University of Kwazulu-Natal

Research Guides Reference Sources Encyclopedias Dictionaries

Bonisiwe Shabane
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research guides reference sources encyclopedias dictionaries

This page contains definitions of and examples of different types of reference sources including almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, biographies, chronologies, dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, handbooks, and indexes. Almanacs are not usually used for extensive research , but are good for looking up specific facts, statistics, tables and lists about people, places, events, countries, organizations, zip codes, and popular culture such as... Generally, almanacs cover a broad period of time, while Yearbooks, which contain similar information, only cover a given year. Atlases contain an organized group of pictorial or illustrated political, cultural, physical, road, and/or thematic maps. Atlases may be organized around a specific subject, theme, or geographic area. Bibliographies compile comprehensive lists of resources that share one or more common attributes about a particular subject, person, geographical area, etc.

Some bibliographies also briefly describe the resources that are listed. One should consult a bibliography when they want citations that will guide them to specific resources. Biographies contain information about people, both living and deceased - they can contain brief summaries of data about individuals, contain lists of citations of resources about a person, or be full length books detailing... Biographies may cover general important figures, or may be organized thematically/geographically, etc. One would use a biography to look up facts or detailed information about a person or group of people. Serving the Community College of Vermont & Vermont State University

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Encyclopedias contain full coverage of information about an area of knowledge. They can be general or can cover a specific subject, and contain alphabetically organized entries with varying detail. These are great starting points for fact-finding, getting background topic information, learning of key events and individuals, or starting a research project. Below is a major general encyclopedia. See Best Practices on this guides Home page to pinpoint valuable subject-specific encyclopedias.

Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and antonyms (opposites) but usually don't define the words. There are also dialect and slang dictionaries, dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms, dictionaries of quotations, and picture dictionaries. Dictionaries can be unabridged (general) or can be thematically organized in some way. Encyclopedias are highly recommended as a starting point for your research on a particular topic. Encyclopedias will give you introductory information to help you broaden or narrow your topic, while also providing keywords and terms needed to conduct further research.

Many students use Wikipedia at the beginning of the research process. While information and data found on Wikipedia is easily accesible and often accurate, it should not be cited as source material. Because Wikipedia is an open-source virtual library, almost anyone is allowed to edit and insert information in an article. Therefore, caution should be used when choosing to use Wikipedia for background information. Whenever possible authorative resources should be consulted to verify the accuracy of any data found on Wikipedia. The following article from Cornell University provides an overview of how to use Wikipedia effectively.

The titles below are all online encyclopedias, which you can access from anywhere as long as your browser is set to the Bruin OnLine proxy server or the VPN (Virtual Private Network). Online encyclopedias, dictionaries, and specialized reference sources, primarily in the social sciences and humanities. Includes the complete text of the Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. plus quarterly updates of new and revised entries. Trace the origin and history of words and their meanings in this etymological dictionary. For patrons encountering issues accessing this resource from off-campus: try logging out of the VPN, clearing cookies/cache on your browser, and then logging back into the VPN before accessing the database.

Spans 25 different subject areas, bringing together digitized entries across Oxford University Press’s Dictionaries, Companions and Encyclopedias. UC subscription allows limited simultaneous users, so if you can't connect try again later. Please note: UCLA Library has access to a selected number of Oxford reference titles, and not the entire set. There are many helpful encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks in Widener and other libraries that can give you a general overview of a specific topic. You can try searching in HOLLIS for your subject (see the HOLLIS tab for finding the proper Subject terms) plus the words encyclopedias or dictionaries. Thus: “United States” AND “Intellectual life” AND (encyclopedias OR dictionaries) yields:

The Oxford encyclopedia of American cultural and intellectual history, ed. by Joan Shelley Rubin and Scott E. Casper. Oxford; NY: Oxford University Press, 2 v. Widener | RR 3627.95 Encyclopedia of American cultural & intellectual history, ed.

by Mary Kupiec Cayton, Peter W. Williams. NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001, 3 v. Lamont | REFERENCE | E169.1 .E624 2001 Widener | RR 3627.93 To find individual encyclopedia articles in HOLLIS, do a keyword search on your topic and in the results list look for Resource Type under Refine Your Results in the right-hand column. Choose Reference entries.

Encyclopedia of American Studies. More Information. Reference Sources are designed to help you find information to include in your research paper. They can help you in many ways- Notice the tabs at the top of this page. These will lead you to information on:

A reference source is a scholarly discussion that summarizes and synthesizes topics, concepts, or the scholarly conversation about a particular topic/concept. Typically, a reference source does not contain original research. These sources provide important background and contextual information on your subject. Reference sources include bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks. You can use this type of source to help narrow your research topic, brainstorm types of data that might support your thesis, and identify keywords and main ideas to use as search terms. "The whole purpose of any encyclopedia article is to provide a concise overview of generally "established" knowledge on its topic, written for a nonspecialist audience, with a brief bibliography of highly recommended sources for...

And there are literally thousands of such [specialized] encyclopedias. (Don't be misled by the word "Dictionary" in the title of many of these sets; in library terminology it refers simply to the alphabetical arrangement of articles, not to their length, and so it... Source: The Oxford Guide to Library Research, p. 3-4. General and subject-specific encyclopedias, dictionaries, and handbooks are a great place to begin your research. Use them to find topic overviews, definitions, facts, and dates and to fill in context on the subject you are studying.

A selection of Brill Online Reference Works. The GC Library subscribes to a few titles (which have a green icon next to them on the front page): Use the Library of Congress Classification system to find the call number for your subject area. Then, browse the reference shelves in the library to discover encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other authoritative sources on your topic. Encyclopedias are often called tertiary sources, but sometimes they can be secondary sources or primary sources. They compile information from trusted experts and produce short entries on each item.

Tertiary sources provide you with basic information that you might need to proceed with your project, and they can help you narrow your research question. They often point you towards the secondary and primary sources you need for research projects. When you begin a research project, it is helpful to have a good overview of your topic--especially if it is one that is new to you. Encyclopedias are sources that include basic overviews of topics or subjects; definitions of terms specific to a field of study; provide visual images such as maps, charts and graphs, or they provide primary documents... In Research Strategies: Finding Your Way through the Information Fog, William Badke explains that you have acquired a "working knowledge" of a subject "when you can talk about it for one minute without repeating... When reading an encyclopedic entry, try to discover:

There are two types of encyclopedias: General and Subject. General encyclopedias provide brief overviews on many different topics. Subject encyclopedias provide more details on important dates, people, and events on a topic. Entries are written (signed) by an expert or scholar in the field; provide references or bibliographies for further research; cross-reference other topics of similar interest; published in single or multi volume sets. From the library's home page, type in your topic keyword (or keyword phrase) and include the keyword encyclopedia in the search box

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This Page Contains Definitions Of And Examples Of Different Types

This page contains definitions of and examples of different types of reference sources including almanacs, atlases, bibliographies, biographies, chronologies, dictionaries, directories, encyclopedias, handbooks, and indexes. Almanacs are not usually used for extensive research , but are good for looking up specific facts, statistics, tables and lists about people, places, events, countries, organi...

Some Bibliographies Also Briefly Describe The Resources That Are Listed.

Some bibliographies also briefly describe the resources that are listed. One should consult a bibliography when they want citations that will guide them to specific resources. Biographies contain information about people, both living and deceased - they can contain brief summaries of data about individuals, contain lists of citations of resources about a person, or be full length books detailing.....

This Work Is Licensed Under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Encyclopedias Contain

This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Encyclopedias contain full coverage of information about an area of knowledge. They can be general or can cover a specific subject, and contain alphabetically organized entries with varying detail. These are great starting points for fact-finding, getting background topic information, learning of key events and individuals, or starting a research project...

Standard Dictionaries Give An Alphabetical List Of Words And Their

Standard dictionaries give an alphabetical list of words and their definitions, but there are several useful variations also classified as dictionaries. Thesauri contain synonyms and antonyms (opposites) but usually don't define the words. There are also dialect and slang dictionaries, dictionaries of abbreviations and acronyms, dictionaries of quotations, and picture dictionaries. Dictionaries ca...

Many Students Use Wikipedia At The Beginning Of The Research

Many students use Wikipedia at the beginning of the research process. While information and data found on Wikipedia is easily accesible and often accurate, it should not be cited as source material. Because Wikipedia is an open-source virtual library, almost anyone is allowed to edit and insert information in an article. Therefore, caution should be used when choosing to use Wikipedia for backgrou...