Research Guides: IDS 101: Well Being: Getting Started

Well Being

What is it and how can I get some? In the history of human civilizations a variety of competing conceptions of well-being recur: minimalism, hedonism, egoism, altruism, anarchism, theism, pragmatism, expressionism, optimism, communalism, nationalism, liberalism, pluralism, perspectivism, cosmopolitanism, holism and futurism among them. They vary widely in terms of their respective emphases on knowledge, nature, sociality, identity, authenticity, stability, creativity, technology, longevity and so on. How does one make sense of all this in the contemporary moment, while being aware of our own cognitive blind-spots and avoiding political partisanship, commercial fads and escapist fantasies? In this colloquium we will read a novel (DeLillo’s White Noise, 1985), review select aspects of the historical record, watch a few films and documentaries, consider relevant scientific studies, mine the data, consult global and domestic polls, interview seemingly happy people, chat a bunch and do some writing.

Course taught by: Sammy Basu Colloquium Associate: Colby Alexander

Authoritative Reference Sources vs Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a great resource for getting general info about something, but because anyone can contribute or change its content, it is sometimes considered unreliable. It is a good place to start your research, but it is best to double check what you find against other sources.

Consider consulting the library's print or electronic encyclopedias, dictionaries, or other reference books to backup the basic information of your paper. Reference books can provide a general overview of a topic and help identify synonyms, related terms, or basic data; these sources often include references and lists of further readings. Additionally, these resources have typically gone through an editorial process to check for accuracy. To the right and below are some resources that may be of use.

Reference E-books

Encyclopedia of Emotion
Call Number: Online Access
"Topics include the neurological foundations of emotional function, competing theories of emotion, multicultural perspectives on emotions, emotional disorders, their diagnosis and treatment."
The Encyclopedia of Positive Psychology
"Positive psychology, the pursuit of understanding optimal human functioning, is reshaping the scholarly and public views of how we see the science of psychology."
The Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Health
Call Number: Online Access
"Alphabetically arranged encyclopedia (500 entries) that covers a wide variety of disorders, treatments, tests, and therapies, focused specifically on topics in mental health."
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Call Number: Online Access
"From abolitionism to Zionism, this encyclopedia clarifies the intellectual history of more than 750 complex ideas of concern to people today."
The Shorter Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Call Number: Online Access
This resource "presents the very best of the acclaimed ten volume Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy in a single volume."

Online Collection of Reference Resources

Oxford Reference Online
Over 200 well-known and trusted dictionaries and reference books combined into a single cross-searchable database.

Reference Books (Print)

Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Call Number: Ref. B51 .E53 2006
"Presents a collection of alphabetically-arranged entries that provide information on a wide range of topics related to philosophy, including ethics, religion, history, aesthetics, logic, metaphysics, from Aristotle and the Greek Academy, to modern concepts of feminist theory and philosophy of the mind." 10 volumes
The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science
Call Number: Ref. BF31 .E52 2001
"Edited by high caliber experts, and contributed to by quality researchers and practitioners in psychology and related fields." 4 volumes
Encyclopedia of Religion and Society
Call Number: Ref. BL60 .E53 1998
"This comprehensive volume is an essential reference for the study of the anthropology, psychology, politics, or sociology of religion."
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
Call Number: Ref. CB9 .N49 2005
"From abolitionism to Zionism, this encyclopedia clarifies the intellectual history of more than 750 complex ideas of concern to people today." 6 volumes
Social Issues in Living Color: challenges and solutions from the perspective of ethnic minority psychology
Call Number: Ref. GN502 .S637 2017
"This three-volume set is the first publication to explicitly tackle social issues from the perspective of racial and ethnic psychology."
International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Call Number: Ref. H41 .I58 2015
"Offers a source of social and behavioral sciences reference material that is broader and deeper than any other." 26 volumes
The SAGE Encyclopedia of Economics and Society
Call Number: Ref. HB61 .S17564 2015
This 4-volume set covers economics, the nexus and engine that runs society, affecting societal well-being, raising standards of living when economies prosper or lowering citizens through class structures when economies perform poorly."
Mental Health and Mental Disorders: an encyclopedia of conditions, treatments, and well-being
Call Number: Ref. RC437 .M47 2016
"Serving as an indispensable resource for students and general-interest readers alike, this three-volume work provides a comprehensive view of mental health that covers both mental well-being and mental illness."

IDS 101: Well Being: Getting Started

Authoritative Reference Sources vs Wikipedia

Reference E-books

Online Collection of Reference Resources

Reference Books (Print)

Willamette University Libraries