PHILOSOPHY RESEARCH
Choose a topic that is interesting to you and which will work within your assignment's parameters. Your research goal is to locate published scholarship (books and journal articles) to read on your topic.
First, read a good summary of a philosophy topic, or a philosopher's work, in a philosophy encyclopedia, like those listed in the Books section.
If you need to critique a particular philosophical text, you can use CUNY+ to search for Companion books, which provide an overview of a philosopher's work, that may contextualize the text you are reading (eg. Cambridge Companion to Plato). Perform a Title Search for Cambridge Companion to, or perform a Keyword Search using the philosopher's name (eg. Aristotle) and the word Companion.
Reference databases in the Books section, such as Literature Resource Center and Magill on Literature, may also summarize a classic philosophy text or a philosopher's life and work.
Once you know the basics on your topic, then search for more published scholarship - books in the CUNY+ Library Catalog and journal articles in Philosopher's Index or other library databases.
As a complement to your research material, the philosophy Web Gateways may lead you to websites devoted to individual philosophers, or philosophical issues.
Remember to evaluate the accuracy of your resources, and think critically about their arguments. When in doubt, check with your instructor.
Created: 12 June 2006 / Last update: 7 August 2008 / JTMellone