Information Type
Encyclopedias, handbooks
Books (scholarly
monographs)
Scholarly journal articles
Newspaper articles
Description
Background information.
General or specialized.
Broad, thorough, academic
treatment of a subject.
Detailed scholarly
examination of a topic.
Peer-reviewed.
Historical and current.
Magazines, trade journals
Popular or non-scholarly
treatment of a subject.
Theses
Master’s and doctoral
theses and dissertations.
Detailed scholarly analysis.
Published by government
agencies.
Government documents
Primary sources
Data
Materials that have not
been interpreted by
another person, e.g.,
interviews, questionnaires,
letters, diaries, manuscripts.
Statistics and numerical
information.
Gray literature, think tank
publications
Book reviews
Published reviews or
critiques of books
Tools
Catalogue
Subject Guides
Catalogue
Bibliographies
Article indexes (databases)
Google Scholar
Article indexes (databases)
Internet
Article indexes (databases)
Internet
Suggested Databases
Web of Science
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences
International Political Science Abstracts
Factiva
Canadian Newsstand
Proquest Research Library
Academic Search Premier
Article indexes (databases)
Catalogue, eScholarship@McGill
Internet
Article indexes (databases)
Catalogue
Internet
Article indexes (databases)
Catalogue
Internet
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Google Scholar
Catalogue
Library databases
Article indexes (databases)
Catalogue
Internet
Article indexes (databases)
McGill’s Electronic Data Resource Service:
http://www.mcgill.ca/edrs/
CIAO (Colombia International Affairs Online)
PAIS International
Google Scholar
Canadian Research Index
McGill’s Gov Info page:
http://www.mcgill.ca/govinfo/collections/links/
TIP: bibliographies from pertinent works can lead you to more sources!
Check out the library’s Political Science subject guide: http://www.mcgill.ca/hssl/collections/links/subject/polisci/
Library Research Tips
Megan Fitzgibbons, Liaison Librarian
megan.fitzgibbons@mcgill.ca