Need Help?
Phone or Email This link opens in a new window
FAQ This link opens in a new window
Video Tutorials This link opens in a new window
Make an Appointment This link opens in a new window
How to Use Reference Books
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and reference books 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.
- Finding references to additional resources.
These sources are useful for initial research and gaining a broader understanding of your topic; however, they should not be included in your works cited or reference list.
Reference Databases
-
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)
Online Encyclopedias
-
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)
-
Britannica Academic This link opens in a new windowFully-searchable collection of authoritative encyclopedia articles. (NVCC)
-
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)
