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!

Here are some databases that emphasize reference materials:

The following are examples of subject specific encyclopedias found in our reference collection at STCC. They may only be used in the library. You can search the catalog to find many more encyclopedias in the general stacks that you can check out. Use these to get background on a possible research topic: