VIC166H: Conducting Research in Philosophy

Major Resources for Conducting
Research in Philosophy

The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy
An online dictionary that you can consult for concise, authoritative definitions of unfamiliar names and terms in the field of philosophy, such as “eudaimonia.”

The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A peer-reviewed online encyclopedia covering nearly all areas of philosophy. It is a great place to begin your research and develop background knowledge of a particular philosopher or philosophical position.

Each entry has an extensive bibliography with recommended resources for further reading and potential sources for your presentation or essay.

The Oxford Handbook of Virtue
This volume provides a representative overview of philosophical scholarship on virtue. It is divided into seven parts: conceptualizations of virtue, historical and religious accounts, contemporary virtue ethics and theories of virtue, central concepts and issues, critical examinations, applied virtue ethics, and virtue epistemology.

Also available in-print at the E.J. Pratt Library.

Oxford Bibliographies: Virtue Ethics
A bibliography is a list of the books of an author or publisher, or on a specific subject. Oxford Bibliographies, compiled by scholars and librarians, contain extensive lists of annotated titles on many topics within the study of virtue ethics and moral theory. It is a great way to find authoritative sources on your topic.

Each subject contains an extensive introduction (which provides an overview of the topic) as well as a list of annotated titles of books, arranged by category.

Philosopher’s Index
The most current and comprehensive bibliography of scholarly research in philosophy. It is a great place to search for journal articles and book chapters when doing more in-depth research.

You can use it to find books and articles that have been written on a specific topic, or to see all the work done by a particular author.

LibrarySearch
A single integrated search platform for books, articles, periodicals, primary sources, and other materials.

It provides links to full texts of ebooks, journal articles, and book reviews (which can help you assess the relevance and quality of a particular title to the topic of your research).

Major Resources for Conducting Research in Other Disciplines

This course requires you to search a number of major research resources in various disciplines to find sources related to the topic of your presentation or essay.

You are also encouraged to support your arguments with Canadian examples and data whenever possible.

For instance, if your assigned topic is “the role of food banks,” consult the resources listed under both Canadian Studies and Food Studies, in addition to the materials outlined above.

• Canadian Studies
• Environmental Studies
• Food Studies
• Indigenous Studies
• History
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Women and Gender Studies.

Additional resources in other disciplines are listed on the (University of Toronto Libraries' website.

Citation & Style Guides

Chicago

• online: Chicago Manual of Style, 17th edition
• print: Z253 .U69 2017.

MLA (Modern Language Association)

• online: MLA Formatting and Style Guide, Purdue University
• print: PN147 .G53 2016.

APA (American Psychological Association)

• online: APA Formatting and Style Guide, Purdue University
• print: BF76.7 .P83 2020.

Research & Writing Guidance

Research Support

• online reference service
• research consultation service: advance notice required (excluding weekends and holidays)
• before requesting an appointment, please identify a topic of research, conduct preliminary research using the resources outlined in this guide, and locate at least one scholarly source (such as a book or journal article) that is relevant to your topic
• please be prepared to discuss your findings with the class librarian during a research consultation
• we recommend requesting an appointment as soon as you begin your work on completing a particular assignment. The librarian for the class is Ms. Agatha Barc, Reader Services & Instruction Librarian (agatha [dot] barc [at] vicu [dot] utoronto [dot] ca).

Writing Help

Victoria College Writing Centre
Students are highly encouraged to book an appointment at the Victoria College Writing Centre, where you can receive an individual consultation from a writing instructor. 

Writing at the University of Toronto
Includes helpful advice on all aspects of academic writing, from incorporating and citing sources to revising your work. The resource also contains information on specific types of writing in numerous disciplines, including philosophy.