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Types Of Reference Materials Reference Sources Encyclopedias

Leo Migdal
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types of reference materials reference sources encyclopedias

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. Summaries of facts, definitions, histories, statistics, and other types of information on large subject areas, organized for quick lookup.

Reference sources are generally the place to begin your research, especially when you're starting out with an unfamiliar field. But they're also where you return when you need to look up formulas, facts, definitions, and other standard details; they tend to pack a lot of information into simple, easy-to-use packages. Many reference works are available online and are accessible through links from the Library Catalog and from subject or course guides, but many valuable reference resources are still available only in print, and a... Because print-only reference books are in high demand, they are kept in separate, non-circulating reference collections in most UCLA libraries. Reference sources are rarely peer-reviewed. In fact, because they mostly contain established, factual information, they're sometimes not even cited in academic works, unless directly quoted.

Check your style manual for best guidelines. As compilations of existing information, reference works are decisively in the category of secondary sources... to the point that some people call them tertiary sources. 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 Undergraduate (UGL): 313-577-8852 Purdy/Kresge: 313-577-6423 Arthur Neef Law: 313-577-6180 Shiffman Medical: 313-577-1094 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. This page will provide information on the different types of information resources and how to use them. The first table addresses the various types of serials (aka: journals, magazines etc), what they are and when the are best applied to an aspect of research. The table below that describes the different types of physical and online reference resources, along with search strategies and examples from the catalog. Content courtesy Worcester Polytechnic Institute The library has many subject-specifc reference books.

To identify sources that may be helpful to you, try a search in this Catalog Search that has already been limited to reference materials in the Library. You can combine (using "and") a keyword or phrase representing your topic with a keyword for the type of reference book you want to find. Another way to identify books in the library's reference collection is to use a Keyword search for a subject keyword or phrase, limiting your search by Location. These are the most commonly-used type of reference sources: This information covered on this page includes defining and explaining how to use reference sources, how to find reference sources, and links to popular reference databases. A reference source is a source that has compiled information from primary and secondary sources into one, easily digestible volume of information on a topic, event, person, or idea.

These sources are usually identified by the keywords 'encyclopedia' or 'dictionary'. Think of these as the Academic Wikipedia. These resources provide peer-reviewed introductory and background information on a topic, where you can learn the language experts in a field use. This search box will bring up reference sources available in OneSearch. There are a couple of ways to find reference sources on your topic in the library. This section will review two: limiting your results with the library catalog and searching a reference database.

Watch this 1:19 video to learn about reference sources and the important step of background research during the research process. Information comes to us from many different sources, and finding highly-quality information sources that are suitable for college may require that you add some new skills to your everyday information approaches and resources. On this page you will find some examples of references sources, books, and various types of articles. The other pages on this guide will go into more detail and provide links to help you use these sources in your own research and writing. Continue reading below and then on to the pages of this guide to learn more about Background sources/Reference works: The best resource to find a concise overview or summary of a topic, written by a topic specialist.

This could be a handbook or guide. Subject-specific encyclopedias are a great example, and these resources often lists additional references. The OC libraries offer both print and electronic reference works. Example of a reference source cited in APA: Boeing company. (2015).

In T. Riggs (Ed.), The Gale encyclopedia of U.S. economic history (2nd ed.). Gale. Subject-specific encyclopedias from highly reliable publishers like Gale can help you learn the background of a topic, locate useful keywords and subject terms, and connect you to additional resources. Why do you need reference sources, when so much is available on the Internet?Almost everyone will start with an Internet search, usually using Yahoo, Google, or Ask Jeeves.

The problem with that strategy is that there is a lot of wrong information on the Internet, and it is not a good starting point. It is a good resource, but only after you have some background. "You can't go wrong with a good dictionary, even if you think you know the meaning of a word; and a serious encyclopedia will give you important background information. There are also specialized reference books, like chronologies (which list events year by year), biographical dictionaries (which provide short lives of important people), and bibliographies (which point you to other books)." (source: Lynch, getting... Reference books are books you can't checkout of the library. Why can't they be checked out?

Traditional print reference sources are a mainstay item for your professor. When your professor tells you that you need to use reference sources, he or she is almost always refering to the print version, not the online version. The reference section of most libraries will contain encylcopedias, dictionaries, factbooks, indexes, almanacs, and key "starting points" for your research. When you are not sure where to begin, some of these sources listed here can probably help you. Types of Reference MaterialsIn general, reference materials are consulted for specific pieces of information and are not usually read from cover to cover. The most familiar types of reference are:

Start with encyclopedias and handbooks when you are developing your research topic. These are good reference sources for fact-finding, getting background topic information, or learning of key events and individuals. There are general encyclopedias (Encyclopedia Britannica) and there are subject specific encyclopedias (Encyclopedia of Global Warming). MC Library offers these reference sources both online and in print format. Note: Wikipedia is generally not considered a scholarly source because information in Wikipedia is often anonymous and lacks a formal review process. Consult books and e-books to gather comprehensive, in-depth analysis of a subject.

E-books are the electronic versions of books that you can access anywhere anytime using proper authentication. Some types of books include: Note: Although books are important in the research process, know that there is a long gap of time between writing and publishing books and therefore you may not find the most current information on...

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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.....

Reference Sources Are Generally The Place To Begin Your Research,

Reference sources are generally the place to begin your research, especially when you're starting out with an unfamiliar field. But they're also where you return when you need to look up formulas, facts, definitions, and other standard details; they tend to pack a lot of information into simple, easy-to-use packages. Many reference works are available online and are accessible through links from t...

Check Your Style Manual For Best Guidelines. As Compilations Of

Check your style manual for best guidelines. As compilations of existing information, reference works are decisively in the category of secondary sources... to the point that some people call them tertiary sources. 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 ...

They Often Point You Towards The Secondary And Primary Sources

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 a...