Getting started on your topic? Begin by checking out these encyclopedia and bibliography databases. They'll provide you with a basic background for your topic, and a list of important papers published on your topic. This is a great time-saver.
When you have a list of books or articles to search for, you can search from our Articles & Books tab on our homepage: http://www.library.rochester.edu.
Looking for articles or books on your topic? You can search using the Articles and Books tab to search UR for them, or for citations you've found from step one (If we don't have an article you need, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan - step 3 below).
If you're just beginning your research, it's best to start with a philosophy-specific database. This means that your results will all be papers in philosophy.
If you have an article that you like and would like to see who else has cited it since it was published, try Google Scholar - just find your article and then click the "Cited By" link.
The sources below cover many topics in Philosophy. The Philosophy Compass covers the entire discipline of philosophy and publishes original, peer-reviewed, state-of-the-art surveys of current research. The handbooks and companions are focused collections on particular areas in Philosophy.
If UR doesn't have the article or book you need, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service that will deliver a copy to you. PDFs of articles usually arrive in two days or less! Just go to the ILL page: https://illiad.lib.rochester.edu/
Still can't find what you're looking for? Please contact me!
