How to Use Reference Books
Encyclopedias are 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.
They are good resources to use in the beginning stages of your research for learning more about your topic, but they should not be part of your cited reference list.
Online Encyclopedias
Below are a few places you can find definitions and encyclopedia articles; from off campus you will have to login with your myNOVA username and password.
- World History (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
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Includes world history reference articles, periodical articles, historical maps, primary documents, audio and video. (NVCC) - Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new windowMore than 100 Oxford University Press dictionaries and reference books. (VIVA)
- Biography (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
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Biographical information on over 380,000 people from throughout world history; from encyclopedias and news articles. (NVCC) - Credo Reference This link opens in a new windowA collection of over 500 reference books on a variety of topics. (NVCC)
- Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
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(Formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library) includes full-text encyclopedias, handbooks, and other sources for multidisciplinary research. (VIVA, NVCC)
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: roman empire
YES: roman empire AND colosseum
NO: what was daily life like for gladiators in the roman colosseum