Reference Sources

  What are Reference sources?

Reference sources are encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, directories, and other items providing concentrated information on a topic.  Reference sources can be print or online.

  What is the usefulness of Reference sources?

Some kinds of Reference sources are good for quickly locating factual pieces of information, such as "the current population in Greece."  Other sources can help you get an overview of a broad subject in longer articles which are frequently written by specialists and include bibliographies of additional useful sources you can use in your research.  For example, the Encyclopedia of Bioethics has a long article discussing the controversy of "Evolution" (vol.2, pp.789-796) written by two professionals with a lengthy bibliography at the very end.

  Can I get answers to my "reference" questions using the web?

Probably yes. The Internet has become a powerful tool for "reference" information.  If you need background information or a quick answer to a question, you might consider using one of the web sites listed in the library's web site: 

• on the library homepage locate the heading Quick facts: Encyclopedias, stats, etc.
• on the drop down menu, you will  find a list of categories for web sites for almanacs, encyclopedias, dictionaries, virtual library collections and much more!

Let me take you for a tour perusing some of my favorite web sites listed on the library web site under:

Also, on the library homepage, under Quick facts: Encyclopedias, stats, etc., under the category Encyclopedias, there are additional wonderful resources for you to explore, which are discussed towards the bottom of this page, under "What is the difference between general encyclopedias and specialized/subject encyclopedias?"  See below.

  And what if I needed to use the library's print collection? How could I locate a "Reference" book on my general research area?

Remember our discussion on the Library of Congress Classification (LC) system?  We said that the first row of call numbers represents the broad subject area of a book.  Besides books in our general collection, you can use the LC classification system to also locate Reference books.   For example, let's imagine that you want to locate an encyclopedia on Religion so that you can get an understanding of the history of Judaism.  Take a look at the Library of Congress Classification system.   The call number letter "B" stands for religion, philosophy and psychology, right?  So, go to the "B" Reference section of the COCC Library  and you will see several encyclopedias and other resources having to do with religion.  

 NOTE:  the call numbers of these Reference books start with the indicator "REF" at the very top of the call number to identify them as Reference materials

  Once I have found a Reference book on my general research area, how can I locate information within it on my specific topic?

Here are the steps you need to follow:

•  Locate the most recent edition of a Reference source in your subject area as described above.
•  Look in the index of this Reference source for your topic.
•  Locate the page(s) the index refers you to to get the relevant article or section.

An index eases your search for information by providing a listing of all of the places (usually page numbers) that discuss your topic within a Reference work. Many Reference books, especially encyclopedias, have indexes in the back of a volume, or may have an index volume all its own. 

  What is the difference between general encyclopedias and specialized/subject encyclopedias?

Encyclopedias are some of the most basic resources for background information. General encyclopedias such as Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana or World Book Encyclopedia are considered "popular" sources addressing a general audience, and I would not recommend them for writing a serious research paper

Specialized encyclopedias, on the other hand, are subject specific. These are major publications with articles written by specialists in different fields (notice that each article has a different author whose name appears at the beginning or very end of each article). In other words, in contrast to the general encyclopedias, specialized encyclopedias are usually considered "professional" sources. These encyclopedias can be great as you start out your research project!

In the past, our library purchased specialized encyclopedias in print, multi-volume sets.  Some examples of these sets, still in our regular Reference collection (first/main floor of the library), include the Encyclopedia of Human Nutrition (REF QP 141 .E526 1999), War and American Popular Culture : A Historical Encyclopedia (REF E 181 .W26 1999) or McGraw Encyclopedia of Science and Technology (REF Q 121 .M3).

Libraries, however, including COCC, are moving towards electronic versions of such research tools.  For example,

• go to our library homepage. 
• under the category Quick facts: Encyclopedias, stats, etc. click on Encyclopedias (alternatively, you may also find these sources under the category Articles & More: Databases, under Encyclopedias and other sources). 
• On the next web page, note the distinction between "Subject specific, professional" sources versus "General"  sources.  Once again, our electronic subject specific encyclopedias are considered "professional" literature that you can use in your research project whereas general encyclopedias such as Britannica online have a popular slant to them and can be use for your general knowledge.
• Go ahead and try a search in the online Dictionary of American History, Encyclopedia of Bioethics, Encyclopedia of Education, etc! They are quite easy to use!