEN be good search terms, but only if they are frequently used in a specific context:
• "Colonialism" is a good search term. "Cruelty" is not.
• "Law enforcement" and "police brutality" will return a very different list of results.

Here is a worksheet you can download and use to brainstorm ideas and key words on your topic.

• Narrowing your Research Question Worksheet for students to use in narrowing their research question and brainstorming search terms. Created by Sarah Cohn.

Revising Your Search

When you search, take a look at your search results! You can pull words that come up in your results to search again, or try different combinations of words from your brainstormed list. It might take a few searches to find the search results you want. Don't give up too quickly!

Start by doing a simple search on your topic in a database. See what kinds of results come back. Are the relevant? Are they what you were expecting to find? If they are relevant, great! If not, why not? Are your search terms too broad? Too narrow? Is there a better way to describe your topic? Try searching using different search terms. Or, explore your results using database filters. Here are some specific search strategies.

• Octavia Butler AND realism
• science fiction AND black women AND young adult literature
• science fiction OR afrofuturism AND young adult literature

• You can build the above searches in a single search box or use one box per search term. This can help you easily change out a single term to narrow or broaden your results.
• "Octavia Butler"
• science fiction"
• "young adult literature"
• You can also use key words or search terms you find in the subject terms or subject headings the database uses. This is sort of like talking to the database in it’s own language and how it tags or groups articles on similar topics. Often, this will increase the amount of relevant and specific results.

Boolean Operators are words that connect search terms or key words together to broaden or narrow the results retrieved. In library research they are often used with the library's research databases or the library catalog.

The three Boolean operators are AND, OR, and NOT.

• AND narrows your search results by limiting your results to those that contain both words connected with AND.
• OR expands your search results by including results that contain one word, the other word, or both words.
• NOT narrows your search results by limiting your results to those that contain the word you designate before NOT, but not the word after NOT.

One way to visualize Boolean Operators is to use a Venn diagram. In a database, your Boolean searches would look like this

• Peanut butter AND jelly
• Peanut butter OR jelly
• Peanut butter NOT jelly

• << Previous: Getting Started
• Next: Types of Sources >>
• Last Updated: Nov 26, 2024 11:26 AM
• URL: https://library.ccny.cuny.edu/researchtoolkit

Fifth Grade Research Paper—A Guide from the Library: TOPICS: History & "Only in New York"

• TOPICS: People, Places & Structures
• TOPICS: History & "Only in New York"
• Library Catalogs & Databases
• Savvy Internet Searching
• Writing Your Paper

Choosing Your Topic: HISTORY & "ONLY IN NEW YORK"

Big Historical Events

Battle of Brooklyn   (Revolutionary War) In August of 1776, during the American Revolution, the British forces defeated the Patriot forces under General George Washington right here in Brooklyn.

General Slocum Disaster (shipwreck) In 1904 a paddle boat carrying 1,358 passengers, plus crew, caught on fire in the East River. Few survived.

Miracle on the Hudson In 2009, a plane took off from LaGuardia, hit a flock of birds, and lost both engines. It landed in the Hudson River with no serious injuries and the pilot, Sully Sullenberger, became a hero. 

New York Draft Riots Started by white workers opposed to being drafted into the Civil War in 1863, it became the biggest race riot in American history.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire A fire in a clothing factory in 1911 killed 146 workers (mostly women and girls), sparking outrage and a change in labor laws. Don't miss  this great site  with primary source interviews.

9/11 Terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center in 2001.

New York History

Dutch in New York In the early 17th century Manhattan was called New Amsterdam; it was the main town of the Dutch colony of New Netherland.

Orphan Trains Between 1854 and 1929, up to 200,000 homeless, poor and orphaned children were placed on trains and sent out west to be adopted by new families.

Prison Ships  More than 11,500 American prisoners of war died in captivity aboard sixteen British prison ships during the American Revolutionary War. There's a monument in Fort Greene Park commemorating the prisoners of war.

"Only In New York"

Brooklyn Dodgers Brooklyn had a Major League baseball team until they moved to Los Angeles in 1957. Boo! They signed Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Falcons in New York New York City has one of the largest urban populations of peregrine falcons anywhere. Really.

Rats in New York The ancestors of our NYC rats apparently arrived on a boat the same time as Alexander Hamilton; they have no plans to leave. Gross.

Saint Ann's School An independent school located at 129 Pierrepont St. in Brooklyn Heights. You know it.

The Subway System in New York New York City has the country's largest subway system. It started out as a bunch of different lines run by different companies. How did it evolve?

The Water System in New York We take it for granted: When you turn on the faucet, clean water comes out. It's kind of amazing! How does that happen in New York City?

• << Previous: TOPICS: People, Places & Structures
• Next: Library Catalogs & Databases >>
• Last Updated: Dec 4, 2024 2:49 PM
• URL: https://saintannsny.libguides.com/fifth-grade_paper

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essays Samples >
• Essay Types >
• Research Paper Example

New York City Research Papers Samples For Students

23 samples of this type

During studying in college, you will inevitably have to craft a lot of Research Papers on New York City. Lucky you if putting words together and turning them into meaningful text comes naturally to you; if it's not the case, you can save the day by finding an already written New York City Research Paper example and using it as a model to follow.

This is when you will definitely find WowEssays' free samples directory extremely helpful as it embodies numerous professionally written works on most various New York City Research Papers topics. Ideally, you should be able to find a piece that meets your criteria and use it as a template to build your own Research Paper. Alternatively, our skilled essay writers can deliver you a unique New York City Research Paper model written from scratch according to your personal instructions.

Good Example Of Tourism In New York Research Paper

Law enforcement as a profession: example research paper by an expert writer to follow, introduction, george m. cohan, the father of american musical comedy research paper template for faster writing.

Don't waste your time searching for a sample.

Get your research paper done by professional writers!

Just from $10/page

Local Police Response To Terrorism: A Top-Quality Research Paper For Your Inspiration

Perfect model research paper on young adult dating violence age 16-24, discussion of the problem and it’s prevalence in the country, new york city school council on segregation research paper example, free research paper on campaign zero, campaign zero and police policies, good example of research paper on wal-mart and new york city: estimating the impact of urban expansion, the name of the university research paper examples, thomas nast.

Thomas Nast was born in Germany in 1840, and he moved to the United States at the age of six. Initially he used to do illustrations to support his family that was going through acute financial crisis. Nast started his work as an illustrator when he was 15. At that time he was working as an illustrator for a magazine called Leslie’s Weekly New. His earning was $4 a week. In the year1862, during Civil War, he took a job of a war reporter in Harper’s Weekly Magazine.

Thomas Nast stereotypes the Irish as

Learn to craft research papers on criminal law with this example, the police in america have always been controversial, free research paper on substance abuse by african american teens in the mott haven area of bronx, the battle of long island research paper, draw topic & writing ideas from this research paper on organizational profile of the new york police department, good example of research paper on do police really abuse their power on people, exemplar research paper on history of world bank and international monetary fund (imf) to write after, sample research paper on the statue of liberty’s evolving symbolism, gender and language at workplace: free sample research paper to follow, good example of mexican community in new york research paper, free research paper about garbage problem in new york, free research paper on historic designer research paper:, issey miyake, history of illustration research paper example, good example of research paper on thaddeus cahill, research paper on history of macy’s inc.: then and now.

Macy’s is the miracle of United States’ retail industry and the largest chain of department stores in the world. However, it is not a mere store - it truly is the embodiment of priceless experience and traditions of American nation. Macy’s Inc. is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio and New York, New York. As of January 30, 2010, the company operates a total of 800 shops in the U.S (Macy’s Inc., n.d.).

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline