By Zihan Chen, Class of 2026
On September 18, 2025, the Center for the Study of Contemporary China (CSCC) hosted DKU Librarian Dr. Andrew Y. Lee for a hands-on workshop aimed at equipping students and scholars with essential tools for China-focused research.
Dr. Lee guided participants through DKU library’s extensive resources, emphasizing their value for academic projects, paper writing, and broader inquiries into China Studies. He demonstrated how various databases and collections can enhance access to Chinese-language materials, including academic journals, newspapers, statistical data, and legal documents, while streamlining the research process.
The workshop began with an overview of DKU Library’s China Studies resources, which serves as a gateway to curated collections and databases. Dr. Lee then introduced major academic journal platforms such as China Academic Journal (CNKI), Wanfang Data, and Superstar Journals, offering a detailed comparison of their access links, VPN requirements, subject coverage, and development histories. He also shared evaluation rubrics to help researchers assess the reliability and scope of Chinese-language sources.
Moving beyond journal databases, Dr. Lee explored historical and philosophical resources, including the National History Database of P.R.C., the National Center for Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation, and the China Academic Digital Associative Library (CADAL). Shifting to news and media, Dr. Lee also introduced Chinese newspaper databases such as People’s Daily, alongside regional resources from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. To conclude, Dr. Lee offered practical guidance on citation techniques for Chinese-language materials.
The workshop concluded with a lively Q&A, where students and faculty discussed how to integrate these resources into their coursework and research. Questions addressed issues such as discrepancies between central and local data and the global relevance of Chinese research sources.
This workshop was part of the CSCC–Library Workshop Series, a new collaboration between the Center for the Study of Contemporary China and the DKU Library to enhance research skills and resource literacy among the DKU community.
