Research Guides: Choosing & Identifying the Best Source Types for Your Research: Encyclopedias

Specialized Reference Sources

*Don't know where to start with your research?

*Have no idea what to write about?

*Want an expert in your discipline to provide you with pertinent information and suggestions?

Start with a specialized encyclopedia or handbook!

Professors may have told you not to use "encyclopedias" in your research. They were probably referring to general encyclopedias (like Britannica), not the specialized, topical encyclopedias that may be highly valuable as you explore your topic.

Specialized encylopedias are written by experts in the field and will provide you with both overviews of and context for your topic while suggesting narrower topics to explore as well. Use the references and bibliographies included therein to find more sources on aspects that interest you.

Save both energy and time by exploring these reference sources!

Source Types

Characteristics

Used for

Disadvantages

Encyclopedias

and other specialized reference sources, such as:

Handbooks

Dictionaries (A-Z entries, just shorter articles than encyclopedias

Atlases

Factbooks.

· Covers basic facts, definition, history, concepts, theories, authors, and terms on a subject.

· Provides references to major scholarly works in the discipline.

· Articles are written by subject experts.

· There are general and subject encyclopedias.

· Can be in print or online format. Online encyclopedias are available through library subscription databases.

· Find background information on topics.

· Find and confirm facts & definitions.

· Provide terms for further research in the online catalog or journal databases.

· Provide further reading on the subject.

· A good place to start a research.

· Limited in depth.

Reference Sources (Print and Online) Guide