Note: To search this page for resources that are in the French Language, use the Find function in your web browser (Control+F on a PC, Apple+F on a Mac) and search for French Language Resource.

In this guide:

• Language, General Information, and News
  
• Art and Literature
• History and Culture
  
• Finding Books
• Searching the Web in French
  
• Going Abroad? Doing Qualitative Research?
• French Journals, Newspapers, and Magazines to Browse
  

Getting Help:

• Schedule a research consultation
• Email Iris
• Chat with Iris
  (Don't AIM? Try this instead.)

Language, General Information, and News

Reference Works

• Encyclopaedia universalis.
  Ref AE25 .E3 1993
  A general encyclopedia in French, with signed articles that give bibliographical references. Illustrated. [French Language Resource]
• Grand dictionnaire encyclopédique Larousse
  Ref AE25 .G63 1982
  Ten-volume dictionary in French. Thickly illustrated, and most of the illustrations are in color. [French Language Resource]

Scholarly Articles

• MLA International Bibliography
  Indexes many important journals on French language, literature, and culture. Since there is no full text and no "Find It" button, it is best to work with the Journals List open at the same time so that you can get access to the full text either online, in print, or via Interlibrary Loan. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and select "Language, LA=" from the dropdown box that normally says "Anywhere."
  2. Search in English (for subject terms) and French (for titles and other citation information).
• ProQuest Research Library
  General database with full text for over 1600 journals. Includes the Publication of the Modern Language Association (PMLA) and several journals on French history and culture
  [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and then select "Document Language" from the drop-down box that says "Citation and Abstract."
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) or French (for titles).
• Academic Search Premier
  Includes several journals on French history and cultural studies, as well as French politics and literature. All articles will be in English.
  
• Humanities International Complete This database indexes many of the major publications in French and Francophone studies, and includes full text articles for many of these journals. All articles will be in English.
  

News and Popular Magazines

• LexisNexis Academic
  Indexes English and foreign language news. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Click "news"
  2. Select "Toute la Presse - Français" from the "Select Sources" drop-down box.
  3. Enter search terms (in French)
  4. Click "Search"
     
• CRL (Center for Research Libraries) Foreign Newspaper Search
  We are able to request microfilm sets from CRL. If you find something you want to see, simply fill out an interlibrary loan request. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Select a language from the "Language" drop-down box.
  2. Select "Newspapers" from the "Collection" drop-down box.
  3. Enter your search terms (in French) and click "Search."

Dissertations

• ProQuest Dissertations and Theses
  Provides access to thousands of dissertations and thesis (U.S. only). Dissertations published 1997 to the present are available in full text. several dissertations prior to 1997 are also available in full text, but not all of them.
• CRL (Center for Research Libraries) Foreign Dissertation Search
  We are able to request microfilm sets from CRL. If you find something you want to see, simply fill out an interlibrary loan request. [French Language Resource]
  How to Find French Language Dissertations:
  
  1. Select "French" from the "Language" drop-down box.
  2. Select "Dissertations" from the "Collection" drop-down box.
  3. Enter your search terms (in French) and click "Search."
     

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Art and Literature

Reference Works

• Dictionnaire des œuvres littéraires de langue française
  Ref PQ41 .B42 1994
  Signed articles in French on literary works, including francophone works. Editions are listed at the end of each article. Pictorial essays with color plates on selected authors are scattered throughout the work and indexed in volume 4 in the "Table des hors-texte." There is also an index of works covered arranged by author.
• The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French
  Ref PQ41 .N48 1995
  Brief entries on a wide range of topics, including francophone literature, alphabetically arranged, as well as maps and a chronology.
• Guide to French Literature
  Ref PQ41 .L48 1992
  Lengthy articles include lists of primary and secondary works. Entries are listed at the beginning of each volume, and each volume includes a timeline. Volume 2 includes title and general indexes. Organized chronologically.

Scholarly Articles

• MLA International Bibliography
  Indexes many important journals on French language, literature, and culture. Since there is no full text and no "Find It" button, it is best to work with the Journals List open at the same time so that you can get access to the full text either online, in print, or via Interlibrary Loan. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and select "Language, LA=" from the dropdown box that normally says "Anywhere."
  2. Search in English (for subject terms) and French (for titles and other citation information)

• Art Index & Art Index Retrospective (1929-present)
  Indexes articles and books on all of the visual arts, including film. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and then select "Language" from the drop-down box that says "All-Smart Search."
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) and French (for titles). Since very little information is included in these records, concentrate on searching in French.
     
• International Index to the Performing Arts
  Indexes journals (from 1998-present) on all aspects of the performing arts, including theatreand film. Abstracts are included with all citations. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Type "French" into the search box near the bottom of the search page that says "Language."
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) and in French (for titles and citation information).
• Humanities International Complete
  Includes cultural studies, literary studies, art and art history, and French and Francophone studies. All journals are in the English language.
  
• Web of Knowledge.
  Covers more than 1,140 of the world's leading arts and humanities journals in a broad range of disciplines from 1989-present. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. In either the "General Search" or the "Cited Reference Search," select "French" from the menu at the bottom of the search page, under the words "Restrict search by languages and document types."
  2. Search in French (for titles and citation information), but also try English in case there are abstracts included.
     

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History and Culture

Reference Works

• Medieval France: An Encyclopedia
  Ref DC33.2 .M44 1995
  Brief, signed articles with lists for further reading. arranged alphabetically and indexed.
• Encyclopedia of Contemporary French Culture
  Ref DC33.7 .E53 1998
  Alphabetically arranged, with a "Classified Contents List" in front. Signed articles with lists for further reading. Coverage of francophone topics. Indexed.
• The Regions of France: A Reference Guide to History and Culture
  Ref DC33.7 .N63 1996
  Significant articles on each region include maps and bibliographies. Supplemented by a list of French rulers, a substantial general bibliography, and an index.

Scholarly Articles

• Historical Abstracts
  Indexes articles (including book reviews) and books on world history. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Choose "French" from the "Language" choices near the bottom right-hand side of the main search screen.
     
  2. Enter your search terms in English.
• PAIS International
  An index to books, documents, reports, and articles in periodicals concerning public policy.[French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  1. Select "French" from the "Language" menu near the bottom of the "Refine Your Search" tab below the search boxes.
     
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) and French (for titles).
• Sociological Abstracts
  An index to scholarly literature in sociology. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and then select "Language" from the drop-down box that says "Anywhere."
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) and French (for titles).
• ProQuest Research Library
  General database with full text for over 1600 journals. Includes the Publication of the Modern Language Association (PMLA) and several journals on French history and culture
  [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. Type "French" into one of the search boxes and then select "Document Language" from the drop-down box that says "Citation and Abstract."
  2. Search in English (for abstracts and subject terms) or French (for titles).
• Academic Search Premier
  Includes several journals on French history and cultural studies, as well as French politics and literature.
• Humanities International Complete This database indexes many of the major publications in French and Francophone studies, and includes full text articles for many of these journals.
• Web of Knowledge.
  Covers more than 1,140 of the world's leading arts and humanities journals in a broad range of disciplines from 1989-present. [French Language Resource]
  To find articles in French:
  
  1. In either the "General Search" or the "Cited Reference Search," select "French" from the menu at the bottom of the search page, under the words "Restrict search by languages and document types."
  2. Search in French (for titles and citation information), but also try English in case there are abstracts included.

Other Resource Collections

• Pamphlets and Periodicals of the French Revolution of 1848
  You may have to click through many levels, but you can see digital copies of these pamphlets and periodicals. [French Language Resource]
  

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Finding Books

Remember to try different keywords if the words you are trying don't give you the results you need. For example, not all books that talk about French culture have the word "culture" in them. Here are some ways to locate books on your topic:

• By searching Bridge for books held in our library, and WorldCat for books held outside of our library (which you can request to have delivered here by filling out an Interlibrary Loan request). When you find a book that looks helpful, scroll down the page and look at the "subjects." You can start to collect these standardized subject headings and do searches for other books that are about the same topic. Remember to enter these into a subject search using exactly the same words as you found in your original record. There are many subject headings containing the word "France" or "French" so try an advanced search using whatever keywords or subject terms you've collected, plus "France" or "French" as a subject term. Some examples of subject terms that pertain exclusively to French & Francophone Studies include:
  
  • French-speaking countries
  • France -- Relations -- French-speaking countries
  • French-speaking countries -- Civilization -- Study and teaching
  • French literature (you may give a subordinate subject heading pertaining to the time period)
  • French literature -- French-speaking countries -- History and criticism
    
• By finding citations to books in reference works or other books you've looked at or journal articles you've read. Bibliographies are your friends!
• By browsing the shelves next to books that have been helpful. Our call numbers put books near each other if they are about the same thing, so if you find one really good book look at the ones near it. The following call number ranges contain works relevant to French language or francophone studies:
  
  • French language: PC2001-3761
    
  • French literature (including francophone literature): PQ1-3999
    
  • History of France: DC1-947
    
  • History of Africa: DT1-3415
  • History of Asia: DS1-937
    
  • History of Canada: F1001-1140

[French Language Resource] You can also limit searches in either Bridge or WorldCat by language. Select "French" from the language drop-down menu in Bridge's Advanced Search page, or from the drop-down menu in WorldCat.

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Web Sites

The Web sites recommended below complement other research resources.

• Catégorie Yahoo! équivalente en français
  From the Yahoo France site in the Yahoo:Regional:Countries category maintained by Yahoo!, the quintessential Web directory. Yahoo also includes an entry for French Language.
  
• Nomade.fr
  A French search engine similar to Yahoo.
• Tennessee Bob's Famous French Links
  Despite the flip title, this website gives you access to a number of search engines (under the heading "Finding New Francophone Sites"), as well as links to "Books and Literature" and "Art, Music, Film and General Culture." Maintained by Professor Bob Peckham, of the University of Tennessee--Martin. This site is trying to "go commercial."

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Going Abroad? Doing Qualitative Research?

Check out this book as you plan your research. Or, after you've done your research, use this book to help you determine how to use your information effectively.

• Designing Qualitative Research
  REF H62 .M277 2006
  There is a particularly helpful table (Table 4.1) on page 133 that summarizes the strengths and uses of different kinds of data collection methods.
  

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