Using Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Handbooks, and Other Quick Reference Works
Excellent quick references, dictionaries, encyclopedias, handbooks, and yearbooks provide researchers with basic information on a variety of subjects. Reference librarians rely on such sources as excellent means for answering questions quickly. Researchers will find sources such as the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which provides both concise articles on almost any subject and book length treatment of major subjects, invaluable as a starting point for learning about a subject. Thorough research should go beyond mere encyclopedic treatment into a more thorough search of both book and periodical literature. I am not suggesting that encyclopedias, handbooks, and yearbooks aren't valuable tools, only that they are by nature limited in the amount of detail they contain and in the specificity of their articles.The primary value of these irreplaceable reference works is their ability to provide basic information on almost any subject quickly.
Encyclopedias--These reference works can be either general or subject specific. A good encyclopedia can provide a researcher with valuable guidance in how to approach a previously unfamiliar subject. Often, an encyclopedia article will suggest additional approaches to research that previously might not have been apparent to a researcher. For example, careful reading of an encyclopedia article on Shakespeare might suggest to the reader that other researchers have questioned Shakespeare's authorship of numerous works traditionally attributed to him. The value of such information is that it provides a basic understanding of the man William Shakespeare, an overview of the historical era in which he wrote, a critical survey of his work, and an overview of lingering questions that still intrigue scholars. A researcher with little or no familiarity with Shakespeare would be able to gain at least a cursory understanding of scholarly thought about the poet and playwright, and then find ideas for further, more in-depth research. Encyclopedias are excellent works to consult for a general working knowledge of a subject.
In addition to general encyclopedias like the Britannica and the Encyclopedia Americana, many subjects are covered by specialized encyclopedias. For example, topics of concern to educators are covered in the Encyclopedia of Educational Research. Articles in this reference work are well documented research articles written by professional educators for other educators. As with general encyclopedias, works such as the Encyclopedia of Educational Research are excellent starting points for investigating a research topic.
Library Catalog Tip --To
find an encyclopedia on a subject in the UNF Library, use
a combination subject heading and keyword search. For example,
to find a specialized encyclopedia of psychology: |
Dictionaries -- Dictionaries provide alphabetical arrangements of words, brief definitions of the words, and, in many cases, examples of how to use the words in sentences. Dictionaries can be unabridged (full length), like the standard work for the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary, or abridged (shortened), like the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary. Dictionaries are not limited to languages. Just as encyclopedias can be subject specific, so can dictionaries. For example, the Dictionary of Politics is a specialized dictionary covering American and European political concepts.
| Library Catalog Tip --To
find a dictionary on a subject in the UNF Library, use a combination
subject heading and keyword search. For example, to find a specialized
dictionary covering nutrition: 1) Go to the Advanced Search option; |
Biographical Dictionaries -- Biographical dictionaries provide basic information on notable people. Rather than define, biographical dictionaries outline achievements, personal background, and family history. They may be comprehensive, covering people throughout history; they may be specific to a historical era; or they may focus on a certain field or interest. The Cambridge Biographical Dictionary, for example, gives brief background information on thousands of individuals throughout history. The Dictionary of Scientific Biography specializes in detailing the lives and achievements of people throughout history in any field of science, from astronomy to mathematics to physics to chemistry. The biographical entries in this dictionary are numerous pages in length and also provide references to other sources of information.
| Library Catalog Tip --To
find biographical dictionaries for a specific subject in the UNF
Library, use a combination keyword search. For example,
to find a biographical dictionary of scientists: 1) Go to the Advanced Search option; |
Atlases -- An atlas is a collection of maps bound into a single volume and usually indexed by topic and specific location. These may be comprehensive, covering the world or the known universe, or they may be subject specific, such as the Atlas of American History. Atlases may also provide articles to accompany the maps. This is especially true for subject atlases, which often intermingle research articles and maps that illustrate the articles.
| Library Catalog Tip --To
find an atlas in the UNF Library, use a combination subject
and keyword search. For example, to find an atlas of United States
history: 1) Go to the Advanced Search option; |
Gazetteers -- Unlike atlases, gazetteers normally do not have maps; they do, however, provide brief information on geographical places, including locations and historical and social information. Gazetteers may also be thematic and focus on a specific phenomenon that can be located geographically.
| Library Catalog Tip --To find a gazetteer in the UNF Library, use the library catalog Basic Search. For example, to find a world gazetteer, enter into Basic search window "world gazetteer" (quotation marks are not necessary for this search). |
Yearbooks -- A yearbook is an annual publication that provides recent information on a subject. A yearbook may serve as a regular update to a larger work such as an encyclopedia or it may be an annual update of research in a certain field. The Review of Research in Education is a specialized yearbook that provides educators with current research articles on a variety of topics. The Britannica Book of the Year is an example of the more commonly held idea of what a yearbook is. This annual publication updates subject articles in the Encyclopaedia Britannica and provides a comprehensive overview of the year's events.
| Library Catalog Tip --To find a yearbook in the UNF Library, use the library catalog Basic Search. For example, to find a science yearbook, simply enter the search "science yearbook" into the Basic Search screen (quotation marks are not necessary for this search). |
Handbooks -- A handbook provides brief information on a variety of topics within a subject. For example, Holman's A Handbook to Literature provides researchers with definitions of literary terms, defining characteristics of various genres of writing, defining characteristics of historical movements in literature, and examples of the terms and concepts covered. A handbook's primary value is in its ability to provide brief information on specific aspects of a given subject in a handy one volume format.
Library Catalog Tip -- To find a handbook for a subject in the UNF Library, you can try keyword searching or a combination of subject searching and keyword searching. For example, you can find Holman's literature handbook by performing the following Advanced Search: 1) Go to the Advanced Search option; A Basic Search by keyword will also turn up literature handbooks. Try entering the keywords "literature handbook" in the Basic Search screen. |
Page updated 09/08.
