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Getting Started With Research Resources: 1. Reference

Information on how to find resources for research, evaluate, and ethically cite them, as well as writing and citation help.

The Raven, or North Reading Room, of the Library

Encyclopedias

Credo Reference
A great place to start your research. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, Mind Map, and links to our other databases.
eBooks
Over 2,500 encyclopedias & reference works on a wide range of disciplines & topics.
IGI Global Research
Hundreds of full-text e-reference books in the field of computers in the health sciences, medicine, & business.
Salem Reference
Encyclopedias in literature, history, & science.

Credo Reference Tutorial

Master List of Subject Encyclopedias
A master list of scholarly print & electronic encyclopedias organized by discipline.

Reference Universe
Use Reference Universe to search the table of contents & indexes of the majority our print & electronic encyclopedia collection.

Reference Universe Tutorial

Britannica Online Academic Edition
College level version of the classic encyclopedia.
Funk & Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia
Over 25,000 encyclopedic entries covering a variety of subject areas.

Oxford English Dictionary ( OED )
The definitive source for the history of the English language.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary
This collegiate dictionary also includes a thesaurus.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 6th edtion.
2016.

Cite an encyclopedia article

Related guides

Atlases
By their nature, atlases are visual information. So, if you need a graphic for your presentation or paper, browse our atlas collection for some bling to add to that PowerPoint.
Medieval & Renaissance Resources
A guide to reference materials on the Medieval and Renaissance world.
The World of the Eighteenth Century
A guide to reference materials related to life in, and the events of, the 18th century.