Start with background information
Starting with a subject encyclopedia is a great way to learn the main outlines of your topic and help you to focus your research question.
- Annual Review of LinguisticsEach issue contains articles summarizing important developments in the field of linguistics.
International Encyclopedia of Linguistics by ISBN: 0195139771Publication Date: 2003Online encyclopedia with in-depth overviews of important topics in linguistics
- Oxford English DictionaryDefinitive record of the meaning, history and evolution of English words over the last 1500 years.
Find articles in scholarly journals
Search these library databases for scholarly articles on topics of interest in the study of linguistics. These are only starting points -- Ask a Librarian if you do not find exactly what you need.
- Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA)Best database to find scholarly journal articles on all aspects of linguistics.
- MLA International Bibliography with Full Text
Produced by the Modern Language Association (MLA), the electronic version of the bibliography dates back to the 1920s. The database contains millions of citations as well as full text for 1,000 journals.
Note: to watch the video on how to search, go to MLA International Bibliography on EBSCO
Our EBSCOhost databases will be moving to a new user interface starting Monday, May 19th, 2025 with the exception of CINAHL which will transition on August 1st.
For additional information about searching and managing results, please visit the EBSCOhost Transition Center.
Please send additional queries or comments to: ask@uic.libanswers.com
- ERIC on ProQuest (1966 - current)ERIC is the largest database for articles and other documents in the field of education, including language learning and teaching.
- PsycINFOPsycInfo is the best place to look for psychology-related topics, including information related to the psychology of learning and language acquisition.
- Google ScholarUsing this link will let Google Scholar know you are affiliated with UIC and provide links to UIC resources.
Cite your sources
There are many tools that support learning how to cite sources and managing your own citation database to quickly building bibliographies. UIC Library provides access RefWorks for this purpose.
- For citation basics, see the Citation and Style Guide help page.
- For more on RefWorks and other citation managers, see the RefWorks guide.
Liaison Librarian for Linguistics
Chicago, IL 60607