Building Your Foundation
As you begin your research, consulting a reference source such as an encyclopedia, handbook or dictionary can increase your understanding of the topic. The background information from these sources may provide timelines, definitions of key concepts, and people of importance. You may also discover search terms or a bibliography to help identify primary and secondary sources.
The library subscribes to a variety of academic reference sources (see lists below). Most often you will not cite these sources for your assignments, but use them to build a strong foundation for your paper or presentation.
What about Wikipedia?
What about Wikipedia?Wikipedia is a multilingual, web-based, free content encyclopedia project based on an openly-editable model. For the most part, Wikipedia entries are created by anonymous volunteers. The community of volunteers is largely responsible for reviewing and correcting errors or misinformation.
Just as you would not start and end your research with a library reference source, you should not start and end your research with Wikipedia. Take notes, browse the article for ideas, and follow their suggested links. Never assume that the information from this source is correct -- it should be evaluated and verified like any other source (print or electronic). In fact, you can never assume that one source is adequate for college-level research papers.
Library Reference Resources
General Reference Sources
- CREDO Reference This link opens in a new window A full-text online reference service, CREDO contains dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, quotations and atlases, plus a wide range of subject-specific titles covering everything from art to accountancy, science to Shakespeare and law to literature.
- Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window Core collection of online reference books in the following subject areas-health, history, government & law, science, education and business.
- Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window 150+ academic subject, language, and quotations dictionaries with 240+ in-depth, specialized titles from Oxford University Press’s Encyclopedias and Companions.
Subject-specific Reference Sources
- African-American History Online This link opens in a new window Features thousands of cross-referenced entries, covering the entire spectrum of African-American history over the past 500 years.
- American History Online This link opens in a new window Spans more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history to cover the American experience.
- Ancient & Medieval History This link opens in a new window Ancient and Medieval History Online provides thorough coverage of eight civilizations-ancient Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient and medieval Africa, medieval Europe, the Americas, and ancient and medieval Asia covering prehistory through the 1500s.
- Modern World History Online This link opens in a new window Covers the broad expanse of world history from the mid-15th century to the present, featuring thousands of documents, articles, timelines, images, videos, and maps.
- Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window Provides access to Oxford Art Online (covering both Western and non-Western art), Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, and Oxford Companion to Western Art.
- Oxford Music Online This link opens in a new window The gateway to Grove Music Online, with access to search The Oxford Dictionary of Music and The Oxford Companion to Music. The authoritative resource for music research with over 52,000 articles written by nearly 9,000 scholars charting the diverse history and cultures of music around the globe