Urban Studies Library Guide

In comparison to articles, books offer more thorough coverage of a topic, draw on a wider range of preexisting scholarship, and often excel in placing an argument in broader thematic and disciplinary context. Consider consulting scholarly books first in your own research. Use them to provide: 

• helpful introduction and overview of a topic;
• comprehensive literature review that outlines the major scholars and existing points of view on a topic;
• detailed study of a topic, usually broken down into manageable chapters;
• extensive bibliography to guide you toward related works.

When searching the library catalog, the following subject headings, or tags, may be helpful in locating works about cities and urban phenomena. You can also combine the name of a specific city (e.g. New Orleans) with a topic or issue you wish to study (e.g. Housing).

Encyclopedias can be helpful for learning the basic theories and concepts associated with your research topic, and often include suggested readings of important works in the field.