LibGuides: The Research Process: Reference Sources

When to Use Reference Sources

Reference books give you:

A quick introduction to your subject by covering a lot of points briefly;
In-depth background on some of the major elements of your topic;
Vocabulary to use for searches in other resources; and
Bibliographies that can give you ideas for other resources, among other things.

Reference materials can also help you choose a topic, spell correctly (we have lots of dictionaries), choosing alternative words (Want to sound smart? Use a thesaurus.), answering grammar questions, and even finding a pithy quote to impress your professor!

Reference Databases

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Access to more than 350 reference titles, including encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, and atlases in all major subjects. Also, Credo Reference offers a visual map of research using their Concept Map in addition to other tools.
Gale In Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Combines biographies of more than 380,000 people with related full-text articles from magazines and newspapers, images, and links to selected websites.
Funk and Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Provides thousands of encyclopedia entries covering a variety of subject areas, including some images and brief biographies.