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Online Encyclopedias
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Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window(Formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library) includes full-text encyclopedias, handbooks, and other sources for multidisciplinary research. (VIVA, NVCC)
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Biography (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new windowBiographical information on over 380,000 people from throughout world history; from encyclopedias and news articles. (NVCC)
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Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowMore than 100 Oxford University Press dictionaries and reference books. (VIVA)
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Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowA collection of over 500 reference books on a variety of topics. (NVCC)
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Literature Resource Center (Gale) This link opens in a new windowFull-text biographies and critical analyses of writers and their work from a variety of periods and disciplines. (VIVA)
Why to Use Reference Books
An encyclopedia is a type of reference book. Use a reference book to:
- Define important vocabulary words related to your topic,
- Find a basic overview and main issues related to your topic,
- Find references to additional resources, and
- Discover important background information related to your topic.
You will typically not use a reference book or encyclopedia as a source in your research. The information in these sources is for your own background knowledge.