Comparative Literature: Multiple Voices: The Modern Self and its Discontents


http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/complit114_2.html

Developing a Search Strategy
Finding Background Resources
Finding Books
Finding Articles
Internet Resources
Evaluating Sources
Citing Sources
Research and Reference Help

   

Developing a Search Strategy

Search strategy is the process of finding information in a logical, step-by-step manner. Using a search strategy insures that you will find the information and materials you need as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Research Steps
  1. Choose your topic
  2. Find background information
  3. Find books on your topic
  4. Find periodical articles
  5. Find networked resources or relevant Web sites
  6. Evaluate your sources
  7. Cite your sources

For more information about library research strategy and using library resources, go to Research Strategy: a tutorial.

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Finding Background Information

Reference Sources

Dictionary of Philosophy
Angeles, Peter A.
New York: Barnes and Noble, 1981
(Uris Ref   BJ 63 E56, also Olin stacks   +BJ 63 E56)

"This dictionary presents informal and understandable definitions for important philosophical terms. Emphasis is on terms most commonly covered in beginning philosophy courses: epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, aesthetics, logic and the philosophies of religion and politics." (Preface) Includes and index of philosophers.

Encyclopedia of Psychology
Kazdin, Alan E., Ed.
Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000
(Uris Ref   BF 31 .E52x 2000 +, also Olin Ref)

Replaces Corsini as the primary encyclopedia of psychology. rightfully regards itself as "unmatched in ... scope, scholarship, and expertise." (Preface) Includes biographical entries.

International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences
Neil J. Smelser, Paul B. Baltes, eds.
26 Vols. New York: elsevier, 2001
(Olin Ref   H 41 .I58x 2001)
Available online through the Library Catalog

The first comprehensive, multi-volume encyclopedia of the social and behavioral sciences since the appearance of the 17-volume International Encyclopedia of the Social Science in 1968. This encyclopedia of the Social Sciences is available in print and electronic form, including 3,842 signed articles; 90,000 bibliographic references; and 150 biographical entries. The printed edition is 24 volumes plus 2 index volumes. It is alphabetically organized and extensively cross-referenced throughout and is supported by name and subject indexes.

Literature Resource Center
Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group
Available online through the Library Catalog

A complete literature database combining biographical, bibliographical, and contextual information on authors and their works (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, history, and journalism). Draws from Gale Group's core literary databases, including Contemporary Authors, Dictionary of Literary Biography, and Contemporary Literary Criticism.

The Oxford Companion to Philosophy
2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005
(Olin Ref   B51 .O94)
Available online through the Library Catalog

"An assembly of 249 distinguished philosophers have contributed to The Oxford Companion to Philosophy to create the most authoritative and engaging philosophical reference work in English. It gives clear and reliable guidance to all areas of philosophy and to the ideas of all notable philosophers from antiquity to the present day. The scope of the volume is not limited to English-language philosophy: it surveys the foremost philosophy from all parts of the world. The book covers philosophical topics from animal souls, arthritis in the thigh, and brain in a vat to Zoroastrianism and vague objects. There are more than fifty extended entries of 3,000 words on the main areas of philosophy and the great philosophers." (Publisher's description)

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
Blackburn, Simon
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994
(Olin Ref   B41 B62)
Available online through the Library Catalog

This dictionary is meant to be a "resource for anyone interested in general intellectual movements." (Preface) It contains definitions to over 3000 philosophical terms and those from related disciplines (theology, physics, psychology, sociology) "where such terminology is heavily embedded in philosophical discussion." (Preface) It also includes historical philosophers and scientists whose work brought about major changes in philosophical thought. The definitions contain extensive cross-references.

Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Craig, Edward, ed.
London; New York: Routledge, 2000
(Olin Ref   B 51 R68 1998)
Also CD ROM in the Electronic Text Center behind the Olin Reference Desk
(Olin ETC   B 51 R68 1998)
Available online through the Library Catalog

The Routledge Encyclopedia provides an excellent update to the older Encyclopedia of Philosophy. It covers a wide range of philosophical topics in 9 volumes, (the tenth volume is the index) containing just over 2,000 signed entries. There are many more entries than in the older encyclopedia, with much better coverage of non-Western philosophy and more biographical entries. Survey articles are not as comprehensive, however. The Routledge Encyclopedia's coverage of ethics is noticeably better, making this a first choice for ethicists. Articles are followed by brief bibliographies. An excellent resource.

The Online version of the 10-volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy can be browsed by philosophical themes, philosophies, historical periods, and religions. Full text entries can be searched by keyword, title, contributor, or bibliography.

World Philosophers and Their Works
Roth, John K., ed.
3 Vols. Pasadena: Salem Press, 2000
(Uris Ref   B104 .W67x 2000 +)

This work includes chapters on 231 philosophers. Each chapter begins with a biographical overview, and major contributions are highlighted, followed by approximately 2,000 to 2,500 words of text tracing the philosopher's life, the development of his or her thought, and the thinker's influence on the history of philosophy. Each chapter has a bibliography

World Philosophy : Essay-Reviews of 225 Major Works
Magill, Frank N., ed.
5 Vols. Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press, 1982
(Uris Ref   B29 .W92 1982)

Extensive reference work containing critical summary essays of major philosophical works, critiques by modern scholars, and useful bibliographies.

General Interest and Reference

Background resources like encyclopedias will help you understand the broader context of your research and tell you in general terms what is known about your topic. Use these Reference databases to find and access articles in a variety of encyclopedias and subject dictionaries:

Oxford Reference Online
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Searchable database of 100 language and subject dictionaries and reference works of Oxford University Press. Enter a search term, get results, and click to see the full-text of the encyclopedia/dictionary entry.

Reference Universe
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Searches 4500 reference sources on a variety of subjects. You can limit your search to titles only at Cornell. Results will give you the article information and reference source information, but not the actual article.

Xreferplus
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Searchable database of 100 reference sources on a variety of subjects. Enter search terms, get results, and click to see the full-text of the encyclopedia/dictionary entry.

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Finding Books

The CU Library Catalog

If we do not have a BOOK in our holdings, or if the book you need is already checked out:

Borrow Direct
Click on the link above, connect to Borrow Direct, search for the book and if it's available from another Ivy League university, we will have it shipped to Cornell. Borrowing period is one month. Books arrive in 3-4 business days. (This service is for BOOKS only).

If we don't own an item that you need (any item -- journal article, DVD, dissertation, etc.):

Interlibrary Loan Services
If Cornell Library does not have an item you need, Use ILLiad (InterLibrary Loan Internet Accessible Database) to request that we borrow materials from other libraries. Loan period is usually one month. Items can arrive in as little as a few days to a couple of weeks.

Please also familiarize yourself with our other delivery services.

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Finding Articles

Periodical indexes are resources that identify and locate articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers. Increasingly, indexes are available as online databases that will often provide access to the full text of the articles.

Electronic Periodical Indexes/Databases

MLA Bibliography
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Most comprehensive database covering scholarship in the modern languages. Literary criticism and literary theory are covered extensively. Approximately 4,000 journals and series are screened, and entries for books are included. Entries appear both for collections of essays and for their contents.

Philosopher's Index
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Provides indexing and abstracts from books and many journals on philosophy and related interdisciplinary fields published in the U.S. and the Western World. Coverage is from 1940 to the present for U.S. materials, and 1967 to the present for non-U.S. references.

ProQuest Research Library
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Available as part of the ProQuest Direct system, Research Library indexes and abstracts an extensive number of periodicals, covering general interest magazines and scholarly journals in the social sciences, humanities and sciences. Also included are citations and abstracts to selected television and radio programs. Full text of many articles is provided.

PsycINFO
Available online through Find it! Databases, or the Library Catalog

Contains citations and summaries of the international literature in psychology and related behavioral and social sciences, including psychiatry, sociology, anthropology, education, pharmacology, and linguistics. Includes applied psychology, communication systems, developmental psychology, educational psychology, experimental human and animal psychology, personality, physical and psychological disorders, physiological psychology and intervention, professional personnel and issues, psychometrics, social processes and issues, sports psychology and leisure, and treatment and prevention.

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Internet Resources

Use web portals, search engines, or Internet subject guides to find resources or sites on the World Wide Web on your topic. Search Engines are software programs that allow you to search the contents of web pages and Subject Guides are web pages that use menus and lists to sort and classify web sites.

Question and evaluate the information that you find on web pages. As you would do with books and journal articles, look to see who is responsible for producing the web page or site that you are accessing. How objective is the information? How accurate or truthful? How authoritative? Go to the Evaluating Sources section of this page for more information on how to assess the web sites you have accessed.

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Evaluating Sources

Evaluating the sources you find is a crucial step in the process of library research. The questions you ask about books, periodical articles, or multimedia sources are similar whether you're looking at a citation to the item or have the item in hand.

How to Critically Analyze Information Sources lists some of the critical questions you should ask when you consider the appropriateness of a particular book, article, media resource, or Web site for your research.

Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals: A Checklist of Criteria shows how to evaluate periodicals by looking at their format, intended audience, and appearance.

Evaluating Web Resources lists ways to analyze the web sites you find.

Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites offers a table of suggestions.

For additional suggestions specific to Web sites, see Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools.

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography

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CITING SOURCES

APA Citation Style
(American Psychological Association)

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.)

Africana, Hotel, Management, Olin, and Uris Libraries
BF 76.7 .P83x 2001x
(located at the Reference Desks)

Also in ILR and Mann Reference at
BF 76.7 .A51 2001

APA Citation Style (CUL Gateway Help pages)

APA Reference Examples for Electronic Source Materials (Excerpted from the 5th edition of the Publication Manual)

APAStyle.org (APA's web site)

MLA Citation Style
(Modern Language Association)

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
(6th ed.)

Olin and Uris Libraries Z253 .M68 2003
(located at the Reference Desks)

MLA Citation Style (CUL Gateway Help pages)

MLA Style (MLA's web site)

 

RefWorks is a web-based program that allows you to easily collect, manage, and organize bibliographic references by interfacing with databases. RefWorks also interfaces directly with Word, making it easy to import references and incorporate them into your writing, properly formatted according to the style of your choice. RefWorks workshops are offered at Uris Library, Mann Library.

EndNote allows you to build your own database of bibliographic references from a variety of resources, including library catalogs and periodical indexes. EndNote interfaces with several standard word processing programs and provides direct connections to resources, making it easy to import references and incorporate them in your writing. EndNote (or RefWorks) is highly recommended for researchers. EndNote workshops are regularly held on campus at Uris Library, Mann Library.

Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity

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RESEARCH AND REFERENCE HELP

Library Gateway Help

CU Library Catalog Help

LiveHelp     New online Reference Help service   (See hours)

Olin Kroch Uris Reference e-mail address: okuref@cornell.edu

Reference Desk Directory

Reference Desk Schedules in Olin and Uris Libraries

OKU Research Consultations

OKU Workshop Schedule

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        Evaluate your learning in this class        

5 September 2007 (nm)
Tony Cosgrave, ajc5@cornell.edu
Reference Librarian
Cornell University Library
URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/complit114_2.html
Olin and Uris Libraries, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853
PSA: Public Services and Assessment
Information and reference: 607-255-4144, okuref@cornell.edu
Circulation: (Olin) 607-255-4245, (Uris) 607-255-3537, olincirc@cornell.edu