LibGuides: UGS 302: Process Ecology Across Lifeforms, Disciplines, Dimensions (Porto): Background Information and Newspapers

Why Should I Start Here?

It can be tempting to just dive into your research with scholarly articles. However, you might gain a better understanding of your topic if you begin with these more accessible sources for background information.

Encyclopedias are wonderful sources for facts and general overviews. They should *not* be your only sources of information, but knowing the factual background of your topic will help you understand interpretations presented in academic materials.
A dictionary can be your best friend! Or maybe not really. But it can be a vital part of your research. Make good use of the OED!
Newspapers and magazines can provide cutting edge coverage of current events because they are published more quickly than academic articles. Over time, they transition into historical records of how different events were perceived by journalists and the general public. The newspapers and magazines in our databases represent a broad spectrum of political and cultural beliefs; read widely and critically.

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Gale eBooks
Unlimited users.
Updated regularly. A database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources. Fully searchable across all files.

For more information on ebooks see the Ebook Guide
Gale OneFile: Religion and Philosophy
Unlimited users.
Updated daily. Comprehensive collection of periodical content covering topics across a wide range of philosophies and religions. Researchers will gain valuable insight about the impact religion has had on culture throughout history, including literature, arts, and language. Resource supports a broad range of topics from theological approaches to social issues.
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Unlimited users.
This online encyclopedia provides authoritative, foundational, interdisciplinary knowledge across the wide range of behavioral and social sciences fields. The encyclopedia includes over 3,900 articles that discuss history, current trends and future directions. Topics are cross-referenced with related topics and each article highlights further reading.
Contains reference material covering the following disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Demography
- Economics
- Education
- Geography
- History
- Law
- Linguistics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Clinical Psychology
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Personality Psychology
- Motivational Psychology
- Sociology
- Criminology
- Memory: Cognitive and Neuroscientific Aspects
- Neuroscience of Language
- Culture and the Arts
Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
Unlimited users.
Updated quarterly. Covers words from across the English-speaking world and offers etymological analysis, listings of variant spellings, and phonetic pronunciation. Corresponds to the print Oxford English Dictionary published in 1989 and the three Additions volumes published 1993-1997.

Newspapers, Magazines, and Film

Newspaper Source Plus
Unlimited users.
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources.
Factiva
9 users.
Updated daily. A global information resource, providing full-text access to top national and international newspapers (including full text of the Wall Street Journal), newswires, business journals, market research reports, analysts reports and web sites. Contains over 8000 publications with content from 118 countries in 22 languages.
We have a limited number of users for this database. Please select the logout option before you leave your session. When the limit is reached, a username and password prompt will probably be displayed. If this happens, simply wait 15 minutes and then try the link again.
Kanopy
Unlimited users.
This streaming service has a catalog of over 30,000 titles covering various educational topics and feature films for some 800 producers including Criterion, Documentary Educational Resources, New Day Films, Media Education, California Newsreel, PBS and others.
Titles streamed by Kanopy are available either directly from the library catalog or from the UT Kanopy interface linked above. Some titles on the UT Kanopy interface are not immediately available to UT community for streaming. Those titles for which we do not hold streaming rights could be requested by filling in a request form. This form would appear on your screen and forwarded to a staff member for consideration. Given our limited funds, we emphasize study and research needs when making purchase decisions.