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Philosophy

Books

  • Books are often more general and easier to understand than articles. In that books offer more background information and a wider array of viewpoints to select from, starting with a book can help you identify a guiding question or a larger conversation in which to situate your thinking, research, and writing.  
  • Books are not daunting. They contain familiar "wayfarer markers" like a table of contents, chapter headings, and an index. These lead to the specific pages where the topic you are after is being discussed. 
  • Books are at the heart of the scholarly conversations and debates about literature. In that they weigh and compare multiple viewpoint, their footnotes and bibliographies are springboards to additional insights. 
  • Books are arranged following rules created by the Library of Congress. This organization helps you do research more effectively and efficiently. A librarian would be glad to review this with you.
  • Books are companionable.  Many students value the ease with which they can be laid out on a desk, read, and absorbed.

Selected Texts