Research

This research section has been organized in the order of recommended resources for when you are doing your research.

Before you begin, once you have settled upon your topic, ensure you have:

For assistance in organizing your research, refer to the IRHR Library's Assignment Planning and Writing Support guide.

Start your Research Here

Develop a Search Strategy - An external link to help you plan your research. Learn how to use Boolean Operators and Search Term Synonyms here.
Research Guides - An external link to the library guide of research jumpstarts and course guides that are meant to assist students with research papers and assignments. Students will find recommended resources related to course themes.
IRHR Journals - A list of recommended journals available online or in print about IRHR. These journals are accessed through the University of Toronto Library website and are only available to the UofT community.
Databases - A curated list of recommended databases to search for journals, abstracts, court and tribunal cases, dissertations and conference papers. These databases are only accessible by the UofT community.
Special Topics - Being an multi-disciplinary field, the IRHR can be studied through different topics and subjects. Each listed topic has a series of recommended resources that can be used as a starting point for research papers and assignments. These resources include reports, studies, briefings, organizations, and more.

Data Sets - A collection of public open data repositories of general, international, and provincial data sets and reports on various IRHR topics. These data repositories house a collection of datafiles, documentations, and reports.
Government Bodies - A list of Canada and US government portals and organizations.
Highlights of Major Developments - The IRHR houses an archive to the PDF documents between 1984-2006 on the very latest changes in labour law and their applications in Canada. More recent publications can be found physically at the Bora Laskin Law Library.
Ontario Labour Relations Board Annual Reports - The Ontario Labour Relations Board produces a monthly publication of summaries of significant decisions issued by the Board. Currently, the IRHR library holds an archive of the reports from 1980-2017.
Statistics - A list of national and international statistics databases highlighting relevant statistical facts on topics such as demographics and population, education, health, housing justice, etc.

Collective Agreements - A reference point of databases that house collective agreements from each Canadian province/territory, and federal USA sources.
Labour Union Groups - A list of Canada's major national unions and federations of labour, as well as some important national and international union federations, and coalitions in which Canadian unions participate.

Employment & Labour Legislation - A list of guides and portals to legislation; legislative sites; and agencies and commissions. These national and international agencies highlight the rights of employees and obligations for employers.

News Outlet Resources - A list of media outlets based in Canada, international and non-government organizational to keep up to date on current business and employment news.

IRHR Podcasts - A list of Canadian, US, and international IRHR podcasts, organized by topic.
IRHR Video Resources - Students can use the UTL Catalogue to access a list of video resources available from the IRHR Library, including both documentaries and feature films. These resources are DVDs and must be physically accessed from the library.
Labour Film Database - The Labor Film Database lists thousands of films and videos, searchable by title, director, actors and/or keywords (see search window at right). We’ve also categorized the database (at right, below “Categories”) and you can check out our tag cloud (also at right) to make it easier to find films and videos about the topics you’re interested in. Many of the entries also include trailers, film stills and distributor contact info
National Film Board of Canada - The National Film Board (NFB) is a public agency that produces and distributes films and other audiovisual works which reflect Canada to Canadians and the rest of the world." You will be using use the U of T Library catalogue to access these resources. The NFB maintains a specific subsection of 60 films about Work and Labour Relations which include topics such as: Child Labour, Technological Change, Strikes, Labour Relations, and more.
U of T Media Commons - Features dozens of streaming platforms accessible via UTORid login. Includes blockbuster feature films, documentaries, and educational videos.

Consultants with HR/IR Expertise Canada - A list of Canadian consulting firms with different areas of expertise and services. Use these resources to understand what services current practitioners in the field are offering.
Consultants with HR/IR Expertise USA - A list of USA consulting firms with different areas of expertise and services. Use these resources to understand what services current practitioners in the field are offering.
Research Centres and Professional Associations - This list of resources highlights research centres and professional associations that are located nationally and internationally. This resource can be used to understand the vast scope of IR and HR.
University HR/IR Programs - A list of national and international universities with Labour Studies programs. These programs can provide you with insight on where you might want to take on your future studies.
- IR and HR Libraries - A list of other libraries recognized as a member of the Community of Industrial Relations Libraries. Most of the resources listed are easily accessible and can provide further documentation for your research.