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How to Use Reference Books
An encyclopedia is a type of reference book. These are great resources for gathering background information on your topic, as well as for:
- Defining important vocabulary words related to your topic,
- Finding a basic overview and main issues related to your topic, and
- Finding references to additional resources.
Getting Started - Resources for Background Information
Below are a few resources where you can find reports on topics, definitions and encyclopedia articles:
- Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new windowEssays, magazines, journals, newspapers, statistics, primary sources; focus is on controversial issues. (VCCS)
- Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowA collection of over 500 reference books on a variety of topics. (NVCC)
- Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowMore than 100 Oxford University Press dictionaries and reference books. (VIVA)
- Britannica Academic This link opens in a new windowBritannica has an online site that is similar to Gale's Opposing Viewpoints and Procon.org.
Encyclopedia Search Tips
Since encyclopedia articles focus on basic, general information about a topic, what you type in the search box should also be general:
YES: "higher education"
YES: "higher education" AND cost
NO: ("higher education" OR college or university) AND (cost OR tuition OR fees) AND (ROI OR "return on investment" OR value or salary)