This guide is designed to introduce undergraduate students to starting points for all aspects of urban studies.
Pick a research topic
- Read your assignment instructions carefully
- Pick a research topic that interests you and meets the assignment criteria
- Identify the key concepts of your research topic
- If you need extra help, click on Choosing an essay topic
- Developing strong research questions
- Do some background reading on your topic using Wikipedia; watch the Using Wikipedia wisely video
Key reference sources for urban studies:
- Building smart cities: analytics, ICT, and design thinking
- Cycle cities: supporting cycling in Canadian cities
- Encyclopedia of the city
- International encyclopedia of human geography
- Key concepts in urban studies (print only)
- Megacities and our global urban future
- Urban Development for the 21st century
Search Omni, the library's main search box to find books or peer-reviewed journal articles on any topic. Remember to refine your search by selecting the following options: Peer-Reviewed Journals, Articles and Subject (optional) to obtain high quality, academic literature. Use the Omni Search Tips
Search subject-specific databases to find journal articles. They offer many advanced search features and offer a more focused search.
Key databases:
- GEOBASE
- SAGE Journals Online
- Academic Onefile
- CPI.Q
- Canadian Business and Current Affairs
- Scopus
- TRID
- Environment Index
- Web of Science
Key Journals:
- Annals of the American Association of Geographers
- Applied Geography
- Canadian Geographer
- Canadian Journal of urban research
- City
- City, culture and society
- Environment and Planning B: planning and design
- International Journal of urban and regional research
- Plan Canada
- Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
- Urban Geography
- Urban Studies
Search Tip: Search within a specific journal using Omni. For help, use Journal Searching
Dissertations:
Key books:
- Cities for people, not for profit: critical urban theory and the right to the city
- Going Green: How cities are leading the next economy
- Critical Urban Studies: new directions
- The New Blackwell Companion to the City
Videos:
Useful Websites:
Canadian
- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
- Canadian Institute of Planners
- Canadian Urban Transit Association
- Centre for Human Settlements (University of British Columbia)
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Institute of Urban Studies (University of Winnipeg)
Local Ottawa
- CAWI - City for all Women Initiative
- City of Ottawa - Partners and community organizations (by type)
- Ecology Ottawa
- Federation of Citizens' Associations of Ottawa
- Greenspace Alliance of Canada's Capital
- Multifaith Housing Initiative
- Ontario by Bike
- Women and Gender Equity Strategy
International Organizations
- American Planning Association
- Commonwealth Association of Planners
- Lewis Mumford Center
- Urban Land Institute
- Urban Institute
Citing:
-
APA Citation Style web guide for basic instructions
Referencing your sources is an important part of academic writing. Why?
- it lets you acknowledge the ideas or words of others if you use them in your work
- it helps you to avoid plagiarism
- it demonstrates that you are using the scholarly record and that you can provide authority for statements you make in your term paper
- it enables readers to find the source information
Writing Guides:
- Writing Services offers students help with learning the mechanics of academic writing
- Communicating in geography and environmental sciences e-book
- Doing your undergraduate project e-book
