Subject Guide: Economics
Find Books and Audio-Visual Materials:
Find Articles and Reviews:
- Use a Journal Index to find articles on a given topic.
- HELP: How do I search for articles?
Reference Sources in the Library:
- A select list of resources available in the Library.
Web Resources:
- A select list of resources available on the Web.
Citation Guides:
- Use these guides (MLA Guide, Other guides) to learn how to cite the materials you find and create a bibliography.
Course Related Guides:
Reference Sources in the Library:
The following is a select list of guides, dictionaries, encyclopedias, statistical compilations and other reference sources available in the R. P. Bell Library. All of the items listed as "REF" can be found on the main floor of the library.
Definitions & Concepts
Canadian Dictionary of Business and Economics. HC 112 .C73 REF
Dictionary of Econometrics. HB 139 .D358 REF
Dictionary of Environmental Economics. HC 79 .E5 D53 REF
Encyclopedia of American Economic History. (3 vols.) HC 103 .E52 REF
Encyclopedia of Keynsian Economics. HB 99.7 .E528 REF
Lexicon of Economic Thought. HB 61 .W34 REF
MIT Encyclopedia of the Japanese Economy. HC 462.9 .H73 REF
New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics. (4 vols.) HB 61 .N49 REF
- The most comprehensive reference book on economics, with over 2,000 entries on all aspects of economics.
New Palgrave Dictionary of Economics and the Law. (3 vols.) K 487 .E3 N49 REF
Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History. (5 vols.) HC 15 .O94 REF
- Covers the economic development and history of most countries and regions and major industries as well as many other topics in economic history.
Reader's Guide to the Social Sciences. (2 vols.) H 41 .R417 REF
- Short entries explain concepts and their importance in the field. See "Economics" in thematic list of contents in vol.1, and detailed subject index in vol.2.
The Routledge Critical Dictionary of Global Economics. HB 61 .R68 REF
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Atlases & Maps
Atlas of Global Development. G 1046 .G1 A85 2nd ed. 2009 REF
Atlas of World Development. G 1046 .E1 U5 REF
- A section of this atlas covers the economic structure of development.
World Bank Atlas. CA6 WB 2000W51 Gov. Docs
- Presents key statistics from the World Development Indicators by the World Bank, in table and map form.
Historical Atlas of Canada. (3 vols.) vol.1: to 1800, vol.2: 19th century, vol.3: 1891-1961. G 1116 .S1 H58 REF DESK
See also other general atlases and those for particular regions; many contain economic maps.
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Biographies
A Biographical Dictionary of Women Economists. HB 76 .B535 REF
Great Economists Before Keynes. HB 76 .B54 REF
Great Economists Since Keynes. HB 76 .B62 REF
Who's Who in Economics. HB 76 .W47 REF
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Guides to Finding & Understanding Economic Statistics
International Financial Statistics Locator. HG 151.7 .B37 REF
- For each economic statistic listed, this book indicates which of 22 common sources contains the data.
Guide to Economic Indicators: Making Sense of Economics. HA 29 .E25 REF
- Explains how to interpret the 100 most often used economic indicators.
Handbook of United States Economic and Financial Indicators. HC 106.8 .O47 REF
- Contains brief descriptions of 284 indicators, how they are calculated and applied, and a list of sources for more information on each indicator.
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Canadian Economic Statistics
Canadian Economic Observer. and Statistical Summary. CA1 BS11 .C010 Gov. Docs
- The Economic Observer is a Statistics Canada monthly flagship publication providing statistics and analysis: summary of current economic indicators, sector analyses, economic highlights in Canada and the world, and feature articles on a major issue or industry sector. The Summary has tables of over 1,000 federal, provincial and some international economic indicators (current and last 5 years). NOTE: Discontinued summer 2012. See Statistics Canada web site. Data available in CANSIM. Articles in "Economic Insights" series.
Bank of Canada Banking and Financial Statistics. CA1 FN74 .B18S Gov. Docs
- This monthly statistical supplement to the Bank of Canada Quarterly Review has many tables of financial and economic indicators (banks, financial markets, government of Canada, exchange and reserves, balance of payments, trade, etc.)
The Economy in Brief: The Quarterly Economic Review of the Department of Finance. CA1 FN E11 Gov. Docs (Also available online at http://www.fin.gc.ca)
- Provides a brief overview of the main economic indicators for each quarter.
For Industry-specific statistics see "Competitive Analysis" links on the Marketing Hits website.
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International Statistics
Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook. HG 3882 .B34 Journal Stacks
- Annual IMF publication in 3 parts showing balance of payments and international investment position in tables by country, region and the world.
Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook. HF 91 D5 Latest in REF
- By the IMF, this annual provides import and export data between over 100 countries and regions for the last 7 years. Tables are by country.
Europa World Year Book. D2 .E89 Latest in REF
- Annual publication with essays on the economic conditions in each country and statistics compiled from major sources.
Eurostat Yearbook: A Statistical Eye on Europe. HA 1107 .E89 REF
- By Eurostat, the official statistical office of the European Communities, this book & CD-ROM include statistics and summaries of the national economies of European Union countries, each volume covering 10 years.
Global Competitiveness Report. HF 1414 .G559 REF
- By Global Economic Forum, this report includes global and regional analyses, articles on special topics, and country profiles. Profiles include key economic indicators, GDP change from 1970, leading export sectors, and competitiveness rankings.
Government Finance Statistics Yearbook. HJ 101 .G68 Latest in REF
- Provides fiscal data (expenses, revenue, assets and liabilities, etc.) for the government sector, by country.
Industrial Commodity Statistics Yearbook. HC 10 .I59 REF
- U.N. annual compilation of statistics on the production of commodities by country, region, economic grouping and the world.
International Financial Statistics Yearbook. HG 61 .I57 Latest in REF.
- The IMF's main statistical publication. For each country it includes exchange rates, interest rates, GNP, prices and production statistics, labour, balance of payments, volume of exports/imports, foreign debt, etc. (See Country Notes supplement for sources and footnotes. HG 61 .I572 REF.)
International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia & Oceania, 1750-1988. HA 4675 .M55 REF
- Includes data on agriculture, industry, labour, trade, finance, prices, national accounts, etc.
International Historical Statistics: Europe, 1750-2000. HA 1107 .M55 REF
- Includes data on agriculture, industry, labour, trade, finance, prices, national accounts, etc.
International Trade Statistics Yearbook. HF 91 .U473 REF (2 vols.)
- By the United Nations, volume 1 has trade statistics by country, volume 2 has statistics by commodity.
Key Indicators of Developing Asian and Pacific Countries. HC 411 .A754 REF
- Provides basic economic statistics by country and region.
OECD Economic Surveys. (Various call numbers, Book Stacks)
- Each of these periodic reports provide economic statistics and analysis for one of the OECD member countries. (Search the library catalogue: Title search: OECD Economic Surveys)
OECD Factbook. HC 10 .O34 REF (& online)
- A compilation of a hundred social and economic indicators for OECD countries and regions.
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Development Statistics
African Development Indicators. HC 800 .A1 A467 REF
- Has over 500 macroeconomic, sectoral and social statistics for 53 African countries.
Trade & Development Report. JX 1977 .A39 T7 Latest in REF
- An UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) report with statistical tables and analysis of issues on developing countries in world trade.
World Development Indicators. HC 59.15 .W656 Latest in REF. Also available online.
- An annual publication by the World Bank. Presents detailed economic and social statistics showing the progress being made toward international development goals.
World Development Report. HC 59.7 .W659 Book Stacks. Also available online.
- Each annual report has a different focus, with articles on a specific theme in development, written by a team of experts from the World Bank and incorporating selected statistics from World Development Indicators.
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Writing, Research & Citation Manuals
Avery, Heather. Thinking it Through: A Practical Guide to Academic Essay Writing. LB 2369 T45 1995 REF
- Provides advice on choosing a topic, research, reading, note-taking and writing.
Cuba, Lee. A Short Guide to Writing About Social Science. H 91 .C78 REF
Harvey, Gordon. Writing with Sources: A Guide for Students. PE 1478 H37 1998 REF
- Brief, well-written advice on quoting and documenting sources.
Lester, James. Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide. LB 2369 .L4 REF
- An excellent guide on all aspects of writing, researching and citing for academic papers. Includes many Internet-related issues.
Northey, Margot, L. Tepperman & J. Russell. Making Sense in the Social Sciences: A Student's Guide to Research, Writing and Style. H 91 .N67 REF
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Web Resources:
Economics Megasites
Full-text Archives
Canadian Economic Statistics
International Economic Statistics
Special Topics
Economics Megasites
Resources for Economists on the Internet (RFE)
Links to more than 1,000 resources of interest to economists. Most are annotated. Edited by Bill Goffe, sponsored by the American Economic Association.
Full-text Archives
RePEc (Research Papers in Economics)
A collaborative international project to disseminate research in economics.
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EconPapers + IDEAS (Internet Documents in Economics Access Service)
Combine the RePEc (Research Papers in Economics) databases of economics working papers, journal articles, books, software, authors and institutions. All documents can be searched separately or together. Over 192,000 of the works are available online in full text.
McMaster University Archive for the History of Economic Thought
A collection of hundreds of significant texts in the history of economic thought. Accessible by author.
Economics Research Network (ERN)
Part of the Social Science Research Network, this is a database of economics working papers from government, public policy institutes, university economics departments, and associations. Over 30,000 abstracts are searchable for free. Full-text papers available at a cost.
AgEcon Search: Research in Agricultural and Applied Economics
An archive of working papers, journal articles and conference papers from over 35 universities and professional associations worldwide on the subject of agricultural economics. Topics covered include agribusiness, food supply, natural resource economics, consumption, policy issues, agricultural trade, and economic development.
Atlantic Institute for Market Studies (AIMS)
An independent economic and social policy think tank concerned with Atlantic Canada. Most of their publications are available fulltext online. The site includes links to other Public Policy organizations.
Bank of Canada Publications
Includes working papers by Bank of Canada staff from 1994 on, technical reports, conference proceedings, Bank of Canada Review articles, speeches by the Governor of the Bank of Canada and more.
The Library of Economics and Liberty
Links to full-text classics in economics, related works in other fields, articles, bibliographies and other sites. By the Liberty Fund, Inc., a private, educational foundation established to encourage the study of the ideal of free and responsible individuals.
Canadian Economic Statistics
Bank of Canada - Rates & Statistics
Has major financial and economic indicators and more.
Canadian Economic Statistics Research Guide
An excellent guide by the U. of Alberta Winspear Business Reference Library linking to print and online statistical sources by topic. (Search print publications in the Mt.Allison catalogue for accurate location information.)
CANSIM
Statistics Canada's largest database of economic, demographic, and social statistics.
Coverage: Historical and current (dates vary).
Searchable by topic or keyword.
Trade Data Online
On Industry Canada's Strategis web site, this database includes import and export data, trade balances, and manufacturing shipments by province and industry, at the national, provincial, and regional level. Monthly data available for last 2 years; annual for last 10 years.
For Industry-specific statistics see "Competitive Analysis" links on the Marketing Hits website.
International Economic Statistics
OECD Statistics Portal
By the Statistics Directorate of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, this web site links to a great deal of economic statistical information mostly on member countries, organized by subject. There is also a glossary and a list of links to other worldwide statistical agencies.
OFFSTATS: Official Statistics on the Web
By U. of Aukland Library, a good collection of links to the official statistics sources of countries and regions. Includes current data and time series. Searchable by topic, country and region.
Statistical Resources on the Web: Foreign and International Economics, by U. of Michigan Documents Center
Links to many of the major sites for international economic statistics.
United Nations Statistics Division Statistical Databases
Links to the free UN databases available online.
Special Topics
Environmental Economics
Environment Statistics from Statistics Canada
Subject grouping of environment related statistics from Statistics Canada.
Environmental Economics Volume 1: The Essentials and Volume 2: The Applications by the Environmental Literacy Council
A useful guide with links to many recommended resources.
Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)
A major source for SD information. Publications are available by theme (e.g. subsidies, economic policy, etc.).
National Center for Environmental Economics, U.S. EPA
Has many publications and a list of links to resources.
Resources for the Future
A nonprofit research organization that publishes many reports, issue briefs, discussion papers, books and articles based on environmental, energy and natural resource issues, based on economic analyses.
International Economics, Trade & Development
Provides details on importing & exporting regulations, customs tariffs, etc.
Canada's International Market Access Report (CIMAR) Database of Trade Barriers
By International Trade Canada. Geared to Canadian businesses considering export options, this database provides details on trade barriers by sector and country.
Canadian Trade Commissioner Service Market Reports
Provides reports on industry sectors in other countries and regions of the world. Registration required.
Development Gateway
Billed as "the largest online source of information on development projects worldwide", this site by the non-profit Development Gateway Foundation can be searched by development topic, country and region.
Eldis
By the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK, this site provides access to many documents on major policy and research issues in development.
Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL), "International Economic Law" Section
Created by the American Society of International Law, this site links to the major primary documents, related web sites and research guides, for international development and trade law, regional economic integration, competition, the GATT/WTO system, etc.
FITA: International Trade Web Resources
By the Federation of International Trade Associations, this is a major gateway site for international trade with over 8,000 links. Select "Country Profiles" for detailed profiles on over 80 countries and extensive links to useful resources on most countries of the world.
Global Trade Negotiations
By Harvard University, Center for International Development, this site links to many trade-related research sites and information, including a section on trade summaries by issue. Select "Country Summaries" for summaries of recent developments in trade policy for each country, statistics and links to other relevant sources.
IDRC (International Development Research Centre)
This Canadian Crown coporation's mandate includes conducting research to help solve development problems. The site includes thousands of research papers and reports in two databases.
IMF Staff Country Reports
Staff country reports, statistical appendices, etc. provide detailed information and statistics on country economies.
International Economics Network
An excellent portal with annotated links to international economics, trade and development sites.
Revised Guide to International Trade Law Sources on the Internet
By Marci Hoffman, E.B. Williams Law Library, Georgetown U. Law Center. An excellent starting point linking to research guides and web collections on international trade law, the major regional agreements, related organizations, country guides, statistics, commentary and analysis.
Statistics Canada -- International Trade
Subject grouping of international trade related statistics from Statistics Canada.
Trade and Economic Policy , by International Trade Canada
Has information and links to Canadian trade negotiations and agreements, trade policy issues, export and import controls, etc.
Trade Data Online
This Industry Canada database includes Canadian and U.S. import and export data with over 200 countries, trade balances, and manufacturing shipments by product and industry, at the national, provincial, and regional level. Monthly data available for last 2 years; annual for last 10 years.
UN Comtrade (United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics Database)
International trade statistics (converted to US dollar) provided by over 130 countries. Searchable by imports, exports or re-exports of commodities.
U.S. Dept. of State Background Notes
These are brief, frequently updated overviews of the economy, government, politics, trade, foreign relations, etc. in every country. (Click on the "official name" for links to official sites for more information.)
WebEc - International Economics
Part of the WebEc Virtual Library of academic sources in economics, this section links to a wide variety of sites related to international economics.
World Bank Data by Country
Profile tables cover over 200 countries and many regions, each with the latest 3 years of data from the World Development Indicators Database. Other sources also available. See "Data & Research" tab.
World Development Report
Each annual report has a different focus, with articles on a specific theme in development, written by a team of experts from the World Bank and incorporating selected statistics from World Development Indicators.
WTO Trade Disputes
Dispute rulings and panel reports relating to Canada's and other countries' trade disputes.
WTO Trade Policy Reviews
World Trade Organization trade policy reviews in full text from 1995 to the present. Browsable by country or search by keyword in full text. Summaries in html, full documents in Microsoft Word.
WTO Trade Profiles.
World Trade Organization brief trade profiles on over 150 countries include basic indicators and details on trade policy, merchandise trade, commercial services trade and industrial property.
See also International Economic Statistics
See also Commerce -- International Business
Law & Economics
Access to Justice Network (ACJNet Canada)
Provides access to Canadian and provincial statutes, regulations, Supreme Court of Canada judgments and information about Canada's legal system.
Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLII)
Provides access to Canadian and provincial statutes, regulations, judgments from various provincial courts and the Supreme Court of Canada, all searchable with one search.
Electronic Information System for International Law (EISIL), "International Economic Law" Section
Created by the American Society of International Law, this site links to the major primary documents, related web sites and research guides, for international development and trade law, regional economic integration, competition, the GATT/WTO system, etc.
FindLaw Law and Economics Resources
Links to the complete Encyclopedia of Law and Economics, working papers, journals, bibliographies, web sites, mailing lists and more.
JURIST Canada, The Legal Education Network An excellent starting point for legal research, with guides, reference tools, publications from research centres, online journals, and more. Includes the search engine: Canadian Law Locator which allows you to search Canadian and provincial caselaw, legislation, and other legal databases and resources.
WebEc - Law and Economics
Part of the WebEc Virtual Library in Economics, this section links to a wide variety of academic sources in law and economics.
World Legal Information Institute (WorldLII)
Developed by Legal Information Institutes and other organizations, this site provides a common search engine and web access to over 270 databases of case law, legislation, treaties, law reform reports, law journals and other materials from 20 countries.