Libguides: Science Épreuve Synthèse: Selected Library databases

Finding reference articles

Note that, while reference books and databases can be excellent resources for initial background information on a topic, they are not considered to be scholarly research in and of themselves. Their usefulness is primarily in helping you get a decent grasp of a topic before going on to seek out more in-depth research in books and journal articles.

Encyclopedia Britannica This link opens in a new window
Encyclopedia Britannica is a general encyclopedia that contains brief information on a wide range of subjects. It's a good starting point for any type of research.
Encyclopedia Universalis This link opens in a new window
Encyclopedia Universalis is a French-language general encyclopedia that contains brief information on a wide range of subjects. It's a good starting point for any type of research.
Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Gale eBooks is a collection of over 300 specialized reference sources on a wide range of topics. Of particular interest is the International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, The Encyclopedia Judaica, the New Catholic Encyclopedia, The African American Almanac, and the Encyclopedia of World Biography.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Oxford Reference contains more than 200 specialized reference titles. You can search all 200 titles at once, or search by specific discipline (e.g. literature, medicine and health, music, etc.).

Finding newspaper articles

Note: Newspaper articles will be primarily useful for finding out about current events relating to your topic. Note that they do not count as scholarly research.

ProQuest: Canadian Major Dailies This link opens in a new window
Canadian Major Dailies contains articles from all of the major English-language Canadian newspapers. Coverage includes the latest issue and, in many cases, goes back to the late 1970s/early 1980s.

Finding journal articles

EBSCO This link opens in a new window
EBSCO is a collection of ten databases that you can search simultaneously, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. You may choose and many or as few of the databases as you want when searching for sources. However, only the following database contains research in the Sciences:
- Academic Search Complete - Multidisciplinary (Has a little bit of everything)
When searching EBSCO, don't forget to click on "Full-Text" and "Peer Reviewed."
Érudit This link opens in a new window
A joint project of the Université de Montréal, Université de Laval, UQAM, and other partners, Érudit contains several Canadian research journals in French and English, including a large amount of Open Access content.
When using Érudit, remember that you will need to use French keywords to find French articles on your topic. Using English keywords will only find English materials.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
JSTOR, a multidisciplinary archival database that covers a wide range of arts, science, and social science disciplines. Includes access to: Archival Journal Collections (Arts & Sciences I-XV, Business IV, Hebrew Journals, Ireland, Life Sciences, and Public Health Journals), Thematic Collections (Lives of Literature, Security Studies, and Sustainability), and Primary Source Collections (19th Century British Pamphlets, World Heritage Sites: Africa, Struggles for Freedom: Southern Africa, and Global Plants).

Science Épreuve Synthèse: Selected Library databases

The Library's databases

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Finding reference articles

Finding newspaper articles

Finding journal articles