UNB Libraries' Guide to Research in
Philosophy
Getting Started: quick facts, definitions, reviews and more
When researching a new topic it is often necessary to get an overview, explanations of unfamiliar terms, or brief factual information. The print and electronic resources listed below include selected reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopaedias, handbooks, guides, and standards) for the field of Philosophy. To find additional reference materials, check Quest (the library catalogue) and our Reference Materials database.
| Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy | HIL-REF B41 .C35 1999 |
| Encyclopedia of Ethics | HIL-REF BJ63 .E45 2001 |
| Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Philosophers | HIL-REF B104 .B56 1996 |
| The Concise Encyclopedia of the Ethics of New Technologies | HIL-REF Qh232 .C655 2001 |
| Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy | HIL-REF B51 .R68 1998 |
| Edinburgh Encyclopedia of Continental Philosophy | HIL-REF B804 .E43 1999 |
| Women Philosophers: A Bio-Critical Source Book | HIL-REF B105 .W6 K47 1989 |
| Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy, The | Reference Materials  |
| Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy | Reference Materials |
Finding books and other materials
To search for books at UNB Libraries, first use the library's online catalogue, Quest. Quest contains materials held at the Harriet Irving, Science and Forestry, Engineering, and Law libraries, as well as the Ward Chipman Library in Saint John. Course reserves are also available via Quest's Reserve Desk.
The library's electronic books are listed in Quest. To find electronic books only, search the ebrary collection.
To browse the library shelves for books in Philosophy, try the following ranges:
| Philosophy, Ancient | B108-708 |
| Philosophy, Medieval | B720-765 |
| Philosophy, Renaissance | B770-785 |
| Philosophy, Modern | B790-5802 |
| Logic | BC |
| Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ontology | BD |
| Aesthetics | BH |
| Ethics | BJ |
Bibliographies list publications that have been written about a particular subject, including books, journals, government publications, etc. Annotated bibliographies provide concise summaries of what has been published in a given area.
| Women Philosophers: A Bibliography of Books Through 1990 | HIL-STACKS B105 .W6 B37 1992 |
| Resources in Ancient Philosophy: An Annotated Bibliography of Scholarship in English, 1965-1989 | HIL-REF B171 .B44 1991 |
| Ethics, an Annotated Bibliography | HIL-REF BJ63 .E45 1992 |
Additional bibliographies can be found through Quest, the library catalogue.
Books and other materials not available at UNB may be available for loan from another institution through our document delivery service. To search for materials not held by UNB Libraries, try World Cat or select from our list of other library catalogues. See the document delivery page for electronic request forms and more details.
Finding journal articles
When searching for journal articles, an indexing and abstracting database or print index is usually the best place to begin.
Philosophy resources scans multiple databases and reference sources. A wide net is cast,
and one search style fits all. It is not meant to replace individual databases when topics demand thorough
research.
Enter terms to search across the electronic databases listed below:
- The Philosopher's Index
- Academic Search Premier
Searching individual indexing/abstracting databases: Individual databases provide sophisticated search environments of depth and focus. The following databases are recommended for research in Philosophy.
| The Philosopher's Index | Indexes/Abstracts  |
| Academic Search Premier | Indexes/Abstracts |
Once you have identified useful materials for your topic, click on the 
button to check your article's availability within the UNB Libraries print and e-Journal collections.
If you can't locate the item you're looking for at UNB, either in print or online, you can still submit a document delivery request.
Finding Internet sites
While there is a wealth of information freely available on the internet, not all sites are created equal. Careful evaluation is a critical part of doing research on the Internet. See the Using the Web module of UNB LILT (Library Information Literacy Tutorial) for more details. Below are some recommended sites:
| EpistemeLinks.com (http://www.epistemelinks.com/Main/MainTopi.aspx) |
Internet Access |
Ethics updates |
Internet Access |
Citing your sources
Accurate, properly formatted footnotes, reading lists, and bibliographies are hallmarks of good academic research. Through citing, you acknowledge the source of any ideas you mention in your writing, document your research, and provide the information your readers need to track down your sources.
Numerous citation styles exist, and each specifies what elements are required (title, author, journal name, etc.) and how the citation should be formatted. The standard citation style for Philosophy is MLA, but your instructor may require or recommend that you use another. Consult your course syllabus or check with your instructor to be sure of using the correct citation style for your assignment.
RefWorks is a web-based bibliographic database manager, available through UNB Libraries, that allows you to create a database of references that can be organized, searched and used to automatically construct bibliographies and reading lists in many citation styles, including MLA.
| MLA Examples (http://www.lib.unb.ca/instruction/MLAcitation.html) |
Internet Access |
| MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers | HIL-REFDSK LB 2369 .G53 2003 |
| Research and Documentation Online (http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/) |
Internet Access |
| Plagiarism: a How-NOT-To Guide (http://www.lib.unb.ca/instruction/Plagiarism.html) |
Internet Access |
For research tips and more information on citing your sources, see the Citing Sources module of UNB LILT (Library Information Literacy Tutorial)
Getting help with your research
The staff members of UNB Libraries are always happy to provide assistance or instruction. Library staff are available to answer your questions in person at the information desk, by telephone, email, or through LIVE, UNB Libraries' virtual reference service. For more details, including service hours, see Ask a Librarian. The library liaison for Philosophy is also available for individual consultations or group instruction:
 |
Frances Giberson Information Services Librarian |