Philosophy Research Guide

This guide is the starting point for identifying, locating, using, and evaluating  materials relating to Philosophy  in the Carmichael Library and on Internet.  If you need additional assistance, please Ask a Librarian or contact Rosemary Arneson, Director of the Library, at arnesonr@montevallo.edu or 665-6100.

Finding Library Materials     
Library Catalog
The Library Catalog is often the best place to begin research. Search by author, title, subject, keyword, or a variety of other specialized searches.

Several examples of standard Philosophy subject headings appropriate for use in the Main Catalog when searching for Philosophy materials are:

• Aesthetics

• Belief and doubt

• Consciousness

• Ethics

• Identity (Philosophical concept)

• Logic

• Meaning (Philosophy)

• Philosophers

• Philosophy, <nationality> --e.g., Philosophy, German 

To obtain an authoritative list of subject headings check the Library of Congress Subject Headings, near the Ask Here desk.

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Call Numbers
Carmichael Library uses the Library of Congress system to organize its materials.  <Subject> materials, and other related subjects, can be found in these call number ranges:

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Reference Materials
Reference materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and indexes.  They are good starting points in the research process.

Several examples of Philosophy reference materials available for use in the Carmichael Library include the following:

• Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy.   REF B41 .C35 1995

• Dictionary of Existentialism.  REF B819 .D455 1999

• Oxford Companion to Philosophy.  REF B51 .O94 1995

• Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. REF B51 .R68 1998

Be sure to check the Reference databases for electronic reference materials.

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Journals and Periodicals
Journals and periodicals are published at regular intervals in print and electronically.

Print Philosophy periodicals available in the Carmichael Library include the following:

• Ethics

• Journal of Philosophy

• Philosophy and Public Affairs

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Electronic Resources
Databases

Electronic access to journal articles is available from the Databases page.  Most databases can be searched using author, title or subject in either basic or advanced search formats. The results of a search will include either a citation, a citation and abstract, or a citation, abstract and full text of the article depending on the database searched.

Listed below are databases you could use to locate information about Philosophy.  You can access these, and other databases, from the Databases by name page or the Databases by subject page.

• Academic Search Elite   Full Text 

• Arts and Humanities Search   Index and Abstracts

• Humanities Full Text   Full Text

Additional information about specific databases is available at each database site. 

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Internet Links
Several recognized Philosophy sites are listed below:

• American Philosophical Association

• Ethics Update

• Greek Philosophy Archive

• Guide to Philosophy on the Internet

• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

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