Research guides: RS 327/CLAS 326/GSJ 327: The Body, Dress, and Religion: Finding books & articles

Library databases

Library databases may be multidisciplinary or subject-focused. Most of these lead you to literature published by scholars. Still other databases contain collections of primary sources such as original ancient texts, newspapers, letters, and videos.

The Library subscribes to over 400 databases. You can search or browse by the database name or filter by broad subject area (e.g., Classical Studies) or source type (e.g., Primary Sources) using the dropdown menus.

Following are some of the databases subscribed to by the Library for each of the course areas. See the relevant Research Guides for more possibilities.

Omni, the library catalogue

Omni's advanced search lets you apply filters that suit your research parameters. Limit for example, to: "Waterloo online resources" then enter keywords that describe your topic.

See Book pick-up and delivery services on how to obtain print materials.

Tip sheet (2 pages): Locate a print book; find a study space
Page 1: Go from the catalogue information to the book on the shelf
Page 2: Porter Library has spaces for: silent, quiet, and group study

Multidisciplinary Databases

JSTOR
Provides access to back issues of journals in the humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences, many of which date from the 1800s.
Coverage: varies (excludes current 3 to 5 years)
Scopus
Peer-reviewed literature from scientific journals, books and conference proceedings, covering the fields of science, technology, medicine, social sciences, and arts and humanities.
Coverage: 1966 - present

Religious Studies Databases

Atla Religion Database with AtlaSerials
Indexes journals, essays in multi-author works, and book reviews in the areas of religion and theology.
Coverage: 1949 - present
Religion and Philosophy Collection
Scholarly journals and magazines relating to religion, philosophy, and the related areas of archaeology and anthropology.
Coverage: 1980 - present

Classical Studies Databases

L'Annee Philologique
Identify scholarly articles, books, and book reviews on all aspects of Greek and Roman civilizations.
Coverage: 1924 - present
L'Annee Philologique uses roman numerals to describe journal volume numbers. Roman numeral converters can help confirm volume information.

Gender & Social Justice Databases

GenderWatch
Find research on a wide range of gender issues relating to women, men, two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQ+). Topics include sexuality, religion, societal roles, feminism, masculinity, eating disorders, healthcare, and the workplace.
Coverage: 1970 - present
Defining Gender, 1450-1910
British and European primary source material. Themes include: Conduct and Politeness, Domesticity and the Family, Consumption and Leisure, Education and Sensibility, and The Body.
Coverage: 1450 - 1910