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Michigan State University

MC 497: Adam Smith’s Challenge (Wolf)

Spring 2023

Background Research

Before you dive into a research paper, it can be a good idea to do some background research. This will help you figure out a topic that is interesting to you, and introduce you to the major players in your particular area.

Many people do background research through sources like Wikipedia or general Google searching. You can also use a variety of specific encyclopedias that are available through the MSU Libraries.

General Reference Sources

Reference Sources for Political Theory and Economics

Here are some suggestions for references that may be related to topics about political theory and economics.  These links will connect to the library catalog record.  Some are print sources and some are available online.  For the print, you'll need the call number & location to find it.  For the electronic, you should be able to click the link to connect.

  • Political Theory: An Encyclopedia of Contemporary and Classic Terms - electronic
  • Encyclopedia of Modern Political Thought - electronic
  • The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought - electronic
  • A Dictionary of Economics - electronic
  • The Oxford Handbook of Ethics and Economics - print
  • The New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics - electronic
  • Free Market: The History of an Idea - print
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