LibGuides: Political Science: What are Reference Sources and When Should I Use Them?

VIDEO: 5 reasons why you should use Reference sources

What is a Reference Book?

A reference book is a source that provides facts &/or finite pieces of information; this can be general (Encyclopedia Britannica) or more subject-focused (Encyclopedia of Women and Baseball). They are NOT sources designed to be read cover to cover, but instead are used to get key facts about a topic (think dictionary or almanac). These materials don’t circulate (they have to be used in the Library) so that everyone can use the material. Reference books are a great place to start your research and find general history/background information as well as important people, dates and/or terms related to your topic.

Reference books are usually organized alphabetically (think encyclopedia or dictionary) but using the Index (the back section of a book or group of books that alphabetically lists the headings including people, places, and subjects with corresponding page numbers) can be a quick way to find the information you need.

Specialized Reference Sources

Reference Databases

General Sources:

Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Online Encyclopædia Britannica plus Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and other research tools.
Britannica Moderna This link opens in a new window
Spanish language encyclopedia for general use.
Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Reference works, tools, and tutorials.
Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
Authoritative and comprehensive dictionary of English.
Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Articles on hundreds of thousands of individuals.
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Ebook reference content in a database format.
Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Indexes an array of topics updated annually.
Oxford Reference This link opens in a new window
Reliable and authoritative answers to research questions.

Specialized Reference:

CIA World Factbook This link opens in a new window
Facts on every country, dependency, and geographic entity in the world provided by the Central Intelligence Agency.
History Reference Center This link opens in a new window
U.S. and world history topics including primary source material.
Literary Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Information on authors and literary disciplines.
Nursing Reference Center Plus This link opens in a new window
Evidence-based point-of-care information for nurses.
Science Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Reference books and periodicals covering a broad spectrum of science topics.
Music Online: The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music This link opens in a new window
Online world music encyclopedia with audio samples.

Types of Reference Sources

Reference book

1. a non-fiction book (such as a dictionary, encyclopedia, or atlas) intended primarily for consultation rather than for consecutive reading. They are a collection of facts or information on a subject and are designed for quick finding. They typically follow some method of arrangement e.g. Alpahabetical, Chronological, or other methods

Click on the tabs to find a variety of Reference materials and their definitions.

Almanac - This usually contains a single volume representing a specified year with a compilation of facts and statistics on a topic. (The world almanac OR Revolutionary War almanac)
Atlas - A bound volume of geographical information such as physical, political, road and/or thematic maps. (Atlas of the World)
- Historical Atlas - This source contains maps and descriptions of the represented areas as they were during the time period that is covered by the atlas. (Historical atlas of Tibet)
- Subject Atlas - These atlases provide maps and information about a specific topic. (Wine atlas of Germany)

Bibliography - This contains a list of sources (books, articles, and more) about a specific subject or author.
Biographical Dictionary - These sources provide a short summary of the lives of people, often with a focus on a particular group of people (women, scientists, historical figures, etc). (Southern writers: a new biographical dictionary)

Chronology - This work presents information that is arranged by date.
Concordance - These sources give an alphabetical list of the principal keywords or phrases contained in another book with citations of the passages. (A concordance to the poems of Dylan Thomas)

Dictionary (Abridged) - This resource defines selected words and terms, confirms spelling, definition and pronunciation, explains how words are used, and helps to locate synonyms and antonyms.
- Unabridged Dictionary - This source provides a comprehensive listing of words and terms along with definitions and helps to identify synonyms and antonyms.
- Subject Dictionary - These sources focus on the vocabulary of a subject or discipline. (The Penguin dictionary of science)
- Etymological Dictionary - This provides the history of words and how their meanings change. (An etymological dictionary of the English language)
- Bilingual Dictionary - This defines words and terms used by the two languages represented in the dictionary. (Oxford beginner's Chinese dictionary)
Digest - This is a compilation of information or a short account of that information.
Directory - This source gives contact information such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

Encyclopedia (General) - These sets provide summaries of information and ideas in a comprehensive manner. They are useful for providing facts and obtaining a broad survey of a topic. (The encyclopedia Americana)
- Subject Encyclopedia - These sources contain articles on topics within a specific subject. (The encyclopedia of twentieth-century fiction)

Gazetteer - An alphabetical list of geographic names identifying the nature and location of the thing, or place, named.
Guidebook - These sources provide detailed descriptions of places and are designed primarily for visitors or those unfamiliar with a particular area. Readers will find descriptions of road, places, or objects of interest, geographical facts and occasionally maps.

Handbook - These provide a brief survey of a topic. (Animal rights: a reference handbook)

Index - An index lists citations to periodical articles, books, and proceedings and indicates where those resources can be found.

Manual - A manual explains how to do something, such as the manner in which something operates or the way in which an organization operates. (Nursing diagnosis reference manual)
- Style Guide - is a book with a set of standards for the writing and design of documents, either for general use or for a specific publication, organization, or field. (MLA handbook)

Quotations - a book listing common quotations often by subject and or author. (The Yale book of quotations)

Subject Atlas - These atlases provide maps and information about a specific topic.
Subject Dictionary - These sources focus on the vocabulary of a subject or discipline.
Subject Encyclopedia - These sources contain articles on topics within a specific subject.

Text Book- A book designed to accompany a class usually with general information about a subject. (Janson's history of art: The Western tradition)
Thesaurus - A book of synonyms, often including related and contrasting words and antonyms. (Roget's international thesaurus)

Yearbook - A yearbook covers the trends and events of a specific year. It may be general in coverage or limited to a specific subject or geographical area. (Mental Measures Yearbook)